Community members join together to create a better life for a local family All photos by Mark Anderson, Casual Elegance Photography - www.M-L-Anderson.com

Community Makeover -
_{A Home Improvement Project Brings the Community Together}

By Elizabeth Weaver

When we help other people, we improve their lives as well as our own--the whole community benefits. Last year, the Gardner family was at the center of a makeover project that brought together churches, businesses, organizations and individuals to help them in ways they never expected.

The usual suspects were involved--church groups and Girl Scouts--but so were others you might not expect, like Harry Norman, Realtors®, John Wieland Homes & Neighborhoods and WalMart, all of whom donated more than just time and material.

For everyone who helped out, the renovation was a gratifying experience. Vanessa Fleisch of Harry Norman Realtors says, "We were all happy to have the opportunity to help the community in which we live. It was really wonderful to see many people working towards the single goal of
giving this family a new start."

It all started with Community Action Day, an annual Peachtree City event that draws a variety of people together to perform much-needed repairs and improvements for people in need. One of the requests received by the Peachtree City Building Department was submitted by Preston Gardner.

Preston lives in a tidy, little ranch home on Williams Circle with his two brothers, Raymond and Gene. Preston and Gene are both legally blind; Raymond is confined to a wheelchair. When Raymond upgraded to a new wheelchair, he encountered a problem. The bathroom door was so narrow that he had to perform minor
gymnastics to use the facilities.

"These brothers worked together to pay for and maintain their home," says Tom Carty of Peachtree City's Building Department & Code Enforcement. "They never asked for any help and kept their home immaculate. But, with a project like this, the building department's code enforcement officials were consulted. Through normal channels, it could take up to three years to get the problem resolved, but Raymond needed help right away."

Tom says that senior code enforcement official Tami Babb went to look at the project and she came back with bigger plans than just widening the door. She asked Tom to look at the house and talk to the brothers. What he saw made the same impression on him that it had on Tami--three
disabled men were living in 1,200 square feet. And they'd recently taken in their sister, Fay Ellison, and her two daughters, 5-year-old Rebecca and 13-year-old Melissa--all three were sharing a single 8x11-foot room, sleeping on mattresses on the floor.

"The home needed updating and renovating throughout. The wooden wheelchair ramp was sagging and the plumbing was at capacity. The only landscaping was fake flowers that had been poked into the dirt," Tom reports. "Keep in mind, the house was spotless and no one was complaining. They were all happy to have a place to stay and to have each other. In fact, Fay became the primary caregiver for her brothers and they were delighted to have their nieces living with them; they said it brightened up their lives."

The Gardner project was added to the list for Community Action Day in 2004, but the project request was too big and came in too late to get any help at that time. Then, in 2005, John Wieland Homes & Neighborhoods stepped in with a total of 30 subcontractors.

Adam Anderson, Project Manager with John Wieland, along with
John Strong and Chad Curry, both Signature Builders in the Centennial Neighborhood in Peachtree City, wanted to know what they could do for Community Action Day.

According to Adam, "In 2004, our first year helping with Community Action Day, we provided a stove for a family that didn't have one. We thought that it would be nice to do more this year since we have the resources. We contacted Tami Babb and at the monthly builder's meeting, she told us about the Gardner residence."

They decided to take it on and got a comprehensive list from Tom detailing what was needed to bring the house up to building standards, as well as some suggestions. They spoke with the Gardners and learned of other improvements they could make, including installing better flooring to help Raymond's wheelchair move smoothly throughout the house.

"When we heard about their living conditions, we knew we had to do something," Adam adds. "As more was needed, more and more trades-people we work with stepped up. Pretty soon, it took on a life of its own."

With the extensive work planned for the home, the Gardners couldn't stay there. No problem--Balmoral Village Apartments gave them rent-free lodging while the house was being renovated.

The day after they moved into the apartment, the John Wieland crew moved in. Before long, the project grew by leaps and bounds. It even entailed reworking the sewer system.

"The septic tank was operating at capacity with six people," Tom says. "Brent Scarborough was laying a community sewer line nearby, so the plumbers from John Wieland put in a sewer station and lift station. They worked with the water and sewer authorities hand-in-hand, around-the-clock to get the job done quickly and correctly. Normally, a job this extensive would take over 30 years with marginal construction."

As it happened, the entire project was completed in just 6 weeks. And the approximate cost to remove the old septic system and install the direct line to the sanitary sewer came to $30,000--again, all donated.

 

Chris Flanigan and Karol Hall of Harry Norman Realtors

When the Gardners returned to their home, they were amazed at what they found. Not only had the house been expanded by 500 square feet with a bedroom and handicapped-equipped bathroom addition, there were new appliances throughout. In addition to the septic to sewer conversion, John Wieland's subcontractors had put in an entirely new electrical system, rewiring the house and running the electricity underground. And there was a new heating and cooling system.

The kitchen was completely new, with cabinets and countertops from Cabinetcraft, a John Wieland company. There was new flooring and sheetrock. The whole house was handicap accessible, with pocket doors and a new ramp constructed of concrete and masonry with an iron railing. Inside, fresh paint lightened the walls, new furniture and window blinds were placed throughout. Realtors from Harry Norman Realtor's Peachtree City office had spent several days decorating and furnishing the home. Local Girl Scouts added special touches to the décor in the girls' room.

According to Jackie Begg, a Realtor with Harry Norman, "This project brought together many volunteers from various organizations and we're grateful for the opportunity to be involved. Harry Norman realtors are well-known to support their local community projects. This work is part of the Harry Norman vision."

Outside, fresh sod, landscaping and plants circled the home. The driveway had been ripped out and repaved with extra parking space. There was a new front door, garage door and windows; the exterior had been painted.

"We all shared the reward of self-satisfaction knowing that we were the hands, eyes and feet for people in the community who needed us," says Chris Flanigan of Harry Norman Realtors. "The rewards are enormous."

Tom adds that it's a blessing to be part of so many good people doing good things. "And this is just one project from Community Action Day. Every year, people in our community come together to help their neighbors, many of them elderly. It's a fantastic project and it's heartwarming to see people show up and ask 'What can we do?'"