About
A Community of Volunteers
Ashland Christian Emergency Services (ACES) is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization supported by churches, community groups, civic organizations, schools, businesses and individuals from central Hanover County (Ashland, Glen Allen, and Hanover) in central Virginia. We provide food and clothing as well as limited household essentials and limited financial support to those in need within our community.
Our Location:
ACES is located at 507b Caroline Street in the Town of Ashland. We are in the long metal building across Route 1 from the Food Lion and across Caroline Street from the Urgent Care. Our door is half-way back on the side of the building. Please check the website calendar for our days and hours of operation.
Our Mission:
To provide for the urgent unmet needs (food, clothing, limited household essentials and financial assistance) of the less fortunate within our community
2019 – Anthony Keitt – Hanover’s “Spirit of Dedication” Award
2012 – Al & Margie Dickerson – Hanover’s “Spirit of Family” Award
2012 – Certificate of Appreciation for Volunteer Crew Work for Hanover County Winterization Program
2010 – ACES, 2010 “Spirit of Team” Award Nominee, Hanover County
2005 – ACES, Hanover Volunteer Group of the Year
2005 – Certificate of Appreciation from Hanover County
1998 – Al Dickerson, Hanover Volunteer of the Year
1998 – Outstanding Service to Hanover County Citizens
1995 – Certificate of Appreciation for International Humanitarian Service
1993 – Outstanding Support of Sunrise Services
Member at Large: Thomas Mulvehill
Member at Large: Daphne Wood-Lasser
Senior Rides Director: Michelle Rittenhouse
A Few Words from the Aces President
Hello, I’m Anthony Keitt and I am honored to be the President of Ashland Christian Emergency Services (ACES). The team of volunteers I lead, serve and address the unmet needs of the less fortunate in the Ashland and central Hanover County community. I thank you for your kindness and appreciation for the efforts of our volunteers.
Our history
In 1969, Frank Darling (Duncan Memorial Methodist church) and the Ashland Area Clergy Association saw a need for a charitable organization to offer help to persons in need – whether Ashland residents or persons temporarily in the Ashland area. As a result of identifying this need, they formed Ashland Christian Emergency Services (ACES) to provide food, clothing, household furnishings, fuel, and overnight shelter in cases of emergency. Mr. Darling obtained permission for the use of the vacant Ashland Depot (RF&P) building for the initial ACES headquarters. In 1978 the first ACES constitution was formalized.
In 1984 ACES moved from the railroad Depot to 603 England Street.
In 1987 ACES by-laws and articles of incorporation were approved.
In 1987 ACES moved to and rented the middle space (507b) in the metal building at 507 Caroline Street.
In 1988 ACES board approved the purchase (dependent on fundraising) of the 507 Caroline Street building. This approval occurred in part due to a $10,000 pledge by Duncan Memorial Methodist church.
In 1990 ACES finalized the mortgage for the 507 Caroline Street building.
In 1990 ACES finalized the mortgage for the 507 Caroline Street building.
In 1992 due to the generosity of “Friends of Hanover”, and gifts from area churches, civic clubs and individuals, ACES was able to retire one of its two mortgages on the 507 Caroline Street building.
In 1995 due to continued fundraising efforts and donations, ACES was able to retire the second mortgage on the 507 Caroline Street building. ACES occupied the middle section
(507b) and rented out the front and rear of the building (507a and 507c).
In 2010 after the tenant that occupied the rear unit (507c) gave up their tenancy, ACES renovated the space to create a dedicated “children’s clothing” area.
In 2014 In coordination with Mechanicsville Churches Emergency Functions (MCEF), ACES expanded its services to include “Senior Rides” a ride share program for seniors.
In 2015 with the help of Hanover Habitat for Humanity, ACES went through an interior renovation (507b Caroline St. building) to improve accessibility, safety and functionality of the space.
Current: For 55+ years ACES has provided for the needs of the less fortunate in us community through the generosity of a dedicated staff of unpaid volunteers and through the generosity and kindness of the greater community.
A Deeper Dive:
The Ashland Ministerial Association sponsored an ecumenical program held at the Duncan Memorial United Methodist church early in 1964. This program included Bible study classes by Reverend Terry Riester of the Ashland Christian church, a course in Roman Catholicism by Father John Murphy, St. Ann’s Roman Catholic church and a study of social issues by Reverend Ed Wright of the Duncan Memorial Methodist church.
From this work came the expressed need for lay people to furnish help for families who often lost everything in home fires. The local ministers felt that they were overburdened with other responsibilities and felt the church lay people could help the churches and themselves in this service.
In 1969, Mr. Frank Darling, Duncan Memorial Methodist church, obtained permission to use the vacant Ashland Depot (RF&P) without charge. Mr. Darling then moved to Alabama to head a new pharmaceutical program at Auburn University before anything else could be organized. Donald Cumfer, Ashland Presbyterian church, was then elected Chairman of the newly named Ashland Christian Emergency Services, ACES. Wincy Cumfer, St. Ann’s Roman Catholic church, was named as the coordinator in charge of collecting, sorting, and giving out clothing, food and used furniture to burned-out families. Mr. Lewis Bryant and a crew he assembled put some sturdy clothing shelves up in the depot building along the railroad tracks. Mr. Bryant supplied the frequent use of his business truck and obtained the assistance of Mr. Jimmy Jones in picking up furniture, food, and clothing and making deliveries of heavy items.
ACES’s scope was soon expanded to others in the community needing assistance. Mrs. Jake (Rosalie) Spears, Independent Christian church, who had for years been doing similar work on her own, joined with ACES and reached out to many more in need.
Representatives from almost every church body in Ashland participated in various ways including attending the first formal meeting of the group in the Cumfer home at which time Don was elected Chairman and Mrs. Lavona Glave, Duncan Memorial Methodist church, was elected Secretary/Treasurer. Later, Mrs. Margaret Leek, Ashland Christian church, was elected and served a long time as Treasurer
The rent-free Ashland depot was very helpful but ACES had to pay the electric bill (building was not heated). Several different Sunday school classes agreed to pay the bills from time to time. Various churches held “ACES Sunday” and the offerings that were taken up were donated to ACES. Not only money, but food, clothing and furniture was included in these offerings. Jim Pugh, Ashland Presbyterian church, was one of the chief furniture movers as a number of refrigerators, stoves, freezers and almost all other types of furniture were donated and given out to needy people by ACES
It would be impossible to name all the people who assisted ACES in the early years. However, Lavona Glave, Margaret Leake, Trixie Acey, Ruth Herrell, and Shirley Wise helped in the formation of the group, getting it off to a good start, and many of these people helped out with clothes sorting, mending, sizing, shelving and giving the goods out to the needy.
As the needs arose, ACES helped transients with gas and food, and sometimes a motel room. Many trips were made to Hanover Court House Health Clinic, Medical College of Virginia in Richmond and other places. The Hanover Sheriff’s Department often called asking assistance in emergency care for transients passing through the area and out of money and luck. Many requests for food and other assistance, such as electric bills, fuel bills, wood for heating, etc. were referred to us by Hanover County Social Services. On many occasions ACES and the various county groups worked closely together, each providing something that the other could not.
Over the years, many from the local community reach out in support of ACES. For example, for many years Kiddie Kingdom collected food and new toys for ACES to provide to the destitute at Christmas time. The Presbyterian church started an annual “Mitten Tree” and collected children’s warm clothing items for Christmas distribution. There were wood ministries that provided firewood to those in need. Local merchants occasionally donated surplus clothing items left over from sales. As more and more people and businesses became aware of the good that ACES was doing in the community the more they became involved.
All the services that ACES was able to provide required the commitment and aid from a lot of Ashland citizens. In appreciation for the early work done, a Bradley (Bradford) Pear tree was planted by the Depot in October 1984 in honor of all those that had a hand in the establishment of ACES.
ACES has since moved its operations out of the Depot and into its current location, a metal building at 507b Caroline Street.
This (gently edited) historical summary was provided by Wincy and Don Cumfer, November 30, 1993
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