Enjoy your new home, John Boy!
Verne Blalack (left) and Rick Gilbert (right) present the keys of the newly remodeled home to John “Boy” Delaney. Photo by JUDY BLALACK
OSBURN — After three years and countless hours of work spent renovating an Osburn house that has been vacant for 10 years, the Silver Valley Fuller Center for Housing was able to hold a dedication ceremony for their 20th completed home with new owner, John Delaney.
John’s sponsor, Colleen Rosson, served as master of ceremonies and had erected awnings in the yard in case it rained. Thankfully the rain held off and John was surrounded by family and friends outside before seeing his “50s & 60s” interior design.
John’s pastor, Cory Berti of the Silver Valley Worship Center, blessed the home and presented John with a Bible. Then Verne Blalack and Rick Gilbert presented keys while Linda Miller honored the occasion with the song “The House that Built Me.”
Other presentations included a basket of household staples and a broom presented by Pauline Norris, Lois Dahlberg, and Jill Jackson of the Cornerstone Church; and a cross stitch sampler of a home presented by Shirley McClain and Marta Arthurs, members of Silver Valley Stitchers.
Colleen recognized the efforts of Clint Kunze and the Idaho Servant Adventures, Jeff Crawford & Sons of Systems Design, Gordon Milholland of GM Electric, Trisha Waldo, Kathy McPeak, Benjamin Allen and Silver Valley Law, and Jeff Waechter of Panhandle Linen who donated the use of carpet runners to protect the floors.
She also mentioned “the wonderful ladies at Shoshone County, who made sure his deed was recorded correctly and timely.”
On top of dedicating the completion of the home, Ellie Arguimbau presented John a certificate from the Fuller Center, Greater Silver Valley Chamber of Commerce, and the Trail of The Coeur d’Alenes to cover the cost of replacing the motor on the bike he uses to officially patrol the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes to help cyclists and keep the trail clean.
The Fuller Center is accepting applications for low-income new homeowners and for their Greater Blessings program that works with homeowners who cannot afford, or are incapable of doing, their own repairs. They are looking for donations of a home, or to purchase an inexpensive home, that they could renovate in flat areas for a woman who has been approved as a homeowner — but cannot navigate a hillside or many stairs.
The Fuller Center truly appreciates how much of the Silver Valley supports the housing ministry.