Community member’s grassroots effort aims to help pay utility bills

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  • Ramsey
    Ramsey
  • Riggs
    Riggs
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Carl Ramsey’s grassroots effort doesn’t have a fancy or catchy name like Operation Christmas Hope.

In fact, the grassroots effort doesn’t really have a name at all. That doesn’t mean it isn’t effective, though.

Two years ago, Ramsey, through his business, decided to do something to help a resident in need.

“I’m pretty blessed. The lord blesses me every day,” Ramsey said. “I know there are a lot of people in town that have a hard time and everything.”

The idea was pretty simple. He would do a drawing and select a winner, and then pay $200 toward that person’s utility bill.

“I put it out there on the Citizens of Cordell (Facebook) page, and then other businesses joined with it. We had a real good turnout the first year,” he said. “We paid like three or four people’s utility bills.”

Last year, the effort grew in size.

“Shirley Dudgeon stepped in with her donation,” he said. “We raised like $1,200, and she came in and donated $3,000 and paid everyone’s electric bill who was in the drawing. It was really awesome.”

That helped about a dozen people with their utility bills.

This year, though, the pandemic has thrown everything in a dryer and tumbled it all around.

“We’re having a little bit harder time this year getting people to donate,” he said.

How it works

The grassroots effort relies on two principles.

The first, people need to be nominated to receive help on their utility bills.

Ramsey said they want to help people who genuinely need the help.

“We don’t want someone to throw in somebody’s name that is able to afford their utility bills and buy their Christmas stuff , such as myself,” he said. “I’ll use myself as an example. I can afford to pay my bills and buy Christmas for my kids, and so on, so forth, but a lot of families aren’t that lucky.”

The typical person the program helps are single parents, or someone on disability or retirement.

“With the pandemic that’s come about, I know there’s families who are absolutely struggling. With people losing their jobs, there are just families who need help.”

The second part of the equation is the donations part.

Amy Riggs of Riggs Nutrition has helped Ramsey since the beginning.

They will accept donations from any business or individual.

“If anyone wants to pay $200 toward the bill, then they can. We are accepting donations if people want to pay a bill. They can contact myself, Carl Ramsey, or the owners of Shorty’s.”

They ask that checks are made payable to the city of New Cordell, Riggs said. The donation will go to one of the names that is drawn and applied to their utility bill.

Donors “can remain anonymous, or we will give you credit,” she said. “If anyone can pay a bill, it definitely is appreciated. Every little bit helps.”

The $200 applied to a person’s bill may not cover the entire amount they owe.

“If their bill is only $10, then they will have a credit. If their bill is more than $200, they’re going to owe the difference,” Riggs said.

The program makes a difference, Riggs said.

She points to two examples to stress her point.

“We had one guy one year who said that he could not afford to go to the doctor because he had to pay his utility bill,” she said. “Because his bill was paid, he was able to go to the doctor and he got some life-saving medicine. And that made me feel really good.”

Another lady said she was able to give her kids a good Christmas because her utility bill was paid.

“This is really near and dear to my heart,” she said. “To be able to be a part of it.

“I really appreciate Carl keeping this going. Even if it’s only one guy paying one bill, it matters. It makes a difference in one person’s life. I think there needs to be more loving, more giving.”

For his part, Ramsey likes seeing the effort pay off.

“What’s really cool about this program, is that we have a young man in who has been in a wheelchair his whole life. He’s one of the people we intend to help, that we like to help,” Ramsey said. “He put some of his own money in last year to help somebody else. We just like to see the good in people.”

Ramsey moved to Cordell in 2009. He owns Reliable Lawn and Tree service and C&M Overhead Door.

He didn’t start this effort to gain notoriety, he said.

“All we want to do is help people out. It’s not a ‘Hey, look at me’ thing. It’s a kindness in your heart thing.”

Ramsey said he and the others will help as many people as they can.

“I would like to be able to help everyone, but we have to have donations come in or people who are willing to come in and say, ‘Hey, put me down, I want to help.’

HOW TO HELP

If you want to nominate someone in need for their bill to be paid, that nomination box is at Riggs Nutrition. Please include the first and last name, the address if you know it, but not required, and a good phone number so the team can contact the person and let them know that their bill has been paid.

If you want donate, contact Carl Ramsey, Amy Riggs or Shorty’s.

The drawing of names will take place on Dec. 4.