Staff reports
The initial response to the Friends of Tom Allen GoFundMe page was overwhelming, thanks in part to an initial column and photos by former Beaufort Mayor Bill Rauch.
By Sunday, $17,252 had been raised, putting within reach the possibility of the community getting “Beaufort’s Greeter” an upgraded single-wide mobile home.
Its a success story of people from all walks of life coalescing around a single cause. Its hero is a friend whose name most people did not know, but who was widely appreciated for his generous show of love to each passing car over the course of nearly two decades.
Equally remarkable is the team that formed to make a dream come true. Here again, ethnicity didn’t matter.
These are the effective people and groups who have come together to help someone who touched us.
Marilyn Harris, Executive Director of The BCBCC Center for Culture and Commerce, stepped right up to form a team that will put the various necessary pieces together.
Derek Gilbert, the Beaufort attorney, has said he will address and paper whatever title and lease issues arise.
Brenda Dooley, executive director of Habitat for Humanity for the Lowcountry, has said Habitat will help build Mr. Allen a new front porch and provide other building services as necessary.
Alex Navarro, President of the Hispanic Business Association of the Lowcountry, has agreed to help with the trailer identifying and moving issues.
Coastal States Bank has agreed to keep the money safe and accounted for.
Caribbean Tree Services has stepped up to offer its services for free to do what’s necessary to clean up Allen’s lot to ready it for its new trailer, and to do whatever other landscaping is necessary to provide a clean and safe residence for Allen.
That means that all that’s left is to find a two-bedroom trailer and to raise no more than about $7,000. more to get a good one that’s been traded in or that is being sold on the open market. Harris and Navarro are in discussions with several trailer sales organizations and dealers, to find the right one at the right price. However, if readers know of any opportunities here, please contact Bill Rauch at therauchreport@gmail.com.
For contributions to close the final gap, the link to the Friends of Tom Allen GoFundMe page is https://gofund.me/363fad69a.