There were many givers of time, labour and skills. And the givers were also receivers – of a glow in the heart and an uplifting of spirit.
There were many givers of time, labour and skills. And the givers were also receivers – of a glow in the heart and an uplifting of spirit.
Among them were the Schulte family – Jeff, wife Gerry, 15-year-old daughter Hannah and son Seth, aged 12 – who saw the chance of travelling from Fort Assiniboine to Vancouver to help out in an extreme home makeover as an extreme blessing.
“God has been so good to us,” said Gerry Schulte last Friday. “To help someone else – that is what we are here for.”
The Schultes were part of a huge team of volunteers which transformed the Gagnon family’s two-bedroom rancher on Chatwin Avenue in Maple Ridge last month.
The revamp was organized by Vancouver’s Cornerstone Seventh Day Adventist Church in Coquitlam, which runs the Home Team, a non-profit community outreach program.
A scaled-down version of the popular home makeover shows on TV, the annual project is designed to help families in need.
Nobody could question Cornerstone pastor Stevan Mirkovich’s choice of the Gagnons.
The challenges facing Mike and Angie Gagnon have been daunting since their eldest daughter, Deandra, now 38, was in an accident that left her with serious brain damage and reduced motor skills.
After the 2004 accident, Deandra and her two sons moved into the couple’s property.
What with Deandra’s rehabilitation, their full-time work, their own health issues, caring for two young grandsons and home renovations, Mike and Angie began to feel overwhelmed.
Now, at least, they have one less thing to worry about.
Mirkovich’s crew, helped by donations of material and time from more than 150 Metro Vancouver businesses, overhauled the Gagnons’ home in 10 days.
During the project, the family were sent away for a specially organized break, so the transformation of their house would be a surprise on their return.
It was one of the crew’s biggest ever projects, requiring 18-hour days, but the results made all the effort worthwhile.
The Schultes, who lived in Vancouver before moving to Fort Assiniboine about 15 years ago, arrived on Sept. 11 when the revamp was already well under way.
What they saw was a beehive of activity: up to 40 people were working flat out, using materials donated by contractors.
As someone in the construction business, it was familiar territory for Jeff Schulte, who immediately made himself useful, building frames with help from Gerry.
Measuring, sawing, putting in screws – it was all part of a day’s work. Meanwhile, Hannah and Seth helped out with meals and shovelled gravel.
“I even performed traffic control,” said Seth.
Then there was the matter of installing heated concrete flooring and a boiler system, revamping the kitchen, living room and dining area, adding a deck, putting in new siding, landscaping, plumbing, wiring and building garage doors.
Once the dust and noise had settled, and tools were finally downed, the Gagnons returned in a limousine on Sept. 16 for the so-called “reveal.”
They had to wait a few moments because their new home was concealed by trucks, just to add to the sense of anticipation.
It was the moment the Schulte family had looked forward to … that first reaction to what they hoped would be a wonderful surprise. They were not disappointed: the Gagnons were thrilled, describing the renovations as “beyond belief.”
“There were a lot of tears,” smiled Gerry.
For the Schultes it was a labour of love – and the looks on the Gagnons’ faces proved the greatest reward.
