Dreaming of White’s Christmas

Volunteers add hope, room to veteran’s home

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photosby GARY SMITH La PlatahomeownerFrancis Jameson, left, talks withvolunteer Marty Lidh during the Charles County Christmas in April event held throughout the county Saturday. E-Mail This Article | Print This Story Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photos by GARY SMITH Tracey McGee, left, and Kevin Cruz of the Naval Explosive Ordinance Disposal Technology Division in Indian Head paint a fence in Michael White Sr.’s yard Click here to enlarge this photo Above, Earl McJett, left, Dee Stockman and Earl McJett Jr. work on a window screen replacement crew at Francis Jameson’s house on Kline Drive in La Plata during Saturday’s Charles County Christmas in April event. Right, Michael White Sr., retired U.S. Air Force master sergeant who suffers from, lymphoma and meyelodysplastic syndrome, a bone marrow stem cell disorder, takes a look at the progress of an addition to his Waldorf home. Click here to enlarge this photo Charles County Christmas in April volunteer Roger Spanella moves a piece of subfloor from Ida Goldring’s Bryantown home Saturday.

White’s house was one of 23 homes and nonprofit organizations that received facelifts through the efforts of more than 800 volunteers during the Charles County Christmas in April event Saturday, but the 45-year-old retired U.S. Air Force master sergeant was particularly grateful for all of the planning and work it took to give him a room in his house to retreat to when his medical condition becomes too hard to bear.

White served in the U.S. Army during Desert Storm and his work with heavy metals and chemicals during that tour of duty led to serious medical issues, including lymphoma and meyelodysplastic syndrome, a bone marrow stem cell disorder.

The condition makes it difficult for White to walk and go up and down the stairs in his home in the Cedarbook subdivision in Waldorf.

The addition to his home — a joint project of Christmas in April and the Heroes at Home program sponsored by Sears Holdings and Rebuilding Together (formerly the national Christmas in April organization) — will provide White with a bedroom and handicapped-accessible bathroom on the first floor of his house, said Tina Lohr, house captain for the project and president of S.D. Lohr Inc. in Waldorf.

‘‘Right now he lives in a recliner in the corner of his dining room,” said Lohr, a certified remodeler with the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. ‘‘He has no place to be alone with his pain.”

‘‘This is going to give me an unbelievable quality of life,” White said, wiping tears from his eyes. ‘‘This has been really miserable for us.”

White’s wife, Ann, daughters, Amanda and Kristen and son, Michael White Jr., who is being deployed to the Middle East in May, said they appreciated the extraordinary gift that the Christmas in April and Heroes at Home programs have given their husband and father.

‘‘I can’t thank them enough,” his son said. ‘‘They took time out of their schedule to do this for my dad.”

Military personnel stationed with the Naval Explosive Ordinance Disposal Technology Division in Indian Head turned up bright and early at White’s house to begin the project. The men said they were happy to help a fellow veteran who has given so much to his country.

‘‘This is probably the best thing that we could be doing with our Saturday,” said Lt. Thomas Bowen. ‘‘Everyone here appreciates his service to the country and the sacrifices his family has made, as well.”

‘‘We’re helping a disabled vet,” said Lt. Jeff Snyder. ‘‘It’s a very noteworthy project. I want to thank him for his service to our country. We take care of each other.”

A large number of Christmas in April volunteers also turned up at Francis Jameson’s house on Kline Drive in La Plata. Jameson, 78, had several jobs that needed to be done to his home, including the installation of a new roof and gutters and the replacement of window screens.

The volunteers, parishioners of the Vine Community Church in Waldorf, enthusiastically dug into their chores that were made easier because of the warm spring weather.

‘‘Sometimes, I almost feel guilty when I see people who are in need because of what I’ve been blessed with,” said the Rev. James Matchette, church pastor.

‘‘When I see a need and I’m able to respond to it, it makes me feel really good. This is a way to reach out and help someone else. That’s what community is all about.”

Volunteers Janet Davis and Patrice McJett, parishioners of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Clinton, also showed up to lend a hand in sprucing up Jameson’s house.

‘‘I just wanted to help,” Davis said. ‘‘It feels good to help people do something that they can’t possibly do themselves.”

‘‘I love it; it’s a great program for folks to come out of themselves and give to others,” McJett said.

Since 1973 when the Christmas in April program began in Midland, Texas, more than 2 million volunteers across the country have joined forces the last Saturday in April to rehabilitate 87,450 houses owned by disabled, low-income and elderly people, according to the nonprofit organization’s Web site.

Charles County Christmas in April, established in 1990, renovated 20 houses with the help of more than 800 volunteers last year.

White and Jameson said they were overwhelmed with the generosity of the community.

‘‘This is the first time in my life that I’ve gotten something for free,” Jameson said. ‘‘If I would hit the lottery I would send the money right on down to Christmas in April.”

‘‘I’ve cried all day; every time that I see someone swing a hammer I cry,” White said. ‘‘I don’t have enough words to say thank you.”