Holiday tour of homes helps family remodel its own

  • By Kelley Mohr
  • November 18, 2011
  • 269
                        
Summary: Proceeds benefit the Collins family, a family with three terminally ill children, remodel a home in need of updating and repair. Story: Ready to experience the magic of Christmas? Get inspired with holiday design ideas on a tour of seven creatively decorated homes throughout the Berlin area when the Blessing Design Team presents the First Annual Tour of Holiday Homes on Dec. 9 from 5 to 9 p.m. Each home will feature Christmas decorations, snacks and gifts. Tickets are available at ‘Tis the Season, Homespun Treasures, Berlin Village Gift Barn, Millersburg Furniture and Rebecca’s Bistro with a suggested donation of $20. The tour provides festive fun while benefiting a good cause, explained Barb Chalmers, the interior designer who used her creative talents to form the Blessing Design Team, a local group committed to encouraging downtrodden women. “You can get a carload of girls and go and get a whole bunch of great Christmas ideas,” she said, adding that the tour would also be fun for families, friends, children and church groups. “And, you can really make a difference for a mom who has three terminally ill children.” The net profits from the Tour of Homes will benefit the Collins family, a family with five children, three of which, Elaysha, Jeremiah and Elizabeth, have a rare genetic disorder called Infantile Refsum’s Disease (IRD). According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes, IRD affects all major systems of the body and symptoms include visual and auditory impairment, growth disabilities and a weakened immune system. The $10,000 the team hopes to raise will go towards the Collins’ home improvement. The team will be the repairing a cracked foundation, installing wheelchair ramps and working for the remediation of mold, which is deadly due to compromised immune systems. The team will also be redecorating the children’s bedrooms. “We want to redo their bedrooms so they have a fun, happy place just for them,” said Chalmers, explaining that the team will redesign the room so that the children can enjoy it despite their impaired vision. “There are different things you can do so they can see certain things.” And while the team originated with the idea of only redecorating rooms, not remodeling entire houses, the team felt called to take on the challenge because of the family’s need. “With the tour, we’re hoping to raise a considerable amount of money so we can get the basement built up and fixed and get the mold mediated so it doesn’t affect them, so it doesn’t make them sicker than they already are,” said Chalmers. Such a large project requires the combined effort of many individuals, with help coming from the team, local merchants, community members and people signing up for the tour. “It was like every piece came together,” said Chalmers. “You hear so many sad stories that are beyond one person helping another person out. But when we come together and work together in situations like this, we can really be an encouragement to other people.” This is the effect the design team hopes to have, to go in for the day and by transforming a home, transform a life. With the Holiday Tour of Homes, individuals can use design ideas to transform their own homes, knowing that each ticket helps a family keep their children as long as possible. For more information, visit the Be A Blessing blog at http://www.blessingdesign.blogspot.com/.


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