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Julia Fraser has had water leaking inside her home for more than a year. As a local music teacher hit by the tough economy, she could not afford the repairs. Each day after a Southwest Florida rainstorm, she would empty a full size garbage can full of rain water only to replace it to catch the next wave of water. This went on for months before a relative in Texas put her in touch with Lee Building Industry Association (BIA) Builders Care.

Things were about to change for this 20 year Bonita Springs resident. Despite her struggles, Julia supplements her social security income by teaching students piano, guitar and vocal lessons out of a small studio in Bonita Springs. She has been teaching music for more than 25 years. When she is not working, she enjoys being involved in her church and swimming.

Throughout the week of Aug. 30, in a collaborative effort between Builders Care, the State Housing Initiatives Program through Lee County, and local building subcontractors, the home received a new roof, remodeled bathrooms, new carpeting, refurbished drywall and an interior and exterior paint job.

“We are so happy to be able to partner with Lee County in order to help provide much needed services in our community,” said Heidi Taulman, Builders Care executive director. “By pulling our resources together, we are able to make a bigger impact on the community.”

Contributing companies for this project include 3D Builders, Abash Enterprises, Affordable Reliable Cleaning, A-Rite Glass, Cabinets Plus, Cape Coral Plumbing, Cornerstone Construction, D. Peck Roofing, Franzese Plumbing, Garage Doors by Roy North, Jamestown Painting, Mark’s Dumpsters, Priority Marketing, Sherwin Williams, Sunset Air, T & M Portable Restrooms and Wayne Wiles Floor Coverings.

This is the fourth roof that Builders Care and Lee County have completed since June. Other recipients resided in Lehigh Acres, Harlem Heights in South Fort Myers and Morse Shores in East Fort Myers.

Builders Care is the nonprofit charitable arm of the Lee Building Industry Association (BIA). Its objective is to provide emergency repairs and construction services to elderly, disabled and economically disadvantaged people who are unable to obtain home repairs through traditional means. Builder’s 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. Most recent top corporate sponsors include Armadillo Underground and Real Estate Investment Society. Builders Care is headquartered at the Lee BIA offices at 4210 Metro Parkway, Suite 100, Fort Myers FL 33916. Donations can be made online at http://www.leebuilderscare.org/, or to the Builders Care general fund at BB&T (formerly Colonial Bank) Page Field branch at 4959 South Cleveland Avenue in Fort Myers. More information is available by calling 239-938-0056.

Marian Gann, 78, has suffered with muscular dystrophy since birth. Gann is bound to her wheelchair and her bed.  She has a caregiver that comes in daily to help her get from the bed to her wheelchair and other daily living activities.  Due to her lack of mobility, she can no longer get into the bathroom to take a shower.   

She resides in Cape Coral where she has been a resident for more than 20 years.  Despite her struggles, Marian supplements her social security disability income by doing accounting and tax work out of her home.  When she is not working, she enjoys reading, movies and her pet parrot, Kokomo.

In Early May Builders Care volunteers completely remodeled the bathroom, including the shower, for Gann.  The bathroom is complete with wheelchair accessible floors, sink and shower, as well as custom built-in bench and more.

Villa Homes of SWFL headed up the team of sub-contractors including Abash Enterprises, Allied Portables, Cape Coral Plumbing, Harbor Springs Building Company, Jamestown Painting, Mark’s Dumpsters, Nilles Design, Sherwin Williams and Wayne Wiles Floor Coverings. All labor and materials were provided at no cost to Mrs. Gann.

“We are so grateful to be involved in such a tremendous program,” said Jesse Gonzalez, project manager for Villa Homes of Southwest Florida. “And to see the building industry continue to come together to help out local folks in need.”

Builders Care is the nonprofit charitable arm of the Lee Building Industry Association (BIA). Its objective is to provide emergency repairs and construction services to elderly, disabled and economically disadvantaged people who are unable to obtain home repairs through traditional means. Builder’s 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. Most recent top corporate sponsors include Armadillo Underground and Real Estate Investment Society. Builders Care is headquartered at the Lee BIA offices at 4210 Metro Parkway, Suite 100, Fort Myers FL 33916. Donations can be made online at http://www.leebuilderscare.org/, or to the Builders Care general fund at BB&T (formerly Colonial Bank) Page Field branch at 4959 South Cleveland Avenue in Fort Myers. More information is available by calling 239-938-0056.

This year’s “hottest gifts” lists may not include home repairs, but to certain people in our community home repair is the greatest gift they could receive. Builders Care, the nonprofit arm of the Lee Building Industry Association (BIA), is answering their need and spreading the holiday spirit with several home repair projects for area residents in need.

Today, volunteers sponsored by Builders Care, the charitable agency of the BIA, are constructing a wheelchair ramp for John Rohal, 73, a Vietnam War veteran with multiple medical issues. Harbor Springs Construction and Development will provide all of the labor, and Shoreline Lumber will supply all of the needed materials. Builders Care will recycle a portion of a previously constructed ramp to re-use materials and keep extra materials from ending up in a local landfill.

On Dec. 4, Builders Care will begin a seven-day project valued at more than $80,000 on the home of Mamie Jackson, located at 2268 French St. 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 Jackson’s 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 at 4:30 p.m. with a special lighting of the house for the holiday season.

Beginning the week of Dec. 8, 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 Lewis paralyzed from the waist down. Lewis 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, re-screened the porch, re-built 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 has a muscular dystrophy association 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 is the nonprofit charitable arm of the Lee Building Industry Association (BIA).  It’s objective is to provie emergency repairs and construction services to elderly, disabled and economically disadvantaged people who are unable to obtain home repairs through traditional means. Builder’s 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. Most recent top corporate sponsors include Armadillo Underground and Real Estate Investment Society. Builders Care is headquartered at the Lee BIA offices at 4210 Metro Parkway, Suite 100, Fort Myers FL 33916. Donations can be made online at www.LeeBuildersCare.org or go to the Builders Care general fund at BB&T (formerly Colonial Bank) Page Field branch at 4959 South Cleveland Ave. in Fort Myers. More information is available by calling 239-938-0056.