Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

April 14, 2010, Page 2

Transcribed by Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Gasiorowski open house held

Jason Gasiorowski (sitting) poses with his mother, Cheri Taubenheim, at the house Gasiorowski will soon move into at 220 Oak Street in Neillsville. An open house was held Thursday, April 8, at display the progress area businesses, who are donating their time to complete the project, have made.  (Peter Spicer/Clark County Press)

By Peter Spicer

An open house was held Thursday, April 8, to display a house for Neillsville resident Jason Gasiorowski, which is being remodeled by six area businesses that donated their time to work on the project.

To gain independence and live on his own, Gasiorowski united with local businesses Jan. 25 to remodel a home located at 220 Oak Street to suit his needs.

Gasiorowski, 33, has a disabling bone disease, a rare genetic condition causing bones to reabsorb at all the diarthrodial joints in his body.  He is confined to a wheelchair and was living at home with his mother and step-father. 

Gasiorowski purchased the home within the city of Neillsville; the home needs remodeling to give Gasiorowski the independence he wants.

Gasiorowski stated he “can’t wait to move in” and plans to do so within the next month.

The home’s fireplace and kitchen are two of Gasiorowski’s favorite parts of the home; he will also enjoy taking his seven-year-old daughter to a park location behind the house, which includes playground equipment, a basketball court and picnic area.

Bill Buettner of Pioneer Plumbing and Shannon Melvin of Wood Wright Construction had approached The Hands Foundation about the project.  The Hands Foundation then planned to involve Neillsville-area businesses to make the renovation a reality.

Darrell Marrier and his brother, Chauncey, founded The Hands Foundation, “a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping those in need by providing labor and materials for building projects.”

“I think [the project is] going well,” said Buettner.

Local businesses working on the project include: The Hands Foundation in Owen, and Pioneer Plumbing Inc., Wood Wright Construction, Custom Heating and Cooling, Randy’s Electric, Sav-Rite Building Center and Russell’s, all of Neillsville.

Sav-Rite is supplying building projects (products), Pioneer Plumbing the plumbing, The Hands Foundation the demolition and construction, Custom Heating modifications, Wood Wright  Construction the cabinetry, Russell’s of Neillsville the labor and Randy’s Electric the electrical work.

These businesses united for the remodeling project and donated the cost of labor.  Gasiorowski will only pay the cost of materials.  Gasiorowski had received $8,000 of government funds to use for the project.

Area businesses may continue to work together for a yearly project in which they donate labor costs.

The Hands Foundation framed out the home, which gave the other contractors the ability to move forward.  Pioneer Plumbing is installing new plumbing and a barrier-free bathroom. 

The new bathroom will allow Gasiorowski to have full access without any help.  Randy’s Electric is upgrading the electric to accommodate the new accessibility features throughout the home.

Custom Heating and Cooling reorganized the duct work and cleaned existing duct work.  Sav-Rite building center is supplying all needed materials. Gasiorowski’s mother, Cheri Taubenheim, along with friends and family, maintained a clean-up after each of the contractors.

Taubenheim, like her son, is also suffering from the same disabling bone disease, which is progressing rapidly.

The open house was held to generate interest and funds for the project, said Taubenheim, who is hoping area businesses can then complete a project next year for someone else 

Donations can be made at local M & I banks; checks should be made payable to “Hands for Jason. 

For more information, visit The Hands Foundation website at www.handsfoundation.com, or call Scott Marrier of The Hands Foundation at 715-229-4456 or Pioneer Plumbing at 715-748-8172. 

 Previous Article

Area Businesses Work to help Neillsville Man (10 Feb. 2010)

Hands Foundation partners complete home remodel (10 Nov. 2010)