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Trades sprinkle, help refurbish this old house

Date Posted: June 5 2009

PONTIAC - A century-old house that will be a home to post-foster care kids is slowly being renovated, and when it's complete, it will have added fire protection and proper wiring, thanks in good part to union trades and their contractors.

Constructed about 1910, the three-story house has been gutted and is slowly being transformed into a home that will house young adults who have become too old for foster care.

"The house is primarily being renovated through the help of donated time and labor," said Kent Clark, pastor of the Grace Gospel Fellowship. He's also CEO of the Grace Centers of Hope, which owns and will operate the home. "It's beyond wonderful what people are doing for us, and we are most grateful for the donations of time and materials."

Pastor Clark said 20,000 young people in Michigan leave foster care every year at age 18 or so, most with nowhere to go. "In Oakland County, we give them a three-page brochure, and little else," he said. "The need out there is tremendous."

The house at 76 Fairgrove was abandoned when it was acquired by the Grace Centers of Hope a year ago. Clark said it would be the first house they have owned which will help post-foster care kids. He said the center has more than 20 other homes nearby which offer shelter to other people in need. The Grace Centers have their headquarters in an old post office building in Pontiac, and the group runs several thrift stores.

He said combined, their operations offered 55,000 nights of stay and 127,000 meals last year to the needy - and they still were forced to turn away 2,500 women and children because of lack of room.

Pastor Clark said the outside of the house on Fairgrove Street, "wasn't too bad - but the inside was a disaster." After it was gutted with the help of funds from Pepsi Cola, leaders at Sprinkler Fitters Local 704 took a look at it and together with their contractors, thought it would be a good teaching opportunity for apprentices - as well as a good community service project - to install a residential sprinkler system inside.

"I've been in contact with Pastor Clark, and they said they had a house and they could use some help," said Local 704 Business Manager Bob Rutan. "We talked it over and offered to install a fire protection system for them using our apprentices. We're always looking to increase our share of the residential market, and we thought this would be a good training exercise for our apprentices. Plus, it's for a very good cause."

The sprinkler fitter apprentices are installing a "Soffi-Steel" system in the house, which will hide any sprinkler pipes behind snap-together steel soffits that can't be hidden by drywall. The materials are being donated by Jack Grice of Grice Engineering.

Other firms donating to the project include Ace Fire Protection and Slifco Electric.

Local 704 Training Director Joe Duquet said there are 50 apprentices in the Local 704 program, and all are taking part in the design, measurement and installation of the fire protection system in the house. "I want them to learn to work together, to learn foreman skills, and to find ways to find answers to problems that come up," he said. "It's a fantastic experience the guys are getting here."

Pastor Clark said he hopes to have the project completed this summer.

THIS HOUSE in Pontiac is being turned into a home for young adults who can no longer be served by foster care. Currently gutted, the house is being transformed by donated labor and materials.