The quest begins for candidates for this year鈥檚 Extreme Home Repair in 91原创.
It was 15 years ago that Church in the Valley Pastor David Jamieson and an associate were inspired to do something life changing for families in need in the City and Township of 91原创.
The night before, they had both watched a popular television show called Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, where a family in need receives a total home renovation, Jamieson recalled.
As they spoke, their excitement increased, and they both said at the same time, 鈥淲e can do this!鈥�
So, way back in 2004, they went about recruiting business owners and volunteers who wanted to make a difference from the Aldergrove鈥檚 Seventh-day Adventist Church and the local community.
Fifteen years later, Extreme Home Repair (EHR) has completed 17 projects in 91原创.
鈥淚t is amazing how the communities of Aldergrove and 91原创 have rallied to make this program an ongoing success,鈥� Jamieson said, excited to announce that the church鈥檚 community outreach program, called Acts of Kindness (AOK), is currently seeking nominations for potential 2018 recipients.
Some of the criteria for nomination to be a EHR recipient include: The person/s must own the home and be in need of assistance as a result of a financial setback caused by divorce, sickness, accident, family death, or other similar situations.
A past EHR recipient was a single mom who had been facing life鈥檚 challenges alone for eight years. She had purchased a home with the intension to do repairs, but realized over time things were becoming more than she could handle.
She was facing the likelihood that she would have to sell her home and knew this would have an emotional impact on her and her family because she desperately wanted to provide stability for her sons. She was selected as a EHR recipient and after she saw the results, she shared her surprise at the difference, 鈥淚t鈥檚 not the house I left them at all. I鈥檇 been hoping for a roof and I鈥檝e got so much more.鈥�
She shared her gratitude at the 10-year anniversary of EHR: 鈥淚 am so incredibly grateful; you are giving me a boost when I need it. I can鈥檛 think of how to thank you and even put it into words, anything I say just doesn鈥檛 seem to express it enough, the deep heartfelt gratitude and how thankful I am for all of you.鈥� This is the love we hope to share with others through AOK as we help people.
Another EHR recipient shared the impact EHR had on him and his family: 鈥淓ssentially our lives were going down the tubes before they (AOK) came. I don鈥檛 think we could have come out of it without them. The church brought us together, gave us a new beginning. One random act of kindness can and will change the world. Love, it all boils down to that simple word. And it all came from Acts of Kindness.鈥�
Lorne Brownmiller currently runs the EHR program as a volunteer with AOK. He has been a long-time participant in EHR and owns one of the businesses that has donated to the project.
Brownmiller has been personally impacted by the difference EHR has on the families who have been helped.
鈥淚鈥檝e been involved in extreme home repair since the beginning. I really have to say we could not have foreseen what the humble beginnings in 2004 would grow into now,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen I see the difference it has made in the community and the different families鈥� lives, this is what drives us each year. And I know, without a doubt, God will continue to bless this program well into the future.鈥�
Right now, Acts of Kindness and the Extreme Home Repair team are searching for nominations. If anyone knows of someone who 鈥渃ould benefit from this service of love and who would make a great EHR 2018 recipient, or if you would like to get involved in this year鈥檚 project,鈥� they鈥檙e asked to contact the Church in the Valley at 604-514-8335 or online at www.actsofkindness.ca.
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