Builders Care makes dream come true

COURTESY PHOTO Mary Lou Tanksley reacts with tears after seeing her new home for the first time. In an emotional ceremony last week, officials from Builders Care, the nonprofit charitable arm of the Lee Building Industry Association, and Stevens Construction unveiled the newly remodeled home of Mary Lou Tanksley in one of the largest Builders Care home renovation projects to date.

Ms. Tanksley, who suffers from diabetes, high blood pressure and arthritis, was living in a home that was falling apart around her. Parts of her house, including the roof, were in dilapidate condition because of damage caused by an electrical fire. Several areas of the home were cut off from electricity, and the home lacked air conditioning and wheelchair accessibility. Ms. Tanksley lives in the home with her two teenage grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, including one with Down syndrome.

Within two weeks, Builders Care, the State Housing Initiatives Program through the City of Fort Myers, Stevens Construction and local building subcontractors completely remodeled the Tanksley home. Following 1,200 hours of volunteer labor, workers completed more than $90,000 in renovations including a new truss roof system, new handicap-accessible interior, new windows, a new electrical system, the addition of central heating and air conditioning, exterior stucco, replacement of all interior drywall, fresh interior and exterior paint, and new kitchen cabinetry.

COURTESY PHOTO Mary Lou Tanksley's home before... "It was a lot of work, but it was all worth it to see the reaction on Mary Lou's face today," said Mark Stevens, president and founder of Stevens Construction, who donated construction management services for the project.

Contributing companies included Abash Enterprises, Acousti, Action Glass, All American Shutters, AWP, Barraco and Associates, Cape Coral Plumb- ing, Crowther Roofing, CED Supply, Doyle Electric Services, Energy Calculations by Jimey Moad, Focal Point Interiors, Gulfcoast Engineering Services, HD Supply, HideAway Storage, Home and Hotel, Juniper Landscaping, Liberty Aluminum, Mark's Dumpsters, Nemeth Air Conditioning, Nilles Design, Priority Marketing, Raymond Building Supply, S.A.M. Drywall, Seacoast Supply, Sherwin Williams, Southwest Construction, T & M Portable Restrooms, Titan, Viking Construction and Wayne Wiles Floor Coverings.

COURTESY PHOTO And after the renovation.