Group provides makeovers for Aurora homes
Hammers pounded, saws buzzed and garbage bins were filled with unwanted items Friday as volunteers renovated two homes on North View Street in Aurora.
Organized by Rebuilding Together Aurora, about 25 volunteers installed handicapped toilets and grab bars, replaced rotting soffits and painted rooms for 77-year-old Arlene Washington and another couple who live down the street.
"It will really help me out a lot," Washington said. "It'll give me peace of mind for one thing."
Many volunteers came from Choice Hotels, including some who used their expertise in hotel maintenance to their advantage.
"We're putting in a handicapped toilet and grab rails. We have those at the hotel, so we know what to do," said Rocky Pintozzi, owner of Comfort Suites at 111 N. Broadway in downtown Aurora, who helped renovate Washington's two-story home. "We're fixing what everyone perceives as being wrong, but these are easy fixes and it will help her quality of life."
Rebuilding Together Aurora is an affiliate of a national nonprofit that provides free repairs for homes owned by senior citizens and low-income residents. The group has renovated 300 houses in Aurora since it began in 1993, including 48 this year, said Emily Stern, executive director of Rebuilding Together Aurora.
The organization often works with companies such as Choice Hotels, Sears and Lowe's to get volunteers, supplies and expertise in construction, plumbing and carpentry, said Pat Rogers, president of Rebuilding Together Aurora.
"Everyone is always willing to participate in whatever they can," Rogers said. "We don't lack for enthusiasm, which is great."
Lillie Harden, 73, said she wanted Rebuilding Together Aurora to help her and her husband, Arthur, 74, clean up their garage, yard and basement for years.
"I have 50 years of debris. Every time a child moved, they brought their stuff here and they parked it," Harden said. "Never would I have done it, got it out."
Homeowners such as Washington and the Hardens must fill out an application and go through interviews to get repairs done by Rebuilding Together Aurora, Stern said. Applicants must have homeowners insurance and have a household income of less than $60,000 a year to qualify. To download an application, visit rebuildingtogetheraurora.com.
Pintozzi said he and other Choice Hotels volunteers renovated homes in Detroit last year, but Friday's efforts meant more because they were closer to home.
"It's our chance to give back locally, and we're glad to be able to do it in Aurora," Pintozzi said.