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Southern Crossing got a powerful nudge toward the finish line on Friday.<\/span><\/p>\nHouse Majority Leader Steny Hoyer greeted LifeStyles of Maryland CEO Sandy Washington with a warm hug outside the doors of our planned transitional housing facility. He came for a quick tour and to make a major announcement.<\/span><\/p>\n With Hoyer\u2019s support, Congress\u2019 omnibus appropriations package will include $160,000 for LifeStyles and Southern Crossing.<\/span><\/p>\n The funds will help us complete the transformation of the old White House Motel on US-301 into a one-of-a-kind facility providing short-term housing, along with career and life skills training, to working, low-income individuals and families in Southern Maryland.<\/span><\/p>\n Washington treated Hoyer to a tour of Southern Crossing\u2019s fully decorated two-bedroom model unit with a spacious kitchen and living area to go with a master bedroom and a children\u2019s bedroom.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve seen this motel, like all of you have, for a long time,\u201d said Hoyer, a St. Mary\u2019s County resident who has represented Maryland\u2019s 5th District since 1981. \u201cThis is spectacular. People are going to walk in here and they\u2019re going to cry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n\nMembers of LifeStyles\u2019 Board of Directors were on hand for the visit, along with others who are close to the project. Among them was Sue Davis, president of SE Davis Construction, the general contractor who will see the project through to completion. <\/span><\/p>\n LifeStyles is grateful for the support of The Wills Group, which made the purchase possible, and Barnes Builders, which got the construction started. Now, with permitting and final plans in place, Davis and LifeStyles are ready to move forward at full speed. They\u2019ve set a goal of welcoming Southern Crossing\u2019s first residents by the end of the year. <\/span><\/p>\n Once fully operational, Southern Crossing will house up to 77 residents for up to 18 months in units that range from efficiencies to 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom residences. Along the way, adult residents will have access to supportive services and career training to ensure they are ready to succeed when they leave Southern Crossing.<\/span><\/p>\n Though the project has encountered many challenges and taken longer than expected Washington and her team at LifeStyles have never lost faith.<\/span><\/p>\n Washington told Hoyer of the volunteers who have pitched in to demo the site and of others who have maintained the grounds. She told him of the leaders within LifeStyles who have kept pushing the project forward.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhat you\u2019ve done with this funding is given us additional power and validation,\u201d Washington told Hoyer. \u201cI know there are a lot of organizations out there, a lot of people out there, but I have to say that I have the best team ever.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Hoyer remarked that this effort reminded him of the words President John F. Kennedy used to end his inaugural address in 1961.<\/span><\/p>\n Reciting the words from memory, Hoyer said, \u201cLet us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God’s work must truly be our own.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Then Hoyer added, \u201cThat\u2019s what you\u2019re doing here. You\u2019re doing God\u2019s work.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \n\n\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_gallery gallery_ids=”9664,9665,9666,9673,9674,9667,9668,9669,9670,9671″ posts_number=”8″ show_title_and_caption=”off” _builder_version=”4.6.6″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ caption_text_color=”#ffffff” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_gallery][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Southern Crossing got a powerful nudge toward the finish line on Friday. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer greeted LifeStyles of Maryland CEO Sandy Washington with a warm hug outside the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9672,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"\n Gus Proctor\u2019s \u201cretirement\u201d lasted all of two weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He had only just stepped aside from his role as a sergeant in the Charles County Sheriff\u2019s Department in late August, when he re-joined the department in a new role \u2014 the perfect position for him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Community Organizer, Proctor now had free rein to focus his full attention on many of the pursuits that he had already become known for, above and beyond his law enforcement duties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The common thread that runs through them all?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gus Proctor wanted to give back to the county that raised him. And he wanted to actively encourage others to do the same.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Many will recognize him as the public face of the Special Olympics Torch Run in Charles County, for which he has coordinated fundraising since 2006 and helped the organization raise nearly $1 million in that time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You may also know him for his immense efforts to support LifeStyles of Maryland, specifically our Easter Basket giveaways in the spring and our Toy Drive during the holiday season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFor me, it\u2019s a pride thing because of where I came from,\u201d he said. \u201cBeing in a position to give back just a little, I\u2019m going to do my part to leave this county a little better than where I started here.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Proctor has been working with LifeStyles for more than 15 years now. He was drawn to the organization by Executive Director Sandy Washington\u2019s passion for the community and her commitment to offering a hand up to those willing to work hard to improve their circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What sticks out most in his mind is a conversation he had with Washington just before Christmas a few years ago. She told him that LifeStyles was trying to help 600 families during the holidays but that the Toy Drive had only yielded seven or eight bicycles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI said, \u2018Oh, no. We can do better than that,\u2019\u201d he recalls. \u201cThe first bike drive we did, we got over 200 bicycles. Every adult remembers their first bicycle. We need to create those memories again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Proctor brings that same drive and dedication to every community effort he supports. He succeeds because he brings a personal touch. He doesn\u2019t work by phone call or email. He gets out into the community, visiting local citizens, businesses and organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When they see him walk through the door, they know the effort is sincere. When they hear him talk about the cause, they know that anything they may give will be put to good use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m very transparent,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ll let you know exactly what your contribution went to. It\u2019s not going to pay some CEO\u2019s six-figure salary. We put together 450 baskets for LifeStyles. It was so fun. We posed for a picture with all the Easter Baskets. Every one was distributed locally.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Proctor is eager to share the good news and generosity of our community. He regularly snaps photos with donors and posts them to his popular Facebook page, creating an interactive community of people proud to give back and to support each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGus' excitement and compassion are contagious,\u201d Washington said. \u201cYou'll see the banner he uses in many of his photos for LifeStyles. It says, \"Charles County Cares.\" This is true, of course. And one of the reasons that Charles Couny cares so much is that Gus Proctor truly cares about the people of our county, and he inspires others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In his new role as Community Organizer, he is free to pursue the feel-good endeavors that he has become known for. He also coordinates the Sheriff\u2019s Department\u2019s role in some of its signature public events, such as National Night Out, the Charles County Fair and Project Graduation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI could not do it without the support from Sheriff [Troy] Berry,\u201d Proctor said. \u201cHe is 1,000 percent in support.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s the perfect job for the perfect person \u2014 at the perfect time. Like everywhere else during this pandemic, Charles County has many people who are struggling right now. But our community also has a big heart and many more people who are driven to help. Proctor is focused on creating the connections that help make transformation possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis county is one of the most amazing counties as far as giving back,\u201d he said. \u201cCharles County is like no other. It\u2019s simply amazing how we come together and take care of one another.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9659","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-staff-and-volunteer-stories"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/static.wixstatic.com\/media\/b3875f_00835606d97b4f689b9f13fa703280d5~mv2.jpeg\/v1\/fill\/w_360,h_360,al_c,q_90\/b3875f_00835606d97b4f689b9f13fa703280d5~mv2.webp\")
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