SERVE Spotlight: Dick and Peggy Manz

Dick and Peggy Manz

Featured Organizations: Habitat for Humanity and the Rathbun House

Although we at Grace Covenant have known for a long time that Dick and Peggy Manz are remarkable folks, Governor McCrory acknowledged this publicly in 2014 by awarding them the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, one of the state’s most prestigious honors in recognition of community service. Moreover, Governor Jim Hunt (from the other side of the political aisle) also awarded Dick the North Carolina Distinguished Service Award a number of years ago for his work on the State Board of Education and as chair of the Community College Committee of the state board. 

When asked about the awards, Peggy says, “We’ve just done what decent people do. I don’t think we’ve done anything special.” Others might disagree…

After raising a family in the eastern part of North Carolina, Dick and Peggy retired to Asheville in 1992. They had moved a number of times via Dick’s work as an engineer with Champion Paper, but fell in love with the mountains after Dick spent time in Canton on a work project. 

It was Grace Covenant’s record of community service which attracted them. According to Dick, “We visited one Sunday, and it was Volunteer Recognition Day. Jack Laughlin asked for those who volunteered at this and that to stand up, and before long, the entire congregation was standing up. That told us something, right there.” And, as Peggy says, “After you retire, you can give more time.” 

Earlier in their lives, Dick and Peggy raised foster children and volunteered with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Radio Reading for the Blind, and local school boards. After retiring, they have spent the majority of their volunteer hours at Habitat for Humanity and the Rathbun House. 

When asked why he has volunteered at Habitat for more than 18 years, Dick responds, “The cause. And the leadership. It’s very well-run. Their store has been in the top 5 in gross sales for a single store in the nation for the last 5 or 6 years. It’s had all kinds of recognitions for being #1 in volunteer growth. People come through there virtually every week from across the nation to check it out because it’s got such a good reputation.”

Dick spends his time on Mondays and Tuesdays as one of a crew of 3 which repairs small appliances for resale in the Habitat store. Peggy works in the bookstore, selling books, music, records, and art.  She, and another volunteer, Anne Justice, pull together a silent auction every 2 weeks of the finer donations. 

Both emphasize the long list of opportunities at Habitat. “Whatever your talent is, Habitat will use it,” Peggy says.  Among the needs are: unloading donations; sorting, washing and packaging donations; driving trucks to pick up donations; arranging merchandise on the sales floor; and office work, such as answering the phone, sending letters, or working on the computer. A more recent source of revenue for Habitat is a “deconstruction” contract service in which volunteers gut a building designated to be replaced or renovated, salvaging and collecting anything of value, and carting off the rest to the landfill. 

The Rathbun House in the Kenilworth neighborhood of Asheville provides a home-away-from-home for families with a member requiring long-term medical care in Asheville and who have been referred by a doctor, hospital counsellor, or a chaplain. There is no charge for staying at the Rathbun House, and about 30 rooms are available. Peggy worked at the reception desk at the Rathbun House for 15 years. “People come in, and they just want to talk about how their patient’s doing, and what they’re going to do,” she says. It provides a caring, stress-free community for families dealing with serious illness. “People have a place to get food and do laundry, and they can talk to people on the staff and sort out needs. And it’s gorgeous! There are balconies in the rooms, overlooking the woods, and a shuttle service provides transportation to the hospital.”

For more information about volunteering at Habitat for Humanity, visit www. ashevillehabitat.org or call or email Carrie Burgin (daughter of GCPC members, Bob and Glenda Burgin) at 828-210-9381 or cburgin@ashevillehabitat.org .

For more information about volunteering at the Rathbun House, visit www.rathbuncenter.org, or call Caryl Dean, the House Director, at 828-251-0595.