Put a Roof over Blynn and Bob
Donation protected
The history:
As many of you know, but others may not, in 2009 Bob and I filed for bankruptcy. Over several years the cost of the failed fertility treatments, the rental vacancies, new roof and sewer line for the rental, and finally the substantial pay cut when my employer was bought out conspired to result in debt we were unable to even keep up with let alone pay off. Unfortunately by the time we surrendered and filed for bankruptcy I had a new job and our combined income put us in the bracket to make substantial payments to the bankruptcy trustee for five years. We were fortunate enough to sell the rental and keep our 90 year old house but the trustee payment, which was effectively a third mortgage, didn’t leave enough to perform necessary maintenance or repairs. We have made progress catching up since the bankruptcy was successfully discharged in 2014 by replacing the car, rebuilding the basement walls, fresh gravel on the driveway, and replacing half of the 2nd floor roof.
Preserve the haven
While we know our place is just an address it has become a haven not only for ourselves but for others as well. From our wedding when over 150 people came together to celebrate with us to this year’s annual holiday open house of only 50 it has been a common gathering place for friends from all locales and walks of life for over 20 years. It is a comfortable but still challenging place for Blynn to host the annual women’s weekend retreat in which she participates. We’ve been able to provide a living space for friends who needed a short term place during times of transition including a new friend moving from Wisconsin to determine if she and a longtime friend in Bloomington are indeed soul mates. For a time it even provided a necessary safe haven for a friend and her children separating from an abusive environment.
The goal is to get the house insurable:
In refinancing the mortgage a year ago the homeowners insurance decided the house and property are too dilapidated to insure. Through a special state program we were able to get one year of fire protection only for the mortgage at double the rate of regular homeowners insurance. We’ve taken out a loan to rebuild the front wall of the larger front porch, replace the sunroom roof, and rebuild the crumbling carport.
But we still need to replace the smaller front porch roof
repair the shed, paint the front fence, replace the backdoor window, and clean up downed trees, overgrown bushes and weeds just to get our place where we think it needs to be for insurance. Also, the new loan once again has us maxed out with monthly payments and unable to meet any additional expenses which might come up.
Remaining expenses:
A contractor friend is working with us to get the work done but we still owe him $2600 in labor for the carport as well as the full $2600 in labor for the front porch roof, we’ve already purchased the bulk of the materials. There are also at least $1000 of incidental expenses which include a new door for the shed, glass and caulking for the backdoor window and shed windows, and paint for the fence.
Thank you for anything you can do!
We aren’t setting up payment levels such as an organized fund raiser might because Bob and I appreciate anything someone is able to do, including passing the link on to others who might be interested in helping. One of our friends said it’s too bad we don’t know enough roofers and carpenters to have an old fashioned barn raising but I think we’ve actually found the modern version through this gofundme site.
As many of you know, but others may not, in 2009 Bob and I filed for bankruptcy. Over several years the cost of the failed fertility treatments, the rental vacancies, new roof and sewer line for the rental, and finally the substantial pay cut when my employer was bought out conspired to result in debt we were unable to even keep up with let alone pay off. Unfortunately by the time we surrendered and filed for bankruptcy I had a new job and our combined income put us in the bracket to make substantial payments to the bankruptcy trustee for five years. We were fortunate enough to sell the rental and keep our 90 year old house but the trustee payment, which was effectively a third mortgage, didn’t leave enough to perform necessary maintenance or repairs. We have made progress catching up since the bankruptcy was successfully discharged in 2014 by replacing the car, rebuilding the basement walls, fresh gravel on the driveway, and replacing half of the 2nd floor roof.
Preserve the haven
While we know our place is just an address it has become a haven not only for ourselves but for others as well. From our wedding when over 150 people came together to celebrate with us to this year’s annual holiday open house of only 50 it has been a common gathering place for friends from all locales and walks of life for over 20 years. It is a comfortable but still challenging place for Blynn to host the annual women’s weekend retreat in which she participates. We’ve been able to provide a living space for friends who needed a short term place during times of transition including a new friend moving from Wisconsin to determine if she and a longtime friend in Bloomington are indeed soul mates. For a time it even provided a necessary safe haven for a friend and her children separating from an abusive environment.
The goal is to get the house insurable:
In refinancing the mortgage a year ago the homeowners insurance decided the house and property are too dilapidated to insure. Through a special state program we were able to get one year of fire protection only for the mortgage at double the rate of regular homeowners insurance. We’ve taken out a loan to rebuild the front wall of the larger front porch, replace the sunroom roof, and rebuild the crumbling carport.
But we still need to replace the smaller front porch roof
repair the shed, paint the front fence, replace the backdoor window, and clean up downed trees, overgrown bushes and weeds just to get our place where we think it needs to be for insurance. Also, the new loan once again has us maxed out with monthly payments and unable to meet any additional expenses which might come up.
Remaining expenses:
A contractor friend is working with us to get the work done but we still owe him $2600 in labor for the carport as well as the full $2600 in labor for the front porch roof, we’ve already purchased the bulk of the materials. There are also at least $1000 of incidental expenses which include a new door for the shed, glass and caulking for the backdoor window and shed windows, and paint for the fence.
Thank you for anything you can do!
We aren’t setting up payment levels such as an organized fund raiser might because Bob and I appreciate anything someone is able to do, including passing the link on to others who might be interested in helping. One of our friends said it’s too bad we don’t know enough roofers and carpenters to have an old fashioned barn raising but I think we’ve actually found the modern version through this gofundme site.
Organizer
Blynn Morris
Organizer
Martinsville, IN