Page 155 - South Mississippi Living - December, 2023

Without volunteers, we’d be a nation without a soul.
– Rosalynn Carter
Mississippi with me and put blue tarps on houses?” Leah, an architect, knew their professional experience could be extremely helpful and offer far more than just a blue tarp. Understanding their impact could be even more powerful if they connected to a network of volunteers, Matt made over two hundred phone calls exploring options for his family, all four of whom were ready to hit the road south. He found a minister in Indiana headed to the Mississippi Coast with a crew of volunteers and Matt’s family joined them.
“We plugged into the Pass Christian community where families were struggling to repair and rebuild. We fell in love. We felt
like we were part of something bigger here than we did at home in Virginia.” The family decided to stay. “We are blessed to be here. We feel connected here.”
His family has always enjoyed volunteering. “We all have spiritual gifts and one of mine is service.” He passionately believes it is what we are all expected to do. Through his church, Matt met the family who will receive the new Habitat home. “These are good people,” he says. “They are living with their parents, and we are giving them a home they would not have otherwise. I want to help this couple, but I also want to help their parents. It will give all of them some peace of mind.”
With his construction skills, Matt offers this project more than SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living | www.smliving.net
just the ability to swing a hammer. “I can help direct and teach other volunteers,” he says. “Volunteering here leads to learning new skills and helping in ways people might never have before. But even better, it brings kind, giving, generous people together. It builds community and friendships.”
Having restarted his construction business here and his daughter moving her architecture practice here, Matt McBride and Leah Watters and their family are here to stay, and they do not intend to stop volunteering any time soon.
Be generous to your family and friends with your time and talents this holiday season. Savor every moment with the
ones you love. And consider starting the new year with a new perspective on giving back to people you do not know. There are so many ways to volunteer. Take a leap of faith and dive into the new year with a grateful heart.
Holly Harrison has been a licensed interior designer for over 35 years. Shannon Stage has spent nearly 20 years in the giftware industry. Together they own Sassy Bird Interiors in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
Sassy Bird Interiors
122 Court St., Bay St. Louis 228.344.3181 | www.sassybirdinteriors.com
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