June 4, 2022, Hamlet, NC
‘The Hub of the Seaboard,’ is what Hamlet was known for according to the manager of the local railroad museum. A place ‘in-between’ places you could say. This is a place where in the past folks would stop over on the way to someplace else. Due to that, Hamlet became a bustling place of hotels, boarding houses and restaurants catering to the needs of the travelers on the railroads from a bygone era.
Yet today, even as times have changed, Hamlet continues to be a place which meets the needs of their neighbors and those who they meet along the way of life. In a very real sense, we are all travelers along life’s pathway, and it is always a blessing when one comes along one of those places that just knows what it means to be a neighbor, to help out, to sit with and listen or just lend a helping hand to those who are fellow travelers in this journey we call life.
For instance, take a single mom, with three teenagers and who helps take care of three toddlers, who had been in a severe car accident in which she said, “Broke nearly every bone in my body.” Naturally this required quite a long recovery time and yet, in spite of the challenges of her journey along life’s path, her kids were out there helping, laughing, singing and doing what they could to improve and pour into their neighbor’s lives. I am reminded that in the ‘victim’ mentality culture we live in today, these folks have chosen to be ‘victors’ instead of victims and what a difference that makes!
As Hamlet was once a railroad depot, there must have been a ‘Station Master.’ A good station master runs a tight ship, makes sure everyone knows the boundaries does what needs to be done to keep the place looking neat and sharp. This is an apt description of Marth, the community manager in Hamlet. The residents love her, know her and help her out because she is what I would call a ‘servant-hearted leader.’ Simply put, she leads by serving her community every day in many ways. This community was ready for Impact Cares to come and because of that, the ‘impact’ was multiplied. In a very short time, 42 homes were impacted with over 63 improvements made! Much of that was due to the legwork done beforehand preparing the way for Impact Cares to come. It is amazing how one person can have such an oversized influence on a community! By the way, for those of you reading this, you don’t need to be a community manager to make this true in your life as well. In this same vein, ‘hats off’ to her husband Robert as well! He took off several days of work to help out and was a great blessing also!
Another resident, with whom life’s journey through her a curve involving a serious car accident, is still blessing those around her. She told some great jokes while Impact Cares had the opportunity to bless her by building a wheelchair ramp so she could more easily make the journey into her home.
There is no doubt; Hamlet will stand out among all the communities Impact Cares has visited. From the great community manager to the residents who came out to help fix, stain, paint, clean, build and cook, this truly was a great place to stop over and be a small part of, if even for a week. So, if you’re in the need of a great place to live, want some wonderful neighbors and are looking for a place to move to, Hamlet should be among your top 10!
Russ Ooms on behalf of Impact Cares