ELKTON — Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot recognized the charitable efforts of the Cecil County Christmas in April organization Friday with his William D. Schaefer Helping People Award.

The award commemorates former Gov. William Donald Schaefer’s lifelong commitment to helping people by selecting those in each county that best demonstrate improving their community, swiftly solving a citizen problem through effective government intervention, directly aiding the most vulnerable in society, or creating a public/private partnership to improve the lives of Marylanders.

Christmas in April is a non-profit that collects donations and coordinates volunteers to complete home renovations to those in need at no cost. Accepting the award at Union Hospital, one of the organization’s largest donors and volunteer bases, was outgoing president Carl Combs.

“The last six years have been really humbling,” said Combs, who was recruited for his first project by a friend and thenquickly became hooked on aiding others. “It makes me feel like a better person for helping someone in need and it’s at no cost to me other than some hours of my time each year.”

Incoming Director Bob Alcorn, who came to the organization as a volunteer after hearing about it through his coordination of the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots program in Cecil County, said he was immediately drawn to the impact the volunteers have on those they help.

“I’ve seen some of these people, where I don’t know how they existed with the need for repair work without asking someone for help,” he said. “Seniors are very proud people, they’re old school and reluctant to ask anyone to help them … But we go in there and completely renovate (their homes), the right and safe way, and they are so appreciative.”

Combs explained that families or community members submit ideas for projects and, once approved, Christmas in April finds a volunteer group to collect the materials and finish the project on the build day in April.

The board of directors estimated that is has been able to complete around 400 projects for Cecil County families in its existence and about 120 in the past six years.

“Christmas in April really personifies what William Donald Schaefer meant when he said let’s help people and let’s not assume we’ll never be there ourselves,” Franchot said. “I’m very grateful for this wonderful organization and the board of directors that does such a great job … on the hundreds of projects where they help people.”