Hi everyone! My name is Steve Winden, and I’m raising money for a cause that means a lot to me.

There is a feel good story starting to happen here in Phoenix, Arizona.

I was asked by a director from the Laura Turner Homes to help them. After meeting Max McQueen on the porch of "The Lynwood house", he shared with me the story of how after Covid the churches in the area are closing and their donations have dwindled dramatically. Two organizations that use to donate $75,000 each have disappeared. Their need to maintain their homes hasn't disappeared. The Lura Turner Homes organization has three homes that are dedicated to the well being of adults with developmental disabilities and they need help!

Max has come to me on and off historically as I am a volunteer in an organization called the Phoenix Metro Civitan's, which is a group of the Civitan's International organization. They are a group associated with helping people developmental disabilities. Whenever he has a repair need that he can't get a contractor to perform, he calls me. I always say, “Yes.”

Replacing kitchen counters turns into replacing sinks, faucets and plumbing. Fixing stair treads turns into fixing doors, fixing a dilapidated fence gets another duty. They all get a "Yes" nod from me and always no charge.

Recently, Max came to the Civitan group with a rather large request. The Lynnwood House with its 30+ year old roof was leaking, beyond its life expectancy and needs to be replaced. Old ductwork holes fixed in the sub-roof, facia boards replaced, plywood underlayment replaced, shingles replaced, flat roof replaced. The house badly needs painted. A wheelchair ramp needs repaired, new handrails to be installed, the list goes on & on & on... Our local Civitan group has now aged where this type of activity is beyond mosts ability, so our labor force has also dwindled. We don’t have the funds need to cover this large of cost improvement.

I sell power equipment to the utilities in Arizona, I was presenting products to the local utility. While in conversation with the apprentice training program managers, they discovered I am a volunteer with Civitan's and that hit home to one supervisor that also has a special needs child. This group of apprentice line men have a piggy bank that gets filled with cash every time they do something wrong, where they might put themselves or others in danger. It costs them! The consequences are financial not someone's life or injury. It's a tool for improvement. At the end of the year, the linemen all have to decide how to spend the money. This year, they ALL decided that they wanted to donate to our local Civitan organization & Lura Turner Homes! The $523 was well received, $300 was dedicated to the Lynwood house roof project, the other $223.00 was used to purchase gifts for those less fortunate than us on a Xmas helping family's event.

Then the real BIG charitable thing happened! The supervisors asked if there was any project that we could use 30 guys help? Tears welled up in my eyes as I explained the request Max had presented to me few days earlier. Their response to the entire list was, "We'll do it all!" I still get choked up thinking about that response. They will provide the labor, we need to provide materials.

Well that generosity has begun to snowball. I have began soliciting others to help this noble cause, and every time I ask, I get a "Yes!

We can help by...."

A tool manufactured I rep donated hammers & knives for the lineman. Jason @ Madi Lineman Tools said "Yes!" They are located in South Carolina.

I designed, welded, built, installed a stainless steel handraill. It needed a cover made, due to our extreme heat. When attempting to buy an off the shelf product, Safety Grip confirmed they would build custom grip for us and provide no charge. William in North Carolina stepped up. Another business acquaintance heard about the project and sending $500.

We are hoping to perform project in late March, 2026.

We desperately need financial assistance to purchase the materials for this noble cause. Please help us provide Assitance in any way you can. Thank-you!