Op-Ed: SAFE Haven Thanks Gary’s Home Improvement, Kiwanis Club

**Editor’s Note: This Letter to the Editor was submitted by Pamala Handrow, executive director of SAFE Haven.

I’d like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Gary’s Home Improvement and the Kiwanis Club of Greater Racine.

SAFE Haven of Racine, Inc. is an emergency shelter for homeless, abused, neglected and runaway youth.  We have been in the business of serving youth since 1971. As is true with any charitable organization, we are always tight on funds.

SAFE Haven is fortunate to own a beautiful Victorian era home that is well over 100 years old.   With an old home comes a long list of repairs and needed updates.  Last year SAFE Haven requested $4,000.00 from the Kiwanis Club of Greater Racine to update the kitchen cabinets that were quickly falling into disrepair.  We were thrilled when presented with a check for the requested $4,000.00.

After the money was received, we sought quotes for the project.  Gary’s was one of the company’s who came to bid on the job. Within a day of having looked at the kitchen, Gary called SAFE Haven to say that he was going to donate the time and materials needed to update the cabinets and counters.

Shortly after the first of the year Gary’s crew came to start the job.  Old cabinets were removed and the custom built top cabinets were installed in one day.  While we were waiting for the lower cabinets and countertops to arrive we noticed that our garbage disposer was leaking and finally stopped working.  We knew that there was plumbing involved with the cabinet job so we asked Gary if they could install a new disposer if we purchased it.

Gary announced that he had a new disposer in stock and would donate that as well.  The work is done and the kitchen is stunning.  Gary humbly said that he believed in our cause and wanted to help.

Thanks to Gary’s Home Improvement, we can spend the original Kiwanis Club donation on other improvements including a new floor for the kitchen.

It is heartwarming to know that there are people out there who care about Racine’s kids.  Although I can’t thank each of our supporters individually here, there are many others who have us in their thoughts and generously donate to us during the holidays and throughout the year.

Thanks to all of you who help those less fortunate.

Pamala Handrow
Executive Director