Volunteer effort puts local family in new home

Home builders team up, donate home to woman recovering from leukemia

October 18, 2005

CASEY RESSLER/Valley Life editor

When Kara MacIver returns to the Valley for

the first time tonight following a bone marrow transplant and months of recovery, she'll be coming home to a brand new home, thanks to the Mat-Su Home Builders Association.

The home - a four-bedroom, 1,400-square-foot dwelling - was built through donations and volunteer efforts. MacIver and her family haven't seen the home since they left, making tonight's return home an even bigger reason to celebrate.

&#8220We've had well over 50 companies donate work, and I bet there's more than a couple hundred people who have come out here and given us a hand,” said Dave Owens, of Owens Construction Management. &#8220The home builders have done extensive remodels as community projects before, but this is the largest.”

MacIver and her family were living in a trailer on the property, but when it was learned that Kara, then 17, had a form of leukemia and would need a bone marrow transplant, a complete remodel of the home would have been necessary, because the home needed to be completely sterilized.

&#8220We could have spent $40,000 and remodeled that, but we figured why not just put that time and effort into a new house,” said Jeff Clements of Great Northern Homes and Construction, one of four contractors who oversaw the project.

Construction began over the summer, and Monday, people were scrambling around, putting together the last-minute details.

&#8220When you do a volunteer project this big, with this many people, It's a real challenge,” Owens said.

Sunday night, Owens and a handful of people were at the home working until 11:30 p.m. They were back at it Monday morning.

&#8220I was there at 11:30 last night (Sunday), and I had tears in my eyes because of how beautiful this is,” said Becky Day, a close friend of the MacIver family.

&#8220I am so proud to be a part of this community. People have been so supportive and have been so willing to help. I love living in a place like this.”

The house has several features that were necessary to accommodate MacIver's recovery. There are hardwood floors throughout the home, so germs can't nest in carpet.

Also, an air exchange system that was put in by Bowker Mechanical provides for cleaner air. A special filter can be installed to further clean the air.

As of Monday, the house was nearly complete, and several rooms were already put together with furniture. MacIver's room was complete with a quilt made by Clements' wife and several other women, and MacIver's young son's room was decorated. Day said she's excited for the MacIvers to see their new home.

&#8220It's emotional for me to see it, so I bet it's going to be overwhelming for them,” Day said. &#8220We're so proud of Kara.”

The four contractors who oversaw the project were Great Northern Homes and Construction, Newf Con-struction, GT Construction and Pattison and Sons. The four groups that helped oversee the management were Steve Norton Enterprises, Antonovich Construction, Owens Construction Management and the office staff of the Mat-Su Home Builders Association.

&#8220But there were hundreds of other people who should be thanked for everything they did,” Owen said. &#8220There are so many who had a hand in this project.”

Contact Casey Ressler at

352-2265 or valleylife@

frontiersman.com.