Local business plans volunteer projects during off season

By Kristin Fox

Giving back to their community is a priority for one local business. H&H Softwash, a veteran-owned and operated business, is planning a huge undertaking this winter with plans to wash the Fields of the Wood Biblical Theme Park located in Murphy. 

During the business’s downtime in the winter, H&H Softwash will be washing the numerous markers and monuments in the biblical theme park located on more than 200 acres in Murphy. The washing will include the Ten Commandments, the Psalms of Praise Wall, the prayer mountain stone tablets, the front entrance gateway, the airplane retired from the “White Angel Fleet,” the flags of the nation’s monument and countless steps in the biblical park. The Ten Commandments on Burger Mountain is the largest in the world with letters five feet high and four feet wide, bordered by one-foot concrete sections measuring 300 feet from side-to-side. The extensive wash job of the park is expected to take three to four weeks to complete. 

To help with this major undertaking, H&H Softwash is asking local businesses to join them in their effort to spruce up the biblical park. Sponsors will be posted at the park during the wash and will also have sponsorship space on the H&H Softwash truck for the rest of the year. Fibrenew of Franklin and D.Oakes Design have signed up as sponsors, but the project is still in need of additional sponsorships.

H&H Softwash, owned by Bill and Pam Hutson, relocated to Franklin over a year ago, bringing with them 30 years of washing experience. In addition to washing, the couple has also taught washing classes for 20 years.

“Since we’ve been here, we’ve grown to love Macon County and the people here,” said Bill Hutson. “We are big on community and love serving; we’ve given away 14 free house washes over the past year. We give away a free house wash to a low-income veteran every other month.”

Another way the company plans to give back to the community is to offer a softwash class in Franklin. The class will be held on October 10-14 at a location to be determined. The class will cover business structure, insurance, softwash basics, cleaning chemicals, how to wash various surfaces, maintenance, and truck/trailer setups. The training will also include a wash of a building to include hands-on training.

The cost of the class is $300 for the entire course which when completed participants will be ready to start their own wash business. The class will be free for homeless veterans who provide a copy of their DD214 upon registration.

H&H Softwash washes buildings and roofs with safe low pressure. Softwashing uses detergents to kill the algae, moss, and lichen then rinses it away providing an extra layer of protection to roofs and homes.

According to Hutson, softwashing is the only recommended process for washing any type of roof. Also, since detergents are used in the washing, it is completed much quicker than high-pressure washing. 

In addition, the company washes driveways, sidewalks, drive-thrus, and other high-pressure washing jobs.

The Hutsons moved to Franklin four years ago from Galveston, Texas escaping the hurricanes. Prior to that, the couple lived in Indiana and moved to Texas to escape the snow. H&H Softwash is the third wash company the couple has built.

Originally from Indiana where the Hutson’s founded Table Talk Foundation for Better Living Inc., a 501c3 public charity that makes free home repairs for the elderly and the disabled with offices in Texas and Indiana and clients in 12 states. The couple retired from Table Talk in November 2020 forming H&H Softwash eight months later after realizing the need for a softwash business in Franklin.

If anyone would like to learn more about softwashing, including the biblical park project and upcoming class opportunity, or to book a consultation for your home or business contact the Hutson’s at 828-200-7495 or email me at mrsoftwash@yahoo.com. H&H Softwash offers discounts to all veterans and first responders.