Ms. Patsy

Patsy S.

Patsy was born into a family of musicians.  Learning to play the guitar, banjo, fiddle and mandolin as a child, she toured the U.S. making music with her father’s blue grass gospel band.  “We traveled all over the country and would camp out for days at a time,” Patsy described her adventures.  “Some nights I would only get a few hours of sleep because I spent all my time playing music with the best bands.”  Her favorite stop was The Sanders Family Bluegrass Festival in McAlister, Oklahoma.

Though some would call her a musician, Patsy refers to herself as a country girl.  Originally from Arkansas, Patsy moved with her family to Oklahoma after the depression.  Patsy, along with her three brothers and two sisters, was raised near Blackwell where her father took a job at a local gas plant.  In Oklahoma, Patsy experienced many firsts – she saw her first inside toilet and her first television in this new state.

Her father also instilled in her great work ethic.  “We worked to get what we wanted,” Pasty said.  “When I was 13, I wanted a car.  So I went to work for 30 cents an hour and saved $200 to buy my own car.  I was the only teen in Jr. High with a car.  Everyone was jealous.”

This hard working woman continued to provide for herself and her three children.  She worked in insurance writing health claims to support her family.  Fourteen years ago, she paid cash for her current Oklahoma City home.  Then, Patsy poured her hard work into remodeling the house.  She fixed it up to make it her very own.

Today Patsy lives on social security.  She was forced to retire due to her health and is not physically able to provide the remodels she once could.  Rebuilding Together has worked with Patsy this summer making the necessary repairs her home needs.  With the help of more volunteer teams, her home can become livable and comfortable once again.

Ramp Team Gets New Auger

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The Rebuilding Together OKC Ramp Team, also known as the A Team, builds one wheel chair ramp per week for an elderly client.  Our Ramp Team is composed of several retired handymen, who have a desire to make a difference in their community.  In the past, each week these men would rent equipment needed to construct wooden wheel chair ramps.  With the ability to complete that many projects in one year, the A Team worked more quickly than their budget allowed.

Tim Reardon, Rebuilding Together OKC’s Program Manager, sought additional ways to support the Ramp Team, so that they could continue their work.  This spring, Tim, along with members of the ramp building crew, drafted a list of needed tools and supplies used on a weekly basis by the Ramp Team.  This needs list was sent to local Lowe’s and Home Depot stores asking for donations.

Over the past several months, Lowe’s and Home Depot have come through for the Ramp Team donating various tools the team could cross off the list.  This week, the team had their biggest need met!  The A Team was given a brand new auger.  The auger purchase was made possible through a grant from the Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma.  The auger is a drilling device used to dig large holes for setting ramp posts.  An auger, worth thousands of dollars, allows these handymen to work more efficiently when building ramps.  Our Ramp Team now has one of their very own!

Having an auger will save Rebuilding Together OKC hundreds of dollars each year.  “It will save us $56 for every ramp that we build,” said Tim.  This is money the Ramp Team previously used to rent an auger each week.  Now, this additional income can be used to meet more needs of low-income senior citizens.

Thank you Lowe’s and Home Depot for helping us keep our clients safe, warm and dry!

Watch the video below to learn more about the Ramp Team’s auger!

 

Winning Team Donates Prize at Golf Tournament

GolfWinner

On Monday, July 1, the four-player golf team from Southwest Trailers & Equipment placed first in Rebuilding Together OKC’s 18th Annual Golf Classic held at Gaillardia Country Club.  Though the team was awarded a $1,000 monetary prize, the players did not take home their winnings.  Instead the team, all members of the Dye family, graciously gave the money back to Rebuilding Together.  With this amount included, Rebuilding Together raised approximately $50,000 through the Golf Classic fundraiser this year.

Twenty-three teams participated in the 2013 Annual Golf Classic benefitting Rebuilding Together’s general program fund.  Program funding is used on a year-round basis to provide free home repairs and safety modifications for low-income senior citizens living the greater OKC area.  The winning teams of this year’s tournament included: third place Cattlemen’s Steakhouse, second place Wedel Rahill & Associates, and first place Southwest Trailers.

Sponsors for the Golf Classic included: AAAA Wrecker, Areawide Aging Agency, ATC Freightliner, Boldt Company, Butler Plumbing, Chesapeake, Claude Drabek, Clyde Riggs Construction, Communication Federal Credit Union, Cox Cable, EMCS, Harrison & Orr, John Vance Auto Group, Loves, Marco Capital, Mark Falk, Medley Turrentine Insurance, Metal Roof Contractors, Mutual Assurance Administrators, Osborne Electric, Peters & Chandler, P.C., RBC Bank, Simons Petroleum / Pilot Logistics Services, Southwest Trailers & Equipment, State Farm – Gary Baccus, T&W Tires, Tinker Federal Credit Union, United Petroleum Transportation, Wayne King, DDS, and Wedel Rahill & Associates, CPA’s, PLC.

Construction Derby Coming October 6 with New Features!

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The 2013 Construction Derby, which also happens to be the 10th Annual Construction Derby, will be held this year on October 6th!   Make sure to save the date for this exciting derby race in Oklahoma City!  Location to be determined.  Proceeds from the derby benefit Rebuilding Together OKC.

NEW to this year’s Construction Derby: Rebuilding Together will use a drag race style Christmas Tree lighting system at the starting line.  This “PortATree” staging will allow for more accurate competition!  You won’t want to miss the 10th Annual Construction Derby!

To stay updated on derby location and events, and to enter this year’s race, visit our Construction Derby webpage!

Universal Design Tips

www.mhealthtalk.com

At Rebuilding Together OKC, our mission is to improve the lives of senior citizens by providing free home remodels and safety modifications.  As clients age, they need homes more specifically tailored to their changing health and lifestyle.  Our goal is to make updates that allow elderly homeowners to remain independent in their homes.

Last week, the Woodworking Network put out an amazing press release titled “Universal Design is Smart Design.”1  The term “universal design” was coined by the architect Ronald L. Mace to describe the concept of designing all products and the built environment to be aesthetic and usable to the greatest extent possible by everyone, regardless of their age, ability, or status in life.2

The press release notes four areas of universal design that can be helpful for anyone when modifying a home for a senior neighbor, family member or friend.

•Zero barriers, which mean there are no steps in the home, especially for entryways. All living quarters are on the first floor, with the exception of an upstairs area that was converted into an apartment with the purpose of housing a caregiver at some point.

•Wide hallways, open living spaces and dual entries in all rooms are common design elements used in wheelchair accessibility. Also, two entryways in all rooms—including the living room, dining room and kitchen—allows for ample traffic flow throughout the house.

•Microwaves drawer and/or refrigeration drawers are also common in universal design, but Long says it is also a stylistic feature.

•Hardwood flooring is superior over carpeting for wheelchair accessibility. The new flooring also allowed for a five zone, energy-efficient radiant heating system throughout the house, which couldn’t have been accomplished with carpeting.

1. http://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/wood-market-trends/woodworking-industry-trends-press-releases/Universal-design-is-smart-design-212048341.html?ref=341#sthash.FniDNBtU.lw8n8Jsk.dpuf
2. From http://design.ncsu.edu/alumni-friends/alumni-profiles/ronald-mace

 

Ms. Susan

Imrie

Ms. Susan has been an OKC homeowner since 1983.  She and her husband, Richard, moved into their home and raised two children, one boy and one girl.  The couple frequently attended sporting events at the University of Oklahoma, where Richard had graduated.  Susan worked various jobs as a temp with Express Employment Professionals and she enjoyed serving in a wide variety of roles throughout her life, including in a factory, as a secretary and in inventory.

Today, Susan is a widow.  Her husband passed away due to cancer four years ago.  He did much of the work and repairs on the home.  She hasn’t been able to do any remodeling or serious upkeep since he passed.  Susan is recovering from a severely broken left arm she obtained from a fall.  She is also deaf in her left ear.  Her children both live in different states and are not able to provide the assistance she needs.

Susan’s home is in need of both major and minor repairs.  Her garage door is falling apart and she needs a window replaced.  Each room in the home needs holes patched, cracks filled and a new coat of paint.  Her flooring is peeling up and the carpet is ragged.  The roof of the home isn’t very old, but the exterior also needs new paint.

Susan is active in her church and enjoys attending mass.

Scrambling for Seniors

Media Alert
Scrambling for Seniors

Rebuilding Together hosts 18th Annual Golf Classic 4 Player Scramble

Oklahoma City, OK. – On Monday, July 1, twenty-two teams will participate in the 18th Annual Golf Classic at Gaillardia Country Club benefiting Rebuilding Together OKC.

WHAT: Four player teams will participate in the 18th Annual Golf Tournament along with a golf marathon fundraiser benefiting Rebuilding Together OKC.

WHEN: Monday, July 1

  • 8 a.m. Golf marathon participants putt for pledges.
  • 11:45 a.m. Golf tournament team registration begins.
  • 1 p.m. Shotgun start.

WHERE: Gaillardia Country Club, 5300 Gaillardia Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK 73142

WHO: Twenty-two golf teams made up of players and marathoners from local OKC businesses and community organizations.

WHY: The Golf Classic is an annual fundraiser supporting the general program funding of Rebuilding Together OKC.  Program funding is used on a year-round basis to provide free home repairs and safety modifications for low-income senior citizens living the greater OKC area.

Rebuilding Together OKC Rebuilding Together OKC, tax # 731450790, is tax exempt as a charitable organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.  Rebuilding lives and neighborhoods…making homes safe, warm, and dry.  For more information visit www.rebuildingtogetherokc.org

Contact: Sara Norton-Sanner at sarachristine@rebuildingtogetherokc.org or 405-607-0464.

 

$90K and counting!

90k

Only $10,000 left to make our dollars double!  If you haven’t given toward the Challenge Grant, please consider doing so now!  You can give easily online by visiting our Just Give Page!

If you have already given/are not financially able to give, please help us spread the word.  We encourage you to use email, Facebook, Twitter, word of mouth and tell everyone you know, about how their dollars can double and how they can make a difference in the lives of Oklahoma City senior citizens!

Feel free to use the text and photos below as you share:

“Double your dollars today by donating to @Rebuild2gthrOKC & support #OKC seniors in our community! https://www.rebuildingtogetherokc.org/donate/

“@Rebuild2ghtrOKC provides FREE home remodels for low-income elderly in #OKC! Support their mission today! https://www.rebuildingtogetherokc.org/donate/”

“Our average homeowner lives on less than $1,500/mo. Donate now @Rebuild2gthrokc to make a different in their lives! https://www.rebuildingtogetherokc.org/donate/”

 

Shirley flooring

75% Filled!

75k

Our Rebuilding Together paint bucket is 75% filled!  That means YOU, our amazing donors, have contributed over $75,000 toward our Challenge Grant!  We’d like to thank you so much!!

But, we aren’t finished yet!  We still have $25,000 to go before our dollars are matched by an anonymous donor.  Be sure to share with family and friends, co-workers and club members.  Get the word out to help us meet our 100K goal!

You can continue to give through our CrowdRise page, http://www.crowdrise.com/RTChallengeGrant, and watch as we pursue our goal.

Here are some of our most critical needs:

Ollie windows

Harold roof