Helping Hands: FOS clients aid 98-year-old woman with home cleanup

Don Wilkins, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
Updated ·2 min read

Apr. 15—For Friends of Sinners' clients Matthew Renfrow and Jordan Craig, the opportunity to lend a helping hand is part of their own restoration process from addiction.

Renfrow, 32, of Owensboro and Craig, 25, of Madisonville volunteered Friday along with Jordan Wilson, FOS development director, to spring clean the Philpot yard of 98-year-old Marjorie Swope.

"I'm just happy for the opportunity to give back," Renfrow said. "I've made a lot of mistakes that caused destruction. So it's nice to do some healing."

Craig said he was enjoying being outside and knowing he was doing something that would benefit Swope.

"Anything outdoors, I'm fine; yard work, it doesn't matter, especially when it's nice out like this," Craig said.

The three men spent much of the morning raking leaves, picking up limbs and cleaning up other debris around the home.

Wilson said he was contacted by Swope's friend Erma Risley about doing the service project.

Wilson added that FOS considers each situation on a "case by case" need when it comes to volunteering for projects.

"We're young; we're healthy," Wilson said. "Our goal — all of us at Friends of Sinners' clients, volunteers, staff, the board — is to look like Jesus. I can't think of anything better to do. Scripture says to look after the widows and the orphans. So that's what we're doing today."

Risley, 85, said FOS is among the handful of local nonprofits she donates to regularly.

Risley said its mission as a faith-based drug rehab center for men and women is important to her because her daughter, who was an alcoholic, was killed nearly 40 years ago in a drunken driving accident.

"You need all the support you can get, and I went to (FOS) for support," Risley said.

Other than her pet cat, Teddy, Swope, who will turn 99 in June, lives alone in her home of 55 years.

Her sons typically helped with the yard work in the past, but both have dealt with medical issues recently that prevented them from cleaning this year.

Swope said she was unaware of FOS and its cause.

"Erma just told me that they will come do things for people who can't do things themselves," Swope said. "...If I didn't have them here today, I'd just have to let the yard go, I guess."