Builders Care plans holiday building spree

Builders Care volunteer Tom Killingsworth with ramp recipient John Rohal. COURTESY PHOTO This year’s “hottest gifts” lists may not include home repairs, but to some people in Lee County, home repair is the greatest gift they could receive. Builders Care, the nonprofit arm of the Lee Building Industry Association, is answering their need and spreading the holiday spirit with several home-repair projects for area residents in need.

Volunteers recently built a wheelchair ramp for John Rohal, 73, a Vietnam War veteran with multiple medical issues. Harbor Springs Construction and Development provided the labor and Shoreline Lumber supplied the needed materials.

On Dec. 4, Builders Care began a seven-day project valued at more than $80,000 on the home of Mamie Jackson, located at 2268 French St. Ms. Jackson, who has recurring injuries from multiple vehicle accidents, shares the home with her son who has cerebral palsy. In a collaborative effort between Builders Care, the State Housing Initiatives Program through the City of Fort Myers and local building subcontractors, volunteers will demolish the Jacksons’ existing kitchen, flooring and master bath, install a new utility and deck area, enlarge doorways for handicap accessibility, paint both the interior and exterior, add new kitchen cabinetry, refurbish existing ramps and construct new soffit and fascia. The new, improved home will be unveiled to the Jackson family on Dec. 10.

Beginning this week, employees from Camp-Rigby Roofing-Sheetmetal Contractors will start construction to remove the old roof and install new shingles at the home of Steve Lewis. Roofing services are valued at more than $6,000. A motorcycle accident more than 30 years ago left Mr. Lewis paralyzed from the waist down. He uses a wheelchair, and his home has undergone several renovations to improve mobility. In August 2009, volunteers from the Builders Care board of directors, the BIA and Bishop Verot High School students, painted the home, rescreened the porch, rebuilt the carport, provided landscaping and more.

On Dec. 15, Builders Care will begin construction valued at more than $40,000 on the Castro family home, located at 6002 Kenneth Road. Migdalia and Ruben Castro have two children, Rocky and Ian, as well as a foreign exchange student from Italy.

Rocky is 22 years old and has had a muscular dystrophy disease, spinal muscular atrophy, since birth. Advanced Roofing and Sheet Metal and Crowther Roofing are teaming up with Builders Care for this project. Volunteers will remove the existing air conditioning unit, roof and carport, rebuild the roof and carport, provide a new driveway suitable for handicap accessibility, paint the exterior, refurbish existing ramps and install new air conditioning, soffit and fascia.

Builders Care enlists the volunteer services of Lee BIA members and leverages grants and donated materials to provide construction and remodeling services to qualified homeowners throughout Lee County. 