Leslie Pugmire Hole/Spokesman staff
Dan Smith started his new house eight years ago, after spending years trying to remodel the northwest Redmond home where he and his wife Iris raised three children.
That house was more than 40 years old and poorly constructed to begin with, so eventually Smith decided to cut his losses and begin a new project, one he could finish as money and time allowed.
A man with a strong faith in God, Smith figured the new house would get finished when it was meant to.
“We’d pay all of our bills and at the end of month we’d pool what was left and see if there was enough for the next phase,” says Smith. “If there wasn’t enough for what we’d hope to work on, we’d pick something else to finish.”
Everything changed this winter when the 62-year-old Vietnam veteran was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Nearly simultaneously the Smiths’ daughter and son-in-law lost their home to foreclosure, forcing the young family of six to move in.
It was immediately clear that the modest home was too small for so many people, especially with the patriarch undergoing grueling medical treatment.
“God told me to ask for help and I did,” says 31-year-old Annette McAvan, Smith’s daughter. She went to the pastor of her church, Redmond Christian Church, and asked if there were any church members who might be able to help make the new house livable enough to make do during Smith’s treatment and recovery.
“I was thinking if they could just help finish off the plumbing and drywall we could live without flooring,” she says. “But we’ve been so blessed, they’re doing everything. It’s incredible.”
Appropriately, the Smith house started as an everyone-pitch-in project, with Annette and her siblings working weekends helping their parents with pretty much all the tasks after the foundation was poured.
Now as many as 40 volunteers have spent the last month laying tile, finishing drywall, painting and installing finish carpentry. Most are church members, but not all, and many have construction experience – but not all.
“I had a list of names and guys to call,” says Sean Bell, assistant youth pastor at the church. “I knew a handful of them had experience but I had no idea how many. It turned out we had a lot of contractors in our church; they’ve been working here nearly every day and taking me to school a bit.”
Bell, who describes himself as experienced in most home-building tasks but “not a professional,” has taken on the supervisory role in the home project, along with fellow pastor Greg Strubhar. Annette and her husband, Chad, work on the house on weekends. Weekdays Chad works out of the area and Annette takes care of her father and the children, while Iris Smith works full-time.
“Mom takes the night shift,” says Annette. “We’re all trying to help as much as possible.”
For volunteers like Dick Horner, the project was perfectly timed and an inspiration to see.
“I’m unemployed right now so this is perfect,” says Horner, who has never worked construction professionally but says he has enough experience from his own projects to get by.
“Whatever it takes to make it happen, make it happen – that’s how I was raised,” he says.
Church members have been donating funds for materials or soliciting them from friends and acquaintances. In just weeks, cabinetry and tile flooring has been installed, a rock fireplace begun and drywall and painting completed. A bit of siding work needs to be completed and an incomplete deck finished.
The volunteers have set a goal to be done with the house, which is nearly twice the size of the old house, by the end of February.
“This is all happening by the grace of God,” says Dan Smith. “It’s just amazing what these guys have done.”
You can help
Donations, volunteers, materials
Redmond Christian Church, 541-548-2974
Proceeds from ¼ or ½ sides of home-grown beef will also benefit the Smith house project. Call 541-280-5264 for information.
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