WHAT: The Building Industry Charitable Foundation of the Building Industry Association of Greater Louisville in partnership with Kosair Charities and YouthBuild Louisville will present the dream playhouses built for three lucky Kosair Kids® during the “Revealing of the Playhouses” event on February 26, 2015 at the Home Garden & Remodeling Show.
The construction for the dream houses is beginning today and will continue until the day they are moved in to the show.
WHO: Playhouse Builders: Pat Durham, Pat Durham Builder and Billy Doelker, Key Homes Kosair Charities and YouthBuild Louisville.
WHY: The Playhouses are designed, built, and decorated especially for each recipient, and Interior Designer: Lisa Lynn Design Services, LLC
Sponsors: River City Bank, Building Industry Association of Greater Louisville, the children are involved in every step of the process. Registered Builders and Remodelers of the Building Industry Association of Greater Louisville (BIA) teamed up with local members to create a playhouse that will not only enhance the child’s life, but also serve as a therapy-aide for continued strength and improvement to their quality of life.
The playhouses are a perfect project for the Foundation because it allows members of the Building Industry Association of Greater Louisville to use their talents and expertise to not only build something special for a deserving child and family, but also share their skills with the students of YouthBuild Louisville by mentoring the young people involved in the trades program.
2015 Recipients are:
Noah & Gabriel Renner
Noah Renner’s adoption as an infant came with a set of special challenges for him and his mother,
Dawn. She was told that Noah would not be able to walk or talk, but now at age eight, diagnosed with cerebral palsy, global developmental delays, microcephaly and a myriad of other physical challenges, including severe sensory integration disorder, Noah is able to both walk and communicate.
Noah also knows exactly what he wants to be when he grows up. Such certainty might seem questionable for an eight-year-old, but Dawn isn’t surprised at her son’s conviction to be a priest. Dawn says that even as a baby, Noah was able to be still and calm in church, where in many other places he could not. He even reenacts Catholic mass before bedtime and recites prayers in Latin.
Two years after Noah’s adoption, Dawn was blessed with the adoption of her second son, Gabriel, who like his brother, also suffers from cerebral palsy and sensory integration disorder. Gabriel has also been diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome.
At four years old, Gabriel graduated from speech therapy, which Dawn attributes to early intervention and the help of attentive therapists. And despite his medical difficulties, Gabriel is able to run and play with his friends, enjoys being with Noah and their adopted sister, Angelina, and is fascinated with trains.
Dawn recognizes how fortunate she and her sons are to have Kosair Charities on their side. “We’ve got a top notch children’s hospital right here. Nearly every facility we’ve used for the kids’ care is funded in some way by Kosair Charities.”
Vance Lovett
Just three weeks after his arrival into the world, Vance Lovett was diagnosed with Norrie disease, a rare genetic disorder which caused him to be completely blind in both eyes. This disease also often includes hearing impairment, developmental delays, mental challenges and behavioral abnormalities.
As a career military family, parents to three other young children, and as then-newcomers to the Mt. Washington area, Emily and Brandon Lovett were used to dealing with change, but Vance’s disabilities presented a new challenge.
Kosair Charities contributions of resources and professionals have helped the Lovett’s care for their son, who is now four years old and attends a preschool that fosters his development. Sensory issues, communication and anxiety with new experiences are currently his biggest struggles, but Emily says that Vance has a wonderful sense of humor and loves to laugh and play with his brother and sisters.
The playhouse will be a resource for Vance’s therapy and an opportunity for Vance’s siblings to help him see it through their eyes. “Anytime we can get him playing and interacting with his environment, it’s a total win for us,” says Emily. Vance’s dad plans to retire from military in a few years, but wants to remain in their current home permanently because of the warm community and available services for Vance.
The playhouses will be on display at the Home Garden & Remodeling Show from February 26 – March 1, 2015.
This event sponsored in part by River City Bank, Building Industry Association of Greater Louisville, Kosair Charities and YouthBuild Louisville.
About the Building Industry Charitable Foundation:
The Building Industry Charitable Foundation was granted 501(c)3 status in 2009. It operates under the Executive Committee of the Building Industry Association of Greater Louisville with the mission to use the talents, resources, and abilities of members of the Building Industry Association of Greater Louisville to improve the quality of life of special needs children and adults in the community. The Building Industry Charitable Foundation developed the playhouse project as a way to showcase the talents of the Association’s Registered Builder and Registered Remodeler members while providing a meaningful experience to local children and young adults through its partnerships with Kosair Charities and YouthBuild Louisville. For more information, visit BICFLouisville.org.
About YouthBuild Louisville:
YouthBuild Louisville’s mission is to capitalize on the positive energy of young adults by helping them rebuild their communities and their own lives with a commitment to work, education, responsibility and family. YouthBuild aids unemployed and undereducated young people, ages 16-24, in building affordable housing for homeless and low-income families in their own communities. They split their time between the construction site and the classroom, where they earn their GED or high school diploma, learn to be community leaders and prepare for jobs or college. To learn more about YouthBuild Louisville, visit youthbuildlouisville.org.
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