Noah doubted it. He had a job to do and nothing barring a category four hurricane would stop him.
Cassie openedher laptop and found the project plan for the auction she was helping to organize.
The Welcome Center was the only place in Sapphire Bay where people could go who were homeless or needed help. With winter fast approaching, the center was desperate for warm blankets and food.
“Have we received any more donations?”
Sam took a piece of paper from a folder. “Mabel and Allan from the general store are donating a barbecue. Here are the details and the manufacturer’s link.”
“I spoke to Willow yesterday,” Brooke said. “She’s made two beautiful gift baskets full of homemade jams, pickles, and chutneys. She also wants to donate a photo of Flathead Lake, but it won’t be ready for another week.”
Sam nibbled on one of the cookies Brooke had brought with her. “This is slightly off topic, but have you thought of asking Willow to sing at your wedding? I know she doesn’t like being in the spotlight, but her voice is incredible.”
“I’ve already asked her. She thinks it will be okay, but she needs to make sure she’s available.”
A few years ago, Willow had returned to Sapphire Bay after a hugely successful career as a country music singer. There was a lot of speculation about why she’d suddenly left Nashville, but Cassie was glad Willow had come home. They had a lot in common and had become good friends.
“Did we add Megan’s cakes to the items to be auctioned?” Sam asked.
Cassie checked the list. “They’re here. Including her cakes, we have forty-five items to auction. We should be able to raise a lot of money for the center.” She opened her email account. “I’ll send everyone the timetable of what’s happening on the night of the auction. Pastor John is happy to decorate the main meeting room at the church. All I have to do is give him the decorations and a list of where everything goes.”
“What about ticket sales?” Brooke reached for a cookie. “Megan advertised the auction in Nora’s school newsletter. If that doesn’t fill the meeting room, we could start advertising on Facebook.”
Clicking on another tab, Cassie opened the spreadsheet she used to keep track of door sales. “We only have twenty seats left. If ticket sales remain strong, we should have a sold-out audience.”
That news made everyone smile.
Cassie leaned forward, eager to tell her friends about the new project Pastor John had started. “What if we could do more than provide food and warm blankets for The Welcome Center?”
Sam frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Bozeman is creating a village of tiny houses for people who don’t have a home. There are shared laundry and cooking facilities, and larger recreational areas for everyone to enjoy. They’re even planning a shared community garden. We have the same problem as Bozeman—hardly any rental accommodation and a waiting list of people who desperately need somewhere to live.”
“But this isn’t Bozeman,” Brooke said. “We don’t have the same number of homeless people or the same population.”
“Everyone deserves a warm, safe place to live. Pastor John’s church looks after at least thirty people each night. Some of them have been living at The Welcome Center for more than a year. What if we could create a community housing project that gives people hope?”
Just thinking about what they could achieve gave Cassie goosebumps. Pastor John had already talked to the County Planning Department in Polson. He’d completed a feasibility study with other community and social service groups. All he needed was a fundraising committee to begin the project.
Cassie opened Bozeman’s Housing First website. “The concept plans are amazing. Pastor John has talked to the agencies involved in Bozeman’s tiny home village. The School of Architecture at Montana State University designed the homes and are willing to send some students to Sapphire Bay. They’ll help build the first home.”
Sam looked at the website. “How much does each house cost?”
“Ten thousand dollars. We wouldn’t be able to create an entire village right away, but we could keep fundraising until we had enough homes to make a difference.”
Brooke sat back in her chair. “It would take an enormous amount of time. We’d need some land and a lot of money to start building the homes.”
Cassie wasn’t ready to give up at the first hurdle. “Pastor John runs a construction apprenticeship program at the church. He said his students could build the houses as part of their training. We also have a lot of retired people living in Sapphire Bay. They might want to help.”
Sam frowned. “You’re really excited about this idea, aren’t you?”
“I want it to be more than an idea. We all have successful careers that we’ve grown from nothing. We have different strengths we can bring to this project. John can’t do this on his own but, if we work together, I know we could make it happen.”
“Would Pastor John want us to help?” Brooke asked.
“He would love our help. The Welcome Center still needs food and blankets for the winter, but this could be a long-term project. The community is always looking at ways to make people’s lives better. This would be an amazing opportunity for everyone.”
Brooke sipped her coffee. “I’m in. People aren’t homeless by choice. If I can help someone else, I’ll do it.”
