News: Extreme Makeover

Even though the waters of the St. Lawrence River have receded and the torrential rains have stopped falling from the skies, Jim and Lu Williams, longtime residents of Hudson, will never forget the horrible and helpless feeling of watching their home become destroyed by the destructive rains created by the storm of Mother’s Day 2006.

That Mother’s Day night, while six to nine inches of rain fell on the Williams home of three generations, neither Lu nor Jim Williams, both in their 70’s, could stop the damage being done to their home by the downpour of the cascading water. They were powerless to prevent the rains from destroying their roof, their furniture, and their carpet. The Williams watched as the rains continued to seep through the ceiling, slowly at first, and then more quickly as the rains traveled through the light fixtures. Water fell to the floor, filling pots, pans, and whatever the Williams could do to catch the water. As the rains continued to pound upon their humble home, water began to soak the sheet rock walls, then the furniture, and then soak the carpet. The bedroom ceiling fixture rests silently and alone, as the bedroom has become a void of the way it used to be. The wall is gone. The bed is gone. The clothes are gone. Jim and Lu’s home has become a shell. All that stands today is the framing for new walls, new doors, and a “new now.”

Extreme mold found during renovation of the Williams home

Their one floor home, which has stood the test of time for parties, births, marriages, graduations, and most of all, memories, has become a victim of the rains on Mother’s Day, 2006.

As Jim and Lu left their home in effort to find security and safety with their daughter, Stacey Fisher, Litchfield, it could be said that they left their home “with only the clothes on their backs.”

When members of the First Baptist Church, Hudson heard about the tragedy of one of their longtime church members, they decided to visit the Williams home and see what they could do to help. At first, their goal was to simply “inspect a leaky ceiling,” and to hopefully help the Williams “fix their ceiling.” While performing the home inspection, not only did they witness the leaky ceilings, they also saw that the house had been overridden with black mold. According to Craig Buckley, project director, “the damage done to the William’s humble home was going to cost the Williams tens of thousands of dollars.”

These 70 something grandparents have been displaced from their home and currently live with their daughter while volunteers from their church help restore their home and give their home an extreme makeover.

As the church members continued to inspect the William’s home, more structural issues and safety as well as health issues arose. Upon inspection of the center support beam to the home, they learned that the entire center core to the beam had been eaten by ants. The support beam had become rotten and ready to break.

The basement, which used to house Lu’s childhood horse, Scout, had to be completely emptied of boxes, treasures, and “stuff” which had accumulated over the years in efforts to dry the dirt basement of any further mold developing. Lu was unaware that her respiratory issues were a result of the years of breathing the black mold which had been growing in the walls of their home.

The leaky roof needed to be replaced and re-shingled as water was entering every room of the William’s home. Carpets, furniture, pictures, and keepsakes had to be tossed due to the damaged done by the torrential rains.

The walls have been stripped bare and the floor which was covered with linoleum has been removed. New wall studs have replaced the old studs which had become infested with black mold. The leaky windows will be replaced and the electrical system will need to be upgraded.

“The first stage, to have the roof re-shingled, is complete,” states Craig Buckley. “The second stage involves completely gutting the house, rebuilding rotted portions of the structure, insect extermination, treating the house to remove the mold contaminate and finally rebuild. The rebuild includes insulating, sheet rocking, painting the entire house, as well as replacement of all the windows, doors, fixtures, and upgrade to the electrical system.”

Since they left, over 100 cubic yards, or five dumpsters, of demolition has taken place in efforts to restore and rebuilt the Williams home.

The interior of the house is in need of light fixtures, thermostats, cabinets, countertops, paint, carpet, linoleum, a front door, a back door, and doors for all the closets. “From window shades to shower curtains and just about everything between the front door to the back door we need. We anticipate that to complete this project, we are in need of an additional $20,000,” comments Buckley.

Members of the First Baptist Church, Hudson, have partnered with Professional Building Services , in their efforts to rebuild the Williams home. Professional Building Services has dissected the current conditions of the Williams home and has set a plan in motion to restore the home so that Jim and Lu may return and once again sit in their living room which overlooks beautiful Ottarnic Pond.

To date, the members of the First Baptist Church have donated their time, talents, and support for the Williams. Currently, the members of the First Baptist Church, Hudson, have personally donated over $10,000 towards the re-building of the William’s home. According to Buckley, “$20,000 more is needed to complete the project and restore healthy living conditions to their home.”

“I think it is wonderful thing everyone is full of kindness,” states Lu Williams. I am very grateful for all the concern and support we have received throughout all this. I never expected this type of help. It is a wonderful thing for us and it is overwhelming. I only hope I live long enough to go home to enjoy it.”

For those who wish to donate or make a contribution to this project, send a check to: First Baptist Church of Hudson, 236 Central Street, Hudson, NH 03051, Attention “Posse Fund” on the memo line.