Community leaders in Pittsboro are rallying together to help out a family after they suffered a major loss in early March.

Melody Bailey is the Head Custodian at North Chatham Elementary School and, on Tuesday March 3, her house burned down.

Rex Whilloughby owns and operates a McDonalds in the area and has two children at North Chatham. He says this really hit home when he heard the news.

“Melody, she’s one of those polite people that, every time you pass her in the hallways when you’re dropping kids off in the morning,” he says, “she’s always one to smile and speak, say ‘Hello.’”

Whilloughby says he and his wife knew they had to act when they were reading the notice about the incident from the school.

So, tonight if you are traveling through Pittsboro you can stop in the McDonald’s at 36 Lowes Drive, contribute to the cause, and help a family in need.

“From 4-8 PM, we’re going to donate 50 percent of all sales to Ms. Bailey,” Whilloughby says.

He adds if you want to donate more than that, they will also have donation boxes to collect funds for Bailey and her family.

And if you are not in the area, but would like to help, you can donate here.

Related Stories
‹
Chatham County Roundup: Pittsboro's Future Town Hall, Hotel Incentives, Lewis Freeman Park
Pittsboro Mayor Kyle Shipp spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, March 11, discussing town news and events. He was speaking on the phone from New Bern for the North Carolina Main Street conference. He recapped the town board of commissioners meeting from earlier in the week, which included approving a budget and architect for a new town hall facility, updating some incentives for the Hampton Inn, and more. He also recapped the Lewis Freeman Park dedication, and more.
Chatham County Roundup: Pittsboro Communications Director Caitlin Murphy
Pittsboro Communications Director Caitlin Murphy spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, February 24, discussing town news and events. She talked about an upcoming dedication and groundbreaking for Lewis Freeman Park, more context on a recent water main break that Tri-River Water had to respond to, a new medication drop box at the Pittsboro Police Station, and more.
Chatham County Roundup: Pittsboro Mayor Kyle Shipp
Pittsboro Mayor Kyle Shipp spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, January 27, discussing town news and events. He discussed the recent town board of commissioners meeting, which included several public comments on the town's use of Flock cameras. He also discussed the rescheduled dedication for Lewis Freeman Park, discussed some upcoming community events, and more.
Local Government Meetings: February 9-13, 2025
This week in local government: residents in Chatham County push back against Flock license-plate cameras and AI data centers.
Haw River Assembly Shares Annual Report on Health of the Watershed, Issues Facing It
In February, the Haw River Assembly will host several opportunities for the community to hear updates on the state of the watershed.
On Air Today: Nora Anaya from Ta'Contento
Tacantento owner Nora Anaya spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, February 3. She discussed the restaurant's back story, from food truck to full restaurant on 15-501 just over the Chatham County Line. She also talked about a new location for Tacantento at The Plant in Pittsboro, new "grab-n-go" burrito options at UNC, and more. She also talked about a new coffee and desert van that is adding to the restaurant's repertoire, and more.
Chatham County Roundup: Pittsboro Mayor Kyle Shipp on Storm Response and Monks Walking for Peace.
Pittsboro Mayor Kyle Shipp spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, January 27, discussing town news and events. He discussed the weekend snow and ice event and how it affected Pittsboro. He discussed the plan for another round of winter weather this weekend. He also talked about a downtown park dedication that was delayed by the weather. He discussed a recent procession of monks that passed through Pittsboro on their walk for peace, and more.
Top Stories of 2025: In Orange County, An Anticlimactic Election
The municipal election was always going to be one of the top stories of 2025 in Chapel Hill - though this year's race was unusually quiet.
The Filing Period For 2026 Elections is Over. Who’s Running in Chatham County?
The filing period for races in North Carolina began on Monday. Here's who has declared intentions to run in Chatham County so far.
On the Porch: James Whalen, for NC Court of Appeals
James Whalen is an experienced appellate attorney in private practice at Brooks Pierce LLP. Earlier this year, he was part of the legal team that defended Justice Allison Riggs’s win and stopped a dangerous attempt to overturn a free and fair election.
›