Welcome to Rebuilding Together Metro Denver's eNews. Once each month we send out news of our programs and the people making it possible. Please forward to friends or colleagues who might also be interested in keeping our neighbors warm, safe, and dry and living in independence.
From Laurie McCaw,
Executive Director:

Rebuilding Together is approaching it's busy season where homeowners are selected for Rebuilding Day in April. RT's goal this year is to repair 30-35 homes - more homes than ANY other Rebuilding Day in its history! Can you help? Do you know of a company or business that would be interested in sponsoring a home and providing a GREAT teambuilding day? If so, please email Laurie McCaw at rebuild@qwest.net with your ideas and RT will follow up with them during January.

There have been several articles in the newspaper and on the news lately highlighting the difficulty seniors have in maintaining their homes. Not only is it difficult for low income seniors and people living with disabilities to afford to make even the most minor repairs to their homes - it is very difficult to find a reliable contractor to perform the work. There has been a rash of handyman scams this past fall, and, with funding cuts occurring to government programs, it is hard to find help. RT can answer some of these concerns by placing a reliable staff member or screened volunteer in the home of an at-risk senior, and performing repairs. Please share with your friends and colleagues, that we are here to help! Homeowners can call 720-524-0840 and receive immediate attention from our qualified staff.

Inside this issue:

  • From Laurie McCaw
  • RT 2005 Board of Directors
  • Rebuilding Day home selection update
  • A Home For All Seasons
  • Homeowner spotlight
  • Skilled captains needed
  • 2005 Rebuilding Day sponsors

Help organize
Rebuilding Day 2005

Rebuilding Together is looking for supporters to join the 2005 Operations Committee!

Do you enjoy the challenge of finding resources, arranging logistics and watching a project come together?

How about working with a great group of people?

If so, please contact Matt Smith, Committee Chair at Rebuilding Together,
303-246-3716, or matt_rebuild@qwest.net

We need your help!

Rebuilding Together elects its 2005 Board of Directors, and welcomes the following new board members:

Officers: Randy McCall, President, from KeyBank, Nancy Strauss, Vice President, with Kaiser Permanente, Pam Lorenz, Treasurer with FirstBank, and Geary Kinnett, Secretary, with Commercial Federal Bank.

At large Board members are: Carol Taylor Boyd of the Senior Hub, Kristin Sund from KeyBank, Lynn Matthews, and Amory Narvaes of Western Asset/Narvaes Construction. Continuing Board Members are Rich Rainaldi of Civicore, Debra Bustos from the Northglenn Neighborhood Development Corporation and Kim Johnson with the Lakewood Housing Authority.

RT gives a special thanks and best wishes to RT board members retiring in 2004: Ted Crossman, Dave Preston, Jennifer Gremmert, Heidi Baker, Jo Kitto, Dawn Russell and Terri Epperson. RT also gives special thanks to Monica Thompson, outgoing Board President.

RD 2005 Home selection update

We're on our way to finalizing the 30-35 homes that will be repaired on April 30th. Screening visits should all be completed by the end of January. Right now there are:

  • 22 homes selected
  • 41 pending review

Toward the end of the month we'll be matching them up with our house sponsors and then introducing the team captains and the homeowners.

We still have room for a few more house sponsors to meet the needs of the homes that require our support. If your company or someone you know might be interested, please contact Laurie at rebuild@qwest.net.


From A Home for All Seasons (HAS):

One of the primary focuses of the year round program is safety. Rebuilding Together Metro Denver will supply smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and CO detectors for all Aurora and Commerce City residents who are served through A Home for All Seasons. With this in mind, we are asking for donations of these items.

Can you donate a case of smoke detectors or CO detectors so that we have them on hand when they are needed?

Or perhaps you know a kindly local hardware store owner who might donate? Or maybe you know a small business owner who would like to sponsor A Home for All Seasons?

Be on the lookout for any and all opportunities to connect Rebuilding Together with those who would be interested in an opportunity to support RT in our efforts to keep our homeowners “warm, safe and dry”!

For more information on HAS, please contact:
Angie Zuccarelli
720-524-9205
angie_rebuild@qwest.net

Homeowner Spotlight


Volunteers installed handrails, smoke detectors, grab bars, landscaped,
repaired drywall and painted, and did a good fall cleaning

 

Mildred Bolt has a terrific family and supportive community. But when her husband passed suddenly a couple years ago, it wasn't enough to keep her going. It was hard to carry on after the loss, and particularly hard to keep up their Denver home, where they had raised their family for 38 years.

But thanks to the efforts of one her loving daughters, RTMD in partnership with teams from local Wal-Marts showed up one fall day to provide the repairs and upkeep she so badly needed. And perhaps even better, through their selfless efforts, her spirits were lifted and we left her smiling and feeling very cared for.
 

We need your skills....

If you are skilled in home modifications and repairs, consider becoming a Skilled Captain for Rebuilding Day 2005. Skilled Captains collaborate with the House Captain and RT staff to coordinate plans for your assigned house and to lead volunteers in their work on April 30th. Contact Matt for more information at 720-524-0840 or matt_rebuild@qwest.net.

Please welcome our Rebuilding Day 2005 sponsors as of Jan 1:

Alexander Graham Bell School
ASCE
Carr America
Cherry Creek Jaycees
Colorado Roofing Association
Commercial Federal Supporting Sponsor!
Denver Bronco Alumni Association
Denver Newspaper Agency
First Bank Supporting Sponsor!
GE Network Solutions
Kaiser Permanente/Adolfson & Peterson
Kent Denver School
KeyBank
Longmont Jaycees New!
Precision Drilling/The Journey Project
RNL Design New!
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage
World Savings

New! Community House Sponsor: 99.5 The Mountain

And our 2005 media sponsor:


Your donations are always needed and always appreciated. Every dollar donated is leveraged into $4 of services for at-risk homeowners. Click the button below to donate online with a credit card, or mail a check to
RTMD, 5840 E Evans Ave, Denver,CO 80222


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Rebuilding Together Metro Denver is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that hopes to repair 100 houses in 2005, keeping low-income elderly, disabled and families with children warm, safe, and dry and living in independence. www.rebuildingdenver.org