IAHSP Community Worldwide Staging Service Week
Project:
What an incredible experience of giving we had within our Chapter!
On Monday, September 10, 2007. We spent the day at the Ronald McDonald House in Maywood (near Loyola Hospital) installing new furnishings in the living room, in two TV viewing areas on the second floor, and a TV area on the third floor. We spent a lot of time improving the flow of traffic on the second floor and on the fourth floor, where they had ample room, but it was not being used to it’s potential. They now have very distinct areas for game tables, for pre-schoolers to play, for teenagers to view TV, for Board meetings, etc.
On Thursday, Friday and Saturday; September 13-15, we renovated a residence owned by Orchard Village (see www.orchardvillage.org) and inhabited by six mentally and/or physically handicapped adults. This home, located in Mt. Prospect, IL needed a lot of love. With donations from Sherwin Williams we were able to paint the Living Room, Dining Room and Family Room as well as all three bathrooms.
With our grant from The IAHSP Foundation, we purchased new tile for the men’s bathroom floor, a new vanity, faucet and mirror in the ladies bathroom (thanks to all ASPs who pitched in on Friday to help purchase these!) And with new furniture and art throughout the house, we staged to our hearts content. Thanks to a last minute donation from The Home Depot in Evanston, IL, we were able to replace the front door and front porch light for them as well.
Playing “race the clock” at a few points in order to have rooms ready for Fox News Chicago to film was quite a challenge, but you will see that we rose to that challenge and made ourselves proud
Brook Furniture Rental played such an important part in the Greater Chicago Chapter’s Staging Service Week. Without their incredible generosity, we could not have accomplished what we did for both of these worthy causes.
Both staff and residents were so grateful for our efforts that a few tears of joy were shared. The proudest moment, the one that really “said it all” for me though, was when resident Marcus, profoundly physically disabled, unable to communicate in the traditional sense and wheelchair-bound, was taken out of his chair and placed on the new sofa in the family room…his smile could have lit the sky for miles around.
Thank-you, to all of the wonderful ASPs (and our one Jr. ASP) who took the time out of your busy schedules to show up. I think you will all agree, it was well worth it.
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Click here to see more photos!
This project was featured on FoxNews Chicago Click here to watch!
Project Ambassador: Kala Callahan
Chapter President: Catherine Shipstead
For more info on this chapter click here
