Last Updated on 7/30/2010

Published on 3/12/2009
Written by Scott Harper

Wayne Paige has spent the past several years living in a trailer that was in such bad shape he was deemed "homeless" by the state.

When the Georgetown Times interviewed 68-year-old Paige in December he said he did not want anyone helping him despite the fact the run-down trailer had no heat and the cold air seeped through holes in the walls and gaps in the windows.

Now, thanks to a team of volunteers, Paige -- who has spent the past couple of decades helping others -- no longer has to live in such deplorable conditions.

Kirk Graham of Mount Pleasant, a member of the United Methodist Relief Center, said the organization received a call from Waccamaw Council of Governments about Paige's situation.

He has been helping college students work on restoring the mobile home for the past two weeks.

A group of students from the Institute of Women in Leadership at Brevard College in North Carolina have been busy this week helping fix up the home. Last week, the job was done by students from Maryland.

Graham said the house was in such bad shape, it was classified as borderline replacement.

"That means if we had the funds to replace it, we would have but we are restoring it," he said.

That includes a new roof and repairs and a new paint job for the walls.

"We are making the walls waterproof," Graham said.

Repairs will also be made to the plumbing.

"Our motto is to make it warm, safe and dry and that is what we are doing," he said.

Elaine Sebring, a college freshman, said the project has been a rewarding experience.

"It makes me feel good to know we are doing something without expecting anything in return," she said.

Another freshman, Maddy Bradsky, said "it's cool to see the results of your work."

Although Tuesday was pleasant, the temperatures were in the mid 80s Monday.

"I definitely have more respect for construction workers after that," she said.

Paige had an inhabitable mobile home behind the one he is living in. He has donated the frame to the Methodist group and it will be used to build a home for someone else in need.

Paige, despite his personal situation, has continued to put others first.

He was one of the founders of the annual Sheriff's Sleigh. Along with former Georgetown County Sheriff's Office Investigator Martha Hunt -- who died in 2003 -- Paige would collect toys throughout the year to be delivered to needy children at Christmas.

He said Tuesday he is grateful for the work being done on his home.

"What they have done has been great," he said.