Volunteers help needy fix homes in Adams
Aresu Eqbali, Rocky Mountain News
Published June 14, 2007 at midnight
Young volunteers fanned out with paint brushes and a pickax Wednesday to refurbish several old houses in the Berkeley Gardens neighborhood of Adams County.
More than 50 people helped repair 11 homes in the working class neighborhood as part of a program to beautify the community while helping lower-income residents.
"The good Lord just got me a birthday present that I did not expect," said Isabelle G. Milliard, who turns 79 today.
She said her house needed a new fence.
Having lived in the small house for 36 years, Milliard, a widow since 1992, said that taking care of the fences had occupied her mind for years.
"(The repairs) make the neighborhood look a lot better and nicer," she said.
"They have cut down the trees in the backyard. It was almost like a jungle," she said.
Given Milliard's income of $1,900 a month, fixing the fence herself seemed unlikely.
The free repairs were offered through a partnership between Adams County Community Development and Brothers Redevelopment Inc.
They were funded with a $20,000 Community Development Block Grant from Adams County and $5,000 from Xcel Energy.
"The value (of all the jobs done Wednesday) is $75,000," said Mariana Ledezma, an ACCD coordinator.
"It increases the value of the houses and helps families who cannot afford it," Ledezma said.
Chad Nibbelink, 22, a college graduate from Iowa, found out about the volunteer job through a friend and said, "That's cool. Let's do it."
He started volunteering in mid-May and said he plans to continue with the group until August.
Nibbelink and other young people were painting and repairing the rear deck and front porch of another house, built in 1955.
"People can't keep up the place because of age, and money is also a major factor . . . so it's such a gratifying experience," said Lucille Johnson, 77, the home's owner.
The home of Johnson's son, James, 49, also received some porch repairs and a new coat of paint.
James Johnson qualified for the service because he has steel rods in his back because of an injury.
eqbalia@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2742
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