RiverEdge18_FoundationReport_8.FINALpdf

LIGHTING THE WAY
FORWARD
W
hen several men served at River Edge’s Billingslea Recovery Residence
expressed interest in starting a vegetable garden last spring, a group of
local businessmen and women stepped up to the challenge.
Associates at the Macon branch of
BB&T, alongside residents, built raised garden
beds as part of the bank’s annual Lighthouse
Project. BB&T supplied the equipment and tools
needed to build the garden beds. The group of
approximately 25 volunteers hosted a cookout at
Billingslea for the residents as well.
“We were happy to have the opportunity to make a difference for the men
at Billingslea,” said Scott Seigel, BB&T’s Market President. “It was a fantastic
experience, and many BB&T associates told me how much they enjoyed working on
the project.”
Billingslea Recovery Residence is a long-term residential facility that provides
a supportive, alcohol-free, and drug-free environment for men ages 21-65 seeking
recovery from substance use disorder. The garden gives the men at Billingslea a
bounty of vegetables and a hobby that works hand-in-hand with their recovery efforts.
BB&T’s Lighthouse Project offers its associates the opportunity to make a
difference in their communities through volunteerism. “We want the project to
make a positive change, and we feel we accomplished this goal with our Billingslea
project this year,” Scott said.
BB&T is also a sponsor of the Foundation’s Unmasking Mental Illness
Masquerade Ball and Silent Auction. “We believe in River Edge and the great work
it does in our community. We want to help when we can,” Scott said.
8 RIVER EDGE FOUNDATION | 2017 ANNUAL REPORT