Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
She has a new kitchen, a new living room, a new bedroom, a new bathroom, new windows, a new walkway and more, and she’s speechless.
Net cost to homeowner Judith Moulton: $0.
At least a couple hundred different people responded to a call for an “extreme makeover” on Moulton’s home, the Church Mouse, located at the intersection of 13th and Nandina.
Molly Laycock and Connie DeBusschere, who work in the city’s building program, discovered the need after their involvement in a city rehabilitation loan to make roof repairs to the Church Mouse, which originally was the home of Bethel Lutheran Church, and was later converted into an art gallery.
The building, including the residence where Moulton lives, had degenerated over the decades, leaving her in a home where daylight could be seen shining through uninsulated walls. It had limited heat, and drop lights were used to illuminate a dark interior.
A retired senior citizen with some health issues, Moulton was unable to repair or improve her home. She called the renovation, which began in December, a “miracle.”
Laycock and DeBusschere contacted local contractor Danny McCubbins and a men’s group at the Community Chapel. The three coordinated a task force of local contractors, building supply businesses and volunteers to gut and rebuild the residence.
Since December, the Chapel group paid rent for Moulton to live just down the street so volunteers could work inside the home. They showed it to her and moved her back in on June 3.
“What do you say?” Moulton said. “My heart gets so full, I want to burst. I want to hug each one to pieces. It’s not enough. How do you even begin to repay? I am – I’m speechless. In my wildest dreams, I never thought I’d have this.”
Moulton has been in the building for 31 years, working and living there seven days a week, running business with Betty Wadsworth. Bethel Lutheran Church moved the building to its present location from Adair Village in the 1940s.
Workers gutted the living area of the building and replaced bad wiring, plumbing and floors, McCubbins said. Contractors insulated the walls and hung sheetrock. They installed new cabinets, fixtures and floors along with a new furnace, range, refrigerator and microwave oven.
“We went to the studs, and some of those were rotten and broken,” McCubbins said. “You could see daylight through the walls.”
Virtually everyone whom McCubbins called upon stepped up to help, he said, from the contractors to the high school wrestling team, who moved rock.
“The truth is, it couldn’t have been done without Molly (Layock),” McCubbins said.
She kept everyone focused, said Darryl Balkema, one of McCubbins employees, and “Danny’s a genius at coordinating things.”
“We ran out of time, and we ran out of money,” McCubbins said. “But I would like to do a few more things if money and time allows.”
“I’m very happy,” Laycock said. “I’m very pleased.”
McCubbins and Rick Lehto went above and beyond the call of duty, DeBusschere said. “Danny’s assistant, Darryl, has always been there whenever.”
It turned out better than Laycock or DeBusschere imagined, Laycock said. “Our goal was to get her something that was sanitary, safe and comfortable.”
They wanted to make sure the home had roofs, power, hot water, better lighting and no leaking walls, Laycock said.
“They changed the whole atmosphere just by all the extras they did,” DeBusschere said. “These contractors could’ve thrown in some leftovers, but they put some heart into it.
“It’s really heartening to know how many people got involved not knowing this person at all. They had no reason to do it not knowing Judy at all.”
“I just want to thank everybody,” Laycock said. “How do you thank everybody? How do you put the feelings toward this (into words)?”
Among those donating and working on the home were Danny McCubbins of McCubbins Quality Homes; Rick and Kelly Lehto of Rick Lehto Construction; Eric Sheets of Atwater Home; Greg Matz of Ambitious Builders; Nall Bodine of Sweet Home Builders; Dan McGary of LND Construction; Phil Fidler of Basic Homes; Jeff Valentine of Country Hardwood Floors; Josh Darwood of Josh Darwood Construction; Birchfield Heating & AC; Loren Paul of Timberline Cabinets; H&S Drywall; Shane Woodard of EC Electrical Construction Co.; Home Insulation Co.; Lester Sales; South Fork Trading Co.; Mark Eisiminger of masonry contractor; Ty Moore of Homes Hand Crafted; Tony Lopez of University Fence; John Donaldson, a contractor; Tim Murray, a finish contractor; Joel Keesecker; Wanda Joy Adams of Council of Governments Senior Services; Les Vigue; Dale Iorns; Mike Remesnik; Parr Lumber; Knife River; Liberty Rock Products; McCubbins Cutting Edge Construction; Darryl Balkema; Charles Murray; Molly Laycock; Joe Graybill; Dominic Valloni; Mark Gunter; Chad Christianson; Jim Wallace; Carol Lewis; Byron Wolfsong; Kevin Pettit; Connie DeBusschere; Lauren and Scott Morrelli; Tom and Sharon Toth; United Methodist Church members; Community Chapel member Phil Pollock and the Men’s Mobilization Ministry; Sweet Home High School Mat Club; Emily Gilmore; Pam Voit; Rochelle Smith; Barbara Marano; Arlene Crisp; Kellenberger’s Appliance; Jerry Hagenof Josh Boehland; Lumbermen’s; Bob Anderson of Fuzzy Side Up; and Frank and Jo McCubbins.
Laycock said she wanted to thank everyone else who helped but may not have been mentioned directly.