A special project close to home

The Levin community has rallied around local mother Jackie Shaw, who recently discovered her two-year-old son has an unknown and potentially deadly brain tumour. The town’s PlaceMakers team was keen to do its bit, so while Jackie and her five children enjoyed a donated trip to Hawaii, the store took part in a secret renovation of her home.

Alicia August, a teacher at Levin’s Punahau Early Childhood Care Centre, was asked to collect the mail while the family were away but decided to do “a bit” more by inviting PlaceMakers Levin JV Adam Bignell and his team to help out with some home improvement.

“We wanted to get behind a worthwhile project this year and helping out Jackie, who is a very kind, hard-working woman, seemed like the right choice,” says Adam.

For Adam, who has two children of his own with special needs, the project hit close to home.

“I know how hard it is with both parents, let alone with one,” says Adam, who was born and raised in the Horowhenua town.

Before long, the interior of the house was repainted, new curtains were put up, light fixtures were replaced and the broken oven handle repaired – the home was transformed.

The biggest change, however, and the one most appreciated by Jackie, was getting her own room back. She had been sleeping in the lounge, so that her 14-year-old teenage son could have his own space.

PlaceMakers put up a wall to create a new bedroom for the teenager, complete with Hurricanes posters, a television and DVD player.

Jackie was awed by the generosity of her community and PlaceMakers.

“For the first time in my life I’m lost for words,” she says. “Thank you will never be enough.”