Making a Difference

Central Florida builders and building suppliers always stand ready to make their community—and the world, for that matter—a better place to live for those less fortunate.

Many of the good works builders do are centered, as you might expect, around home. Here’s what four local companies have quietly done this past summer to help others:

NOURISHING THE NEEDY
Hours spent in the kitchen preparing cole slaw or cooking chicken, beans and other dishes might, at first glance, appear to be a mundane household chore. But sometimes it’s much more; sometimes it’s an act of giving.

During the summer, John Ahern of Aspen Diversified Construction in St. Cloud committed his time, money and cooking talent to help feed the homeless. Ahern—along with a friend and many other volunteers—bought food, prepared meals and boxed them up for delivery to Westside Community Church in Apopka, which served the meals.

FROM THE GROUND UP
Paul and Stephen Gidus of PSG Construction recently headed to Tijuana, Mexico, to help build homes for two needy families The Orlando">Orlando remodelers—they’re brothers as well as business partners—each served as a site leader through Project Mexico, a Christian-based charity.

The resulting two-room homes, which measure 11-by-22 feet, were each constructed in four days, using only hand tools. Although not opulent, they’re clean and safe and replace dirt-floor shacks.

CHANGING THE WORLD
Mending Hearts Charities, in partnership with the Greater Orlando">Orlando National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), recently spearheaded a project to transform a
dilapidated Sanford house into a comfortable home.

NAWIC members and their families, along with a group of volunteers, braved stormy weather to complete the project. Several local donors pitch-ed in, providing building materials, paint and home furnishings.

Mending Hearts Charities is a local organization that gives low-income families the opportunity to become self-sufficient and maintain economic stability, says Monarcha Marcet of Adventures in Building, who participated in the home renovation.

TO THE RESCUE
The home of an elderly Winter Park woman was seriously damaged by a falling tree. ?Worse yet, the 92-year-old’s insurance had expired and she was unable to afford the repair.

Bob Kirkley, a superintendant at Phil Kean Designs, took notice of the situation upon attending a City of Winter Park meeting, where a code enforcement issue regarding the damage came up. ?

When Kirkley found that the woman would be fined $250 a day until repairs were made, Kirkley’s company and its trade partners decided to step in. “Everyone said, ‘Absolutely, let’s do it!’” Kirkley says. “We had 30 people show up to help and the home was repaired in one weekend.”
The scope of the project was the demolition and replacement of the damaged roof, new shingles, and repair of the broken garage door.

In addition to Phil Kean Designs, volunteers included: Thomas Lumber Company, Premier Roofing, Bill Reagan Custom Homes & Remodeling, Cabinetry Creations, D&S Custom Trim, RK Edwards, McAuliffe Services, East West Pavers, Winter Park Blue, Master Tile, Josh Trexxler, Sissy Trexler, Robbie Kirkley and Rachel Kirkley.