NEWS: Biltmore Company Raises $110,000 for Eblen-Kimmel Charities' Heating and Housing Programs
November 2009
The Christmas season is quickly coming upon us and with it a spirit of giving that not only touches the heart of those who receive but even more touches the heart of those who reach out to give. It was in this spirit that the Biltmore Company opened the doors of the beautiful Biltmore House and Estate last Friday night to begin their Christmas at Biltmore season with a benefit that will touch the lives of thousands of children, adults, and families in need of heating and housing assistance this winter.
More than 300 sponsors, guests, friends, and supporters of the Eblen-Kimmel Charities and the Biltmore Company began the evening with a magical candlelight tour of the Biltmore House newly decorated as befitting the Gilded Era and featured a first look at the newest Louis XV suite of guest rooms. Following the self guided tour of the House, guests were received at the estate's newest venue, the Statue of Diana. The statue, nestled in a hemlock grove, opens up to sweeping vistas of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the majestic Biltmore House.
Dini Picking and Bill Cecil welcomed everyone on behalf of the Cecil/Pickering families as the reception began,and asked Eblen-Kimmel Charities founder Joe Eblen to join them on the platform to present him with a check from the proceeds of the event for $100,00. A few moments after the presentation, one of the guests in attendance anonymously donated another $10,000 to the event making the proceeds from the event a record -breaking $110,000 to assist families through the Eblen-Kimmel heating programs and our Neal Hanks Sr, Rental and Mortgage Assistance Program.
The welcome came from Dini, Chuck, Chase and Devon Pickering; Bill, Ginger, Ryan, Aubrey, and Bill Cecil; and William A.V. and Mimi Cecil. "On behalf of our entire family and Biltmore, we want to thank you so much for your generous support of this year's Annual Biltmore Benefit. Thanks to you and our many sponsors, this year's event, which raised more than $100,000 for Eblen-Kimmel Charities, was a huge success! Thanks to you and the overwhelming generosity within our community, many of our neighbors will be helped this winter with their energy, utility, and housing needs. Your participation in this event this evening has a direct impact on people's lives. Together we are improving the lives of others when they need our help the most. Thank you for your generosity and your support. We couldn't do this without you."
But the event only tells part of the story of the company's reaching out to help those struggling through these difficult times worrying about keeping their homes and families warm this winter.
Long before midnight, hundreds of people began lining up at the doors of the Eblen-Kimmel Charities to seek assistance with heat and by 7:30 AM we had more families at our door than we assisted our first year of operation. Our staff and volunteers worked tirelessly throughout the week and by Friday evening worked with more than 700 families and are readying to do the same each week until spring.
Each day last week generous companies and volunteers provided and served breakfast and lunch to our clients and staff to make their wait and days more comfortable. On Tuesday, board member Dini Pickering and her staff from the Biltmore Estate provided sandwiches, chips, apples, fresh-baked cookies, water, and soft drinks. Along with the lunch they served they spent time welcoming the clients, talking with them and letting them know how important they are to them and all of us at Eblen-Kimmel Charities.
Our thanks once again to all of our sponsors including:
Platinum Sponsors ($10,000) include :
- APAC-Atlantic, Inc.
- The Biltmore Company
- Classic Event Rental
- The Janirve Foundation
Our Gold Sponsors ($5,000) include:
- Advanced Business Equipment
- Insurance Services of Asheville
- PGAV Destination Consulting
- Royal Cup Coffee
- Roberts and Stevens, PA.
Bronze Sponsors ($2,500) include:
- Asheville Savings Bank
- Bank of America
- Empower Media-Marketing
- ImageSmith Communications
- Jerry and Linda Neal
- Progress Energy
- US Cellular
Silver Sponsors ($1,000) include:
- Asheville Citizen Times
- Carolina Retail Packaging
- Colton Groome and Company
- Jim Dalton and Company
- Hampton Inns of Asheville
- Kimmel and Associates
- Magellan Strategy Group
- Walnut Cove Realty
Thanks also to our In-Kind Sponsors which include:
- Biltmore Estate Wine Company
- Highland Brewing Company
- and Sandra Stambaugh Photography
Eblen Charities, Woodfin Water Form New Partnership, 7-11-2005
Woodfin / Eblen Water Project
Asheville, NC: The Eblen Charities and the Woodfin Water Sanitary Water and Sewer District have joined together to create a program to assist Woodfin Water customers who are having difficulty paying their water bills due to emergencies they may be facing.
The Woodfin/Eblen Water Assistance Project will be part of the Eblen Partnerships initiatives that joins with the public and the private sector in seeking out and creating programs that will serve the community and those who may be in need of assistance.
"This is another great opportunity for us and especially the families we serve." states Brian Moore, chairman of the Eblen Charities. "We have worked for some time with the Buncombe County Department of Social Services and the Health Center, but this is the first time we have had a particular municipal department contact us with an idea for a partnership."
The idea for the program came from the board of Woodfin Sanitary Water and Sewer District and its district director, Joe Martin, in effort to assist their clients. "We are excited to be working with the Eblen Charities to find a way to assist our customers that may be having difficulty in paying their existing water bills. We hope to see the partnership grow each year as we reach out to those in need."
The Woodfin Water district serves more than 10,000 people and covers the town of Woodfin, and sections of North Asheville, West Asheville, and Leicester.