Steve Kurtz, owner of Xtreme Xteriors of Lebanon, applies caulk to the siding of Dirrell Harper’s new home. Photo by Sean C. Morgan

Scott Melcher, a volunteer on the project, reported Monday that work on a new home for Dirrell Harper is still going well.

Last week, Steve Kurtz, owner of Xtreme Xteriors of Lebanon, finished putting siding on the new home, Melcher said.

Kurtz donated all of the labor for the project. Allied Building Supply and Pro-Build, formerly Lumbermen’s, in Tangent provided materials at cost.

Don Casteel of Sweet Home painted the interior, and Tom Hyer donated a wood stove, said Mike Melcher, an organizer for the project. Jane Moran has agreed to do the tiling in the shower and bathroom. Ted and Peggy Hufford of Timberline Logging donated the tile.

Remaining work includes exterior paint, flooring, landscaping and installation of cabinets, Melcher said.

Project leaders are still looking for donations to pay for cement and $1,500 to pay for the trusses. They are also looking for landscaping materials.

“I thank everybody for the support they’ve given so far,” Mike Melcher said. “It’s been outstanding.”

Gary Carper and Frank Barraza of Barraza Construction have been doing an outstanding job running the project day to day and doing what Melcher and Moore need done, he said.

A group of community volunteers led by Melcher and Ron Moore are building a new home for Harper, whose home was damaged during a storm in early June when a tree fell on his singlewide manufactured home, located near Kalmia and 35th Avenue.

Harper is mostly confined to a wheelchair; and even if it had been repaired, his home would have posed problems and was not suitable for his disabilities.

Rather than using insurance money for repairs, volunteers used it to help build a new house. It was about $10,000. Volunteers and donors are making up the difference for the new house, which is estimated to cost $60,000. Key Bank is accepting donations in Harper’s name.

For further information, contact Melcher at 409-1516, or Moore at 409-4366.

Additional information is available on the Web at “The Harper Project” on facebook.com.