Birds construct nests, foxes dig burrows, and Coleen and Tim are getting ready to take flight and build their own nest.
Tim and Coleen Buitendyk, siblings, have lived with their parents for over 30 years. They aimed to have their own house where they could receive the help they required and become more self-sufficient. As Coleen and Tim prepare to move into their new home, the Buitendyk Den, we extend an invitation to you to support them in achieving their goals and becoming independent. We are thrilled about this exceptional opportunity—The Buitendyk Den, a house in Northwestern Alberta's Peace River Region.
The Buitendyk Den is in a small town and requires improvements to make it completely accessible by Alberta's basic safety requirements. Renovating Coleen's bathroom and bedroom, including installing a track and an accessible bathtub/shower stall, installing new exterior windows and improved insulation, replacing the wheelchair lift or constructing a ramp at the main entrance, adding another exterior ramp for an emergency exit, making improvements to the kitchen, and widening several doorways to standard width for wheelchair accessibility are some of the specific aspects that need to be taken care of. We should replace the furnace and water heater to make “The Den” more green.
Let's meet Tim Buitendyk and Coleen. Coleen uses a power wheelchair and other accessible equipment since she has spastic cerebral palsy. By thinking creatively, Coleen can express her creativity via cooking, YouTube videos, and various crafts. Coleen also likes going to church, both online and in person, going downtown for shopping, and hanging out with friends. Tim, who has Down syndrome, enjoys playing the piano, singing praise and worship songs, working at a grocery store, hanging out with friends, meeting new people, and watching movies. Tim and Coleen are thrilled when they start living here together in the Buitendyk Den while creating new memories.
The financial reality: Tim and Coleen own their home and faithfully pay off the mortgage. They paid for the ramp from their monthly financial support savings. As their income is small, this is a slow process. That is where GoFundMe comes in.
The requested amount is larger than some of the other similar requests, as you shall see. Making the house suitable for Coleen's power wheelchair is the top concern. We replaced the current lift with a ramp at the moment, as the lift isn't sturdy enough to raise a power wheelchair. Tim and Coleen were able to move in as a result, and we will keep working through the different accessibility goals in order of importance until the house is finished and completely functional!
Of course, we also accept gifts of time, labour, or building materials in addition to cash because any assistance with painting, construction, etc., will help to reduce overall costs and expedite the building process. Additionally, please let us know if you have any supplies that would be useful (additional wood, flooring, tiles, etc.) so we can connect you with the contractor. In addition to this GoFundMe, we are also looking at applying for government grants to help with the refurbishment costs. Thank you for joining Tim and Coleen as they embark on this new journey. We will keep you informed as soon as the money is received and the renovations continue! Updates will be posted on Coleen's YouTube channel, Inside My Mind, under the title The Buitendyk's Den, on the GoFundMe page, and on Facebook and Instagram. Links will follow.
Below, you will find the link to the video Coleen made with her staff member 2 years ago.
Organizer
