Page County community comes together to restore Stanley family’s home

STANLEY, Va. (WHSV) - In Page County, the community is coming together to support a family in need. Seven years ago Deborah Donelson and her five grandchildren lost their Stanley home to a fire, since then they’ve been living out of a large garage on their property but not for much longer.

Three weeks ago the non-profit Living Legacy in Luray heard about the family and set out to lend a hand.

“We’re rebuilding a house and our goal is that by this Thanksgiving, so we have about a week left, this family will eat their first Thanksgiving meal in seven years not in a garage but inside of their home,” said Living Legacy Founder Audre King.

The community quickly came together to help restore the family’s home. People from a work crew at the Page County Jail and community members have been hard at work to make the house better than ever before.

“We’ve built rooms for the boys and for the girls. We’ve turned on the electric, we’ve fixed plumbing, we had to redo the bathrooms, we had to make sure that they had adequate heat which we’re still working on. But everything came together and it’s just been like the hand of God has been on it,” said King.

Organizations like the Luray Rotary Club and Living Rivers Ministry have made big financial donations to the project and other donors in the community have pitched in to make the restoration a reality.

“I think it shows how people come together for a good thing, sometimes our mentality is that people are beating us down and not wanting to see us win but I think people love to see and hear a good story and they love to be a part of it. So when there was an opportunity to do good everyone was involved,” said King. “Everyone that heard has asked how can we put our hand in this, whether it’s carpentry work, whether it’s buying something, or just showing up and laboring in the effort. I think during the Thanksgiving holiday, during the Christmas holiday, that really shows the reason for the season.”

Deborah Donelson said that she and her grandchildren are excited to be back in their home and to have a lot more room. She said that the community is very giving and that its work has been a blessing.

“Never think you’re alone... because there is always somebody there that will step up for you and help,” said Donelson.

Anyone interested in donating to the project can do so here and write that the money is for Debbie’s House.

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