The Clark County Press, Neillsville, Clark Co, WI

November 10, 2010 Front Page & Page 2

Transcribed by Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Hands Foundation partners complete home remodel

This house at Neillsville’s 220 Oak Street was the site of an open house held Wednesday, Nov. 3, to display the completed remodeling work the Hands Foundation and many area businesses completed for Jason Gasiorowski, who can now live independently in his home.  (Photos by Peter Spicer/Clark County Press)

By Peter Spicer

Jason Gasiorowski beamed while giving a tour Wednesday, Nov. 3, of the kitchen at his newly remodeled Neillsville home, sharing how accessible it was for him.

After nearly 10 months of hard work and generous community support, The Hands Foundation held an open house Wednesday, Nov. 3, featuring the remodeled home for Gasiorowski who lives at 220 Oak Street.

Neillsville’s Jason Gasiorowski shows off the wheelchair-accessible oven in the kitchen at his remodeled home Wednesday, Nov. 3.  The Hands Foundation and area businesses donated labor to remodel the entire home and make it wheelchair accessible for Gasiorowski.  The home’s family room (below) features a fire place. 

The Hands Foundation partnered with many local businesses and organizations to remodel the home for Gasiorowski, who has a disabling bone disease, which is a rare genetic condition causing bones to reabsorb at all the diarthrodial joins in his body.  He is confined to a wheelchair and was living at home with his mother and stepfather. 

Gasiorowski, whose condition is becoming worse, stated he feels better some days than others. During the “bad days,” he has pain throughout his body and has trouble just lifting a cup of coffee.

“[The pain] just overwhelms you,” explained Gasiorowski, who thanked those who made the project possible.

Gasiorowski, who has an eight-year-old daughter, Nikita, had purchased the Neillsville home in January, but it needed remodeling to give him the independence he lacked.

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

Gasiorowski united with the Hands Foundation and local businesses Jan. 25 to begin the remodeling process; an open house was held April 8 to show the work accomplished at that point and generate interest and funds for the project.

Gasiorowski stated in April he looked forward to taking his daughter to the park located behind the house, which includes playground equipment, a basketball court and picnic area.

Gasiorowski’s daughter can now enjoy the home and area around it.

“She loves [the park],” stated Gasiorowski with a smile.

Living within the city makes it easier to run errands and get around, said Gasiorowski.

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

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

Sav-Rite supplied building projects, Pioneer Plumbing the plumbing, The Hand’s Foundation the demolition and construction, Custom Heating and Cooling the heating modifications, Wood Wright Construction the cabinetry and Randy’s Electric the electrical work.

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

The Hand’s Foundation framed out the home; which gave the other contractors the ability to move forward.

Related Articles:

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

Gasiorowski open house held (14 April 2010)