Myricks to be honored for ‘lifetime of commitment’ on April 29

He’s helped build every one of the 58 homes built by Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County since it started in 1992 and served on the board. He helped plan and oversee renovations at the Oak Ridge High School, been a member of the Red Cross Disaster Relief team, and along with his wife, grown thousands of Christmas trees that were donated to the American Cancer Society and Holiday Bureau for fundraising.

In recognition of their work, Tim and Teresa Myrick will be honored this month for their “lifetime of commitment to the people of Oak Ridge and Anderson County.” The reception will be hosted by Habitat for Humanity, and it is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 29, at the New Hope Center at Y-12 National Security Complex.

All of the Myrick’s friends are invited, and so is the community, a Habitat for Humanity press release said.

Jim Hardy, co-chair of the Habitat Honorary Committee, suggested to the Habitat staff and board that a house be built in honor of the Myricks, the press release said. The April 29 reception will kick off fundraising for the build.

The Rev. Jake Morrill of Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church and the Rev. Sharon Youngs of First Presbyterian Church of Oak Ridge have “graciously committed their churches to sponsor this reception,” the press release said.

Meanwhile, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Oak Ridge Associated Universities have already pledged funds and in-kind services for the special home build, the press release said.

Jim and Mary Ann Hardy, chairs of the Honorary Committee, “have given a very generous donation to kick off the fundraising,” the press release said, and “First United Methodist Church has made a generous pledge of money and volunteers.”

The house that Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County will be building in the Myricks’ honor will be located in Heiskell, not far from the Myricks’ home. All surplus funds raised will be used to build or rehab additional homes or to fund “A Brush With Kindness” projects. These projects are exterior home repairs to owner-occupied properties of low-income families.

Here are some of Myrick’s other accomplishments, as outlined in the press release:

• He recently won the 2013 Anderson County Interagency Coalition’s Starfish Award.
• He has served on the ADFAC Board of Directors for 12 years and continues his service to that organization.
• He has gone on eight emergency response missions as a member of the Red Cross Disaster Relief team. He also raised and contributed funds to buy a van for use in preparing meals at disaster sites for the Red Cross.
• He has volunteered and taught the Advanced Placement Environmental Science class at ORHS.
• Myrick has served as a Big Brother, taught Sunday School, and been a mentor to young people in various projects.
• He has worked with Living Waters for the World, serving on its board and traveling to Belize and Haiti to install clean water systems. He has also helped with similar projects in Appalachian communities.
• As a member of the Tennessee Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, he has worked with a group to protect crucial habitats for people and nature across the state of Tennessee, conserving more than 280,000 acres.

Habitat for Humanity builds or rehabs homes and sells them to families that have qualifying income and are willing to partner with Habitat by working 400 hours of “sweat equity,” paying a down payment, and agree to pay a zero-interest mortgage. A Brush With Kindness, or ABWK, works in a similar fashion. Low-income families make affordable monthly payments for their new roof or siding, for example. Using mostly volunteer labor and some free materials from companies that partner with Habitat for Humanity keeps mortgages and ABWK payments low.

For more information on how to donate to the Myrick Honorary Build or to make reservations for the reception, please call the HFHAC office at (865) 482-7713.

Here are the members of the Honorary Committee:

• Jim and Mary Ann Hardy, chairs
• Jim Bailey
• Gerald Boyd
• Linda and Walt Brown
• Jim Campbell
• Pat Fain
• Dan Hurst
• Andy Page
• Bill Reis
• Jeff Smith
• Ray Smith
• Bear Stephenson
• Peggy and Dan Terpstra
• Tom Tuck