Rebuild Day is scheduled for Saturday, April 27th in Frederick County. That's the day when volunteers with skills in the construction industry do home repairs for low income homeowners free of charge. "We have 12 that we're doing this year," says Jim Ferrant with Rebuilding together  Frederick County, the sponsor of the event. "We've been doing somewhere between 12 to 14 or 15 homes a year each year for a number of years."

Ferrant says many of the homes belong to low income residents, which can include many who are elderly. "Because that seems to be the population we serve the most," he says. "That are older, they have some difficulty maintaining their home, and they have to be a certain income level." Others are families with children, or individuals with disabilities.

Rebuild Day usually occurs on the last Saturday in April. In the past, it was called "Christmas in April."

A lot of the work involves making it easier for residents to continue living in their homes. "In some cases, we'll build  a wheelchair ramp. In other cases, we'll put grab bars in bathrooms. We've put railings on staircases, and lighted them. We've fixed roof water damage or plumbing problems," Ferrant says. It can also include painting, electrical work, and wall and ceiling repair.

The labor is provided at no charge to the homeowner, but money is raised to purchase materials used in construction work. Ferrant says generous donations from individuals, businesses, civic groups, churches and synagogues provide the cash. "We take donations from anywhere from $3,000 down to $100 from individuals to put together a kitty," he says.  Cotributions are still welcome, but it's better if it's in the form of cash. "Sometimes we take materials, but sometimes that's hard to match up with the project," says Ferrant.

This year, the 12 homes in Frederick County will range from Brunswick to Thurmont, and Frederick to Sabillasville, says Rebuilding Together Frederick County, in a statement.

The construction lasts all day, and Ferrant says it's worth it to see the reaction of homeowners once their homes are completed. "Homeowners are happy. The teams of people that are working on the homes are happy just to see the job done, and the homeowners' faces," he says.

Anyone who would like to help out on Rebuild Day can contact Rebuilding Together  Frederick County at rebuildingfrederick@gmail.com