Group works with city to save Oregon home

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OREGON – Hands On Oregon (HOO) has partnered with the City of Oregon and the USDA Rural Development Program to repair a house that was destroyed five years ago by a falling tree.

The house was set to be condemned, and the elderly man living there faced eviction. Enter Tim Krug. 

As a newly elected City Council member, the first topic of discussion Tim Krug faced was this house; he wanted to know more before voting. After meeting with the owner, Tim and his wife, Kim, decided on the matter: “We’re going to save this man’s home.”

The Krugs worked on getting a $10,000 grant from the USDA Rural Development Program. Hands On Oregon agreed to help. With seven weeks into the house as of Sept. 11, HOO contributed 358 volunteer hours. 

In addition to the hours, Tip Top Roofing and Construction of Sycamore donated all materials and labor to reroof the entire house, a $6,100  value. Thank you to Kapu Aluli. Floor and Décor of Crystal Lake provided floor tiles and installation for the kitchen at no cost. Thank you to Joshua James, Kapu’s brother-in-law. And the Lady Painter is donating paint for the old siding. Thank you to Lori.

The electric panel has been updated and NICOR is installing a new gas line for the new furnace. The volunteers are fixing the damaged siding.  The elderly man will soon have a newly renovated house.  

The condition of the house was so weather-damaged that it was nearly over for this elderly man. But thanks to the Krugs; Penny Miller, coordinator for the USDA Rural Development Program; Darin DeHann, who assisted in clearing the necessary legalities so the project didn’t stall. And a special thanks to Don Schier and Kloepping Construction for their early work on the project. Thanks to all for the donated and volunteer work.

And who were the on-the-ground, in-the-sawdust ready workers? The great volunteer workers were Lee Hadick, Rick Ryland, Lou VanderWyst, Bones Hadick, Ken Adams, Tonya Carlson, Eric Brown, Joshua James, Elikai Aluli-James, Liliu Aluli-James, Liam Dickson-Harriett, Tim Krug, Kai Jacobs and Shawn Lieb.

To donate to Hands On Oregon, please send your checks to Hands on Oregon, PO Box 244, Oregon, IL 61061. To volunteer call Rick Ryland at 815-440-5171 or Lee Hadick at 310-409-7460.