Pooled resources build dream home

The project, which draws support from dozens of contractors and suppliers, is being spearheaded by home builder John Marion of John Marion Construction. Dozens of contractors and suppliers are contributing to the home, located in Vintage Hills at 1476 Eastland Ave., and it will be raffled to raise money for the hospital once construction is complete in May.

Scott Kisling, president of the HBA’s Charitable Foundation, coordinated last year’s St. Jude Dream Home, laying the foundation for the HBA to continue coordinating the project annually.

“The St. Jude hospital will actually pay any of the hard costs we have like building permits or utilities … as long as it is not something (excessive) or extravagant,” Kisling said.

The 2008 dream home has five bedrooms, four baths, three living areas and a study. It also includes a media room and home theater.

Raffle tickets, which have not gone on sale yet for the 2008 dream home, go for $100 apiece. For last year’s dream home, which was built for less than $100,000 and had an appraised value of $370,000, 6,100 tickets were sold.

“Those are pretty good odds,” Marion said. “To spend $100 and have a chance to win a $400,000 house is a pretty good deal.”

Helping hands

Marion took the lead role in the 2008 dream home because he’s seen what St. Jude can do – a friend’s daughter was helped by the hospital.

Marion said he’s very pleased to see so much support for the dream home again this year.

“The economy as a whole is down across the country, and we’re seeing it here in Springfield,” Marion said. “There are contractors out of business and subcontractors aren’t seeing the work they were a year ago. For them to donate is remarkable, because the business isn’t there. That tells me a lot about the community and that they really care about this particular charity.”

Lee Beaman, owner of Beaman Electric, said he’s participating in the dream home project because he has a “soft spot” for children’s charities.

“I had two good kids who were healthy. My grandbabies are healthy,” he said. “I guess since I was so fortunate to have healthy ones, I have a soft spot for the ones who go through trouble.”

Donors contribute labor and materials to the house.

“My crews donate their time to install the material, and I have to give a big kudos to my guys for helping out,” Beaman sad. “Probably 12 out of 40 guys worked on the house last year.”

The challenge with the dream home project, according to Marion, is finding materials and services for little to no cost.

“The next builder, whoever he is next year, will have an easier time because of the connections we are building right now.”

The actual value of the 2008 home won’t be known until it’s appraised after completion, and HBA Operations Manager Charlyce Ruth said it’s also hard to peg costs at this point because not all project donations have been collected.

Ruth said tickets for the 2008 St. Jude Dream Home won’t go on sale until late March or early April because of stipulations in Missouri’s lottery laws, but she said visitors to the Feb. 1–3 Home Show will be able to get onto a waiting list if they’re interested in purchasing tickets when they become available.