The Home has changed drastically since 1913. From the “Star of Hope” farmhouse to the addition of more cottages, school, gym, chapel and even a pond full of fish.
The year 1973 marked the first Apple Harvest Festival. The community came together with donations from local orchards, banks, businesses, corporations and churches. The local glass plant furnished the jars, and a company furnished the lids since they learned of the project. Local PTAs, Burlington Fire Company, Ruritan club and Rescue Squad were invited to set up to raise funds for their needs.
With good people lending a glad helping hand and with the blessing of our Heavenly Father, we were now in a position of changing life’s current and destiny of a number of children, who in a few years will fill our position up the stage of life, to make life better or make it worse, just as we lead and direct them.
And “help” they did! During the early years necessary operating funds were obtained through the Christmas Fund Drive through the churches, organizations and personal donations. In 1982, the Auxiliary received National recognition among all United Methodist Health and Welfare Ministries.
The Burlington Home has evolved from a place for the homeless into a multiservice agency providing programs designed to meet the growing needs of today’s troubled youth and families.
F.C. Rollman, one of our founders, said, “What think you…mothers, fathers, and ye followers of Jesus?” “With the good people lending a glad helping hand, and with the blessings of our Heavenly Father, we will be in a position of changing life’s current and destiny of a number of children, who in a few years will fill our positions upon the stage of life, to make that life better or make it worse, just as we lead and direct them. Watch it grow.” And grow it has!