Category: Stories

Ms. Wynona B was the 2008 recipient of the “Helping Hands Award” from Tabitha Baptist Church.  Wynona has spent her lifetime serving others, particularly through her culinary expertise.  Growing up on a farm near Tecumseh, Oklahoma, Ms. B raised cattle and chickens alongside her nine brothers and sisters.  She was an active participant in the 4-H Club learning to work with animals, can food, sew and embroidery.  Her favorite has always been baking.

Wynona retired last May after 58 years of managing the kitchen at Tabitha Baptist.  She has prepared meals for hundreds of people at funerals, parties and family gatherings.  Everything Wynona bakes is from scratch.  For an average event, this chef would prepare 33 cakes, 1,400 rolls, 18 briskets, 20 hams, and 500 chickens!  Church members say Ms. B provides the finest culinary they have ever experienced.

In addition to cooking for her church, Wynona serves a traditional Sunday meal each week for her three children and three grandchildren.  Her kids come from around the metro to enjoy family time and mama’s cooking.  They still call Wynona’s house, where they all grew up, their home.  Wynona lives in the home she purchased with her late husband in the 1950’s.  Wynona met Mr. B at a basketball game.  He was playing ball and she was selling donuts.  The couple married in 1955 and moved to OKC for his job.  Her husband passed in 1999.

Wynona’s children have offered to move her, but she is content staying in her own home.  She is not yet ready to give up her independence.  Her independence led her to take financial classes from a community college and she learned to better manager her single household.  Though she doesn’t cook for Tabitha Baptist anymore, Ms. B is still active in the church choir and enjoys participating in church events.  And she will continue to cook for her kids as long as she possibly can.

On Rebuilding Day a volunteer team will remodel Wynona’s home.  The team will remove clutter and paint to give Wynona easier mobility.

To help support our work on more than 30 homes in the OKC metro on Rebuilding Day, you can donate today and a generous donor will match your financial contribution dollar-for-dollar!!  Are you up to the challenge?!  Click here to DONATE NOW!

Robert Z is known for being “tougher than a $2 steak.”  Growing up on the family farm in Northeastern Oklahoma, he started herding cattle when he could walk with his dog, wearing his father’s extra-large jacket that drug the ground.  When he reached his teens, Robert took a job with a neighboring rancher breaking wild broncos.  At 19, he raced his first (and last) speed car race, which left him nine months in the hospital and with only one hand.  After marrying his sweetheart, he moved to Liberal, Kansas and opened a truck mechanic shop.  Despite his limitations, Robert was named the “best mechanic in the nation” by Overdrive Magazine.  For thirty years, truckers would come from all over the U.S. to have Robert tune their trucks.

His wife, Vivian, is just as amazing.  She has suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and Lupus since her teenage years.  Due to her health, Vivian has had several miscarriages and the couple lost one baby.  Robert and Vivian are blessed to have three living children, ten grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.  Vivian has made a career out of writing novels based on her families’ experiences.  She even founded her own publishing company to market her writing.  Vivian has written stories based on her husband Robert, and two of her grandchildren.

The book “Stolen” tells the story of the two grandchildren, who were kidnapped at a young age by their father.  Vivian used her love of writing to write notes to her grandbabies each year on the anniversary of their disappearance.  When blogging became popular in the 1990s, Vivian began posting these letters to her personal blog.  In 2008, a friend living in Europe wanted to share Vivian’s letter to help spread the word.  Shortly after, a young man in Europe emailed Vivian, believing he was the grandson who had been missing for 12 years!  Miraculously, this young man was right.  Robert and Vivian were reconnected with their two grandchildren.

This family truly believes that nothing is impossible.  Though Robert has spinal stenosis, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, and is confined to a power chair, he still makes repairs to his cars.  He enjoys watching his grandkids play ball and attending concerts, and he always has a smile on his face.  Vivian is working on a sequel to her “Stolen” novel.  The couple’s son, who was born with brain damage, received his PhD and plans on teaching at a university.  Their second son served in the armed forces and suffers from severe PTSD, but with the help of his service dog, his desire is to follow in big brother’s footsteps and get his PhD also.  And their daughter, recently reconnected with two of her babies, is continuing her education and raising a family as a single parent.

A Rebuilding Day team will provide free repairs and renovations for Mr. and Mrs. Z this April.  The team will remove and replace the bathtub in the couple’s bathroom, remove the carpet and replacing flooring, build ADA ramps to the garage, outside patio and front door, replace doors, repair windows, change out light fixtures, repair siding and sheet rock throughout the home, and paint the entire interior of the home.

To help support our work on more than 30 homes in the OKC metro on Rebuilding Day, you can donate today and a generous donor will match your financial contribution dollar-for-dollar!!  Are you up to the challenge?!  Click here to DONATE NOW!

Jacob and Shirley are both originally from Texas and both relocated to Oklahoma in their teens with their families.  They met at the Rocket Skating Club over 43 years ago.  Not long after, Jacob proposed and the two have been happily married since.  Throughout their lives, both Mr. and Mrs. have worked several jobs, but their main priority in life has been caregiving.

The couple has three beautiful daughters they raised here in Oklahoma.  Shirley opened a day care to stay at home with the girls.  When the girls grew up and moved away, Jacob began struggling with his health.  Shirley provided the support he needed until he was able to retire four years ago.  Jacob suffers from blood clots in his legs and he isn’t able to stand.

Shirley began taking care of her sick mother three years ago.  Shirley was her primary caretaker until her mother passed away in February of this year.  The couple’s youngest daughter also recently moved into the home with her two children.  Shirley is now taking care of them.  When asked who takes care of Shirley, she said that was Jacob’s job.  He spoils her best he can.

Due to expensive health costs, Jacob and Shirley have struggled financially.  The family relied on Jacob’s 401K and savings to survive before he was placed on disability.  Soon the funds dried up, and the couple made tough financial decision choosing between purchasing medicines or groceries.  Making home repairs was out of the question.

Mr. and Mrs. J recently received a new roof through Rebuilding Together’s Year-Round program.  The couple admits that they finally feel comfortable in their home of 27 years.  They describe “getting a new roof was like winning 1 million dollars!”  After the roofers finished the job, Jacob sat in the yard in a lawn chair for hours admiring the work and the new security it provided.

But, Rebuilding Together isn’t stopping there.  Jacob and Shirley J have been selected as one of our 2013 Rebuilding Day families.  Over the next two weeks, a volunteer team will provide additional remodels and safety modifications.  The team will replace the bathroom floor, put in new light fixtures, remodel kitchen cabinets, and paint the entire interior and exterior of the home.

To help support our work on more than 30 homes in the OKC metro on Rebuilding Day, you can donate today and a generous donor will match your financial contribution dollar-for-dollar!!  Are you up to the challenge?!  Click here to DONATE NOW!

The 2013 Volunteer Award Winners were announced last night at our Rebuilding Day Homeowner Night!!

2013 Outstanding Year Round Team – The A Team (Ramp Team)

2013 Outstanding Rebuilding Day Team – Faith Bible Church

2013 Clyde Rigg’s Volunteer of the Year – Paul Miller

Ms. Lessie is known for her good ole’ country cooking.  She still makes everything the old fashioned way.  This cook worked for Mt. Lebanon Church for more than 20 years serving her community by cooking delicious meals.  Unfortunately, she was forced to retire when her arthritis got the best of her.  Lessie’s legs don’t work like they used to and she stays immobile most of the day.  On a typical day, Lessie enjoys the company of her daughter, Odessa, and spends time working puzzle books.

Born near Henrietta, Oklahoma, Lessie moved to Oklahoma City in search of work.  She worked in housekeeping, cooking and cleaning most of her life to provide for her children.  In the big city, she met her husband out on the town.  The couple got married in 1956.  They were married more than 50 years, until he passed away in 2002.

Rebuilding Together OKC has already installed grab bars for Ms. C. in her bathroom.  On Rebuilding Day, a volunteer team will put more work into the bathroom fixing holes in the floors and walls.  They will also clean and paint other rooms in the home, and install additional lights and ceiling fans.

To help support our work on more than 30 homes in the OKC metro on Rebuilding Day, you can donate today and a generous donor will match your financial contribution dollar-for-dollar!!  Are you up to the challenge?!  Click here to DONATE NOW!

A few years ago, Mrs. B was set up on a date.  She thought this date would become the man of her dreams, but he turned out to be very shy.  That same night, she met Mr. B and the two had an instant connection.  Mr. B told her she was his destiny!  It turned out, she did meet her dream boy that night, but it wasn’t quite what she expected.  Mr. and Mrs. B fell madly in love and were soon married in 2004.  They have lived in their current home since marrying eight years ago.  In addition to moving into a new home, the couple also adopted a shelter puppy when they got married.  His name is Pasquelle.

Mr. and Mrs. B. are enjoying retirement in Oklahoma City.  Mr. B loves cars and watching OU football.  His brother played football at the University of Oklahoma, giving Mr. B the opportunity to meet Barry Switzer.  Mrs.B enjoys reading gospel books, cooking and working with children.  Together they like to go out for dinner and visit local parks. They also spend time watching t.v. together, joking with one another and babysitting the grand-kids.

Mr. B worked at Chapel Supply before retirement.  Chapel Supply is a family owned business and Mr. B was adopted as part of their family.  Ms. B has worked at daycare centers off and on throughout her life.  She has a fun personality that children are drawn to.  A few times a month she still volunteers with the local day care.  She has two boys of her own, six grandchildren and 1 great-grand child.  The kids live in Midwest City and visit frequently.

Rebuilding Together OKC will be renovating Mr. and Mrs. B’s home for Rebuilding Day this April.  Our volunteer team will paint the interior and exterior of the home, replace several doors throughout the home, and install new light fixtures and ceiling fans – all to help this low-income family who cannot afford to make the repairs themselves.

Rebuilding Together OKC is currently accepting donations to help with our Rebuilding Day homes.  We’ve been challenged to raise $100,000!  If we can reach this goal, a generous donor will match it!!  Are you up for The Challenge!? Click here to DONATE NOW!

Ms. Peggy lives with her cat Clyde in north Oklahoma City.  This native Oklahoman enjoys embroidery and crafting, reading a good book and visiting with her neighbors.  She has been in her current home over 50 years.  It is the home where her children were raised and holidays were celebrated.  Her home has gone through several severe storms leaving major damage, and has been repaired more times than Ms. Peggy can count.  With her husband passing and her own degrading health, not to mention the tough financial times, Peggy isn’t able to provide critical upkeep like she once did.

Peggy was born in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma.  She went to school in Muskogee to become a registered radiology technician.  Her first job was near her hometown in Wynnewood.  While on duty, Peggy was reconnected with a familiar face.  A young man named Oscar came into the clinic to donate blood for a sick family member.  Oscar was also from Pauls Valley, and Peggy remembered him as ‘the boy who ran over me on his bicycle.’  It wasn’t long until the two moved past their differences, fell in love and were married.  The newlywed couple moved the Oklahoma City to start their family.

As her husband worked, Peggy took time off from her career to raise their children – six altogether.  The family loved traveling together.  Camping in the Colorado and Oklahoma mountains was their favorite activity.  Even after the children grew up and moved away, Peggy and Oscar would still go camping together.  Peggy took her husband on trips until the day he passed away.  She eventually returned to work at Baptist Hospital until retirement in 1992.

Today Peggy suffers from severe arthritis that keeps her mobility limited.  Her vision is kept stable by monthly eye injections.  Peggy’s four living children visit her when they can, often on holidays and vacations.  She has next-door neighbors who assist her with daily activities, such as taking out the trash and going grocery shopping.

Rebuilding Together has built a wheel-chair ramp for Ms. Peggy.  On Rebuilding Day a volunteer team will do more work to her home.  To help support our work on Rebuilding Day you can donate today and a generous donor will match your financial contribution dollar-for-dollar!!  Are you up to the challenge?!  Click here to DONATE NOW!

David and Deanna (Dee) O. have been married for more than three decades and there is no denying the love they have for one another.  The couple met at a dance and have been there for one another ever since.  David says Dee was his nurse during his years playing softball.  When he would get hurt, she was there to patch up his wounds.  Dee noted that David took care of her the times she was too sick to go to work.  David and Dee celebrated their 35^th anniversary in December by purchasing new wedding bands.

Both David and Dee struggle with mental disabilities, but that has not stopped them having successful jobs and doing what they love.  David worked 29 years at Junior’s of Oklahoma City.  Dee learned several trades including home repair and art from Dale Roger’s Training Center and UCO’s cooking school.  She has had many creative jobs and also worked a few years with David at Junior’s.  David suffered a neck injury three years ago and retired from his career.  Dee also chose to leave the workforce and now spends her time as an artist, painting and drawing.  Some of her pieces have sold and others she has given away.

Mr. and Mrs. O. are Oklahoma natives, forever calling OKC home.  Their current home previously belonged to Dee’s parents.  In addition to the house being old, it has been hit by numerous hail storms.  David and Dee have tried their best to keep the home in good condition.  Due to David’s injury he cannot physically do the jobs he would like.  Dee has used her skills to make minor repairs, but needs assistance for the larger tasks.  She is able to clean the house daily and keeps it very tidy.

The couple spends most of their time at home.  To celebrate holidays and special events they will go out to eat.  They have two dogs named Sweet Pea and Dixie.

A volunteer team will work on Mr. and Mrs. O’s home for Rebuilding Day this year!  If you financially support our Rebuilding Day efforts this year, not only will you help improve the homes of clients like David and Dee, in addition a generous donor will match your financial contribution dollar-for-dollar!!  Are you up to the challenge?!  Click here to DONATE NOW!

Two years ago, Ms. Doris suffered a severe stroke.  The stroke left her with limited mobility and cognitive functions.  Doris has an extremely supportive family, including a son who currently lives with her.  The family was helped with home upkeep as much as possible, but they are in need of outside assistance.  The home is very dark and cluttered and cold making it even more difficult for Doris to get around with easy and comfort.

Doris has been a homeowner for 30 years.  After meeting her husband at church and getting married in 1973, the couple moved into their home.  In this home Doris and her late husband raised their three children.  As the children grew up, they didn’t go very far.  They each live in the same neighborhood raising grandchildren next to their grandmother Doris.

In addition to being a mother, Ms. Doris went to school to become a nurse and worked in the orthopedic wing of St. Anthony Hospital until 2006.  Doris loves music and singing, and used to be a choir member at the Pentecostal church, which she still attends.  Because of her limitations, she now spends her time watching movies and television and enjoying time with her family, especially the six grandchildren.

A volunteer team will work on Ms. Doris’ home for Rebuilding Day on April 13.  This team will paint the interior and exterior of the home, replace light fixtures to brighten up the home, clean, organize and declutter each room, and repair doors and windows to keep the home warm.

Board members, current supports, new donors, volunteers, staff and the OKC community at large, you have been challenged by Rebuilding Together OKC!!

Beginning now until June 15 we have the potential to raise at least $200,000!  BUT, we need your help.

Our goal is to raise $100,000 in NEW or INCREASED donations and an anonymous donor will gladly match our fundraising dollar for dollar.

This time-limited burst of fundraising allows us to build on the momentum of our new Executive Director, Jennifer Thurman, the excitement of our annual Rebuilding Day on April 13, and the inspiring stories of our elderly homeowners!  Homeowner stories can be found on our website at https://www.rebuildingtogetherokc.org/category/story/!

Why do we want to increase funding?  Rebuilding Together OKC currently has a waiting list of at least 60 low-income, elderly homeowners in need of new roofs, plumbing or safety repairs, and this funding will allow us to better meet the needs of the Oklahoma City senior community.  Together, we will continue to further our mission of rebuilding lives and neighborhoods by making homes safe, warm and dry!

Please consider making a gift to Rebuilding Together OKC.  Know that whatever you are able to contribute to this worthy mission will be gratefully received and appreciated!  And don’t stop there.  Help spread the word.  Tell five friends how important Rebuilding Together OKC is and how they can double their dollars by making a donation now.

Click here to DONATE NOW!

Or visit our Donate Page for more information on contributing to Rebuilding Together OKC!  If you are interested in volunteering with our fundraising campaign, please contact Sara Norton-Sanner at sarachristine@rebuildingtogetherokc.org.

Challenge Rules:
1. Qualifying donations may come from individuals, corporations, foundations or churches, and they must be received or postmarked between March 15 and June 15, 2013.
2. Donations from new donors count towards the match.  For this purpose, a donor is “new” when he or she has never given before to Rebuilding Together OKC – OR – has not given since January 1, 2011.
3. Donations that have increased over the last fiscal year count too.  So, if a donor gave $500 in our last fiscal year (7/1/2011 to 6/30/2012), but they gave $1,000 NOW, $500 of that new donation will count toward the match, as long as it’s given within the period of the match.