Pastor David Rodriguez’s prayer of raising $20,000 to open the
Emmaus House has been answered by a group of caring residents and
business owners.
Prompted by a recent call for assistance, several businesses and
some very generous residents are raising the final $20,000 needed
to pay for the remaining work needed to open the county’s first
battered women’s shelter.
Pastor David Rodriguez’s prayer of raising $20,000 to open the Emmaus House has been answered by a group of caring residents and business owners.
Prompted by a recent call for assistance, several businesses and some very generous residents are raising the final $20,000 needed to pay for the remaining work needed to open the county’s first battered women’s shelter.
Rodriguez, the pastor at the Presbyterian Church, and other supporters of the Emmaus House project took a moment to pray for the $20,000 they need to complete work on the shelter.
“The next day, a couple who read an article in the Free Lance about our fund-raiser said they would donate $10,000 if we could raise the other $10,000,” Rodriguez said.
He said the public’s generosity did not stop there.
“The following day, another person came in and wrote us a check for $11,000,” Rodriguez said.
The two anonymous donors were shortly followed by Supervisor Ruth Kesler, who donated an additional $2,000 to the project.
“I’ve never been a battered woman, but I know there are a lot of them in San Benito County,” Kesler said. “Those of us who have had such good fortune should help those women who have not been so fortunate.”
Although the three unexpected donations were enough to open the shelter, Rodriguez said local businesses are still volunteering to raise money because they realize once the shelter is open, it’s going to need community support to stay open.
On Monday, the owner of Flapjack’s County Cafe in Tres Pinos, Phil Barrett, will sponsor a pancake fund-raiser at the Hollister Presbyterian Church Hall on 2066 Cienega Road from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
The pancake dinner was Rodriguez and Barrett’s idea.
“Phil has wanted to do a fund-raiser for some time now, and we figured now would be a good time to do it,” Rodriguez said.
Following Barrett’s lead, Dr. John Red Eagle of Red Eagle Chiropractic at 1525 Cushman St. will hold a patient appreciation day Sept. 26.
During that day, new or current patients can get an adjustment and “all the money generated from that day will be given to the Emmaus House,” Red Eagle said.
Nearly two months after that, local wineries and restaurants will hold a wine and food tasting benefit on Nov. 15 at the Casa Maria in San Juan Bautista.
“Wineries and restaurants are already volunteering to provide food and wine for the event,” Rodriguez said.
Anyone who wants to help or make a donation to the Emmaus House project can call Rodriguez at 637-4350.
