We are blessed to know a wonderful family! A few years ago a crisis threatened to tear them apart. The home they live in is in desperate need of repair. Some helping hands were needed, and this is what they did: In two weeks time, they were able to accomplish the gutting and refinishing of the bathroom and three bedrooms. From falling ceilings and crumbling plaster to insulated, dry walled, painted, and trimmed, beautiful rooms. Wow!

Where to begin … thank you, seems so inadequate. I was amazed at the generosity of our area businesses, churches, families, and friends. Thank you Aunt Karen, for taking the family away for a week.

We received donations of front steps from Mr. Lucidi and Mr. Carlson; talent from Harvest Fellowship Youth Group; dry wall and tub from Calvary Church; primer from Brian Clark's Sherwin-Williams; paint from Rich Rainieri's MAB; 10 percent off at Brian Blymiller's Home Depot; Ryan, from A & R Electric ran the wiring for the bathroom; Jim Hawley helped diagnose other electrical problems; Home Improvements owner, Bill Childs improved the back room; Albert Sanft removed the scrap metal and piano; Jim Nowrey's Redner's Warehouse Market donated $20; Elloit Lanser's Lanseramics tiled the bathroom; lamps were donated by Limerick Furniture's Robert Cole; Liberty Thrift Shop's Veronica gave us a discount; beauty supplies donated by Arbonne's Ann Murphy; Twin Leaf Ground Maintenance and Landscaping's owner, Robert Leschinskey donated an entire day to beautifying the yard and came back to prune everything; the family received dinner from Big Daddy's Pizza; lunch was provided by Lattanzio's Steaks & Stuff.

Thanks to the following families and individuals, and any I may have missed for all you put into this project.: The Auerbachs, Batdorfs, Carlsons, Crawfords, Cronraths, Deschs, Lucidis, Mancinis, Smiths, Mortimers, Trettins, Roebucks, Weiders, Mike Schueck and Clyde M. Godshall from Frederick Mennonite, Wes Weber, Liesl, Mercedes, DanI, Ben, Rachel, Aaron, Charlie, and Mike.

A special thank you to the ladies who have provided dinners for the family: Mrs. Mancini, Thompson, Kulp, Bush, Heltzel, Lucidi, Murphy, Minkler, Moyer, Votta, Trettin, Karr, Day, Crawford, Dittrich, and Hand.

Want to lend a helping hand with the downstairs now?

All the paneled walls will need to be gutted. In the kitchen, the ceiling and floor need to be replaced. A few coats of paint may bring back the cabinets. Rich Raineiri has supplied paint for this room already. The closet off the kitchen needs to be restored to a set of steps that used to exist. The hardwood floor throughout the downstairs needs to be refinished. Most all of the downstairs windows need to be replaced.

If you know of any businesses, carpenters, contractors, etc. who would like to participate, we welcome their help as well. Time, talent, and materials are all appreciated.

Mission Project Coordinator Douglas Crawford can be contacted at doug@crawfordltd.com.

SUZANNE CARLSON

Pottstown