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5 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, August 14, 2009 SUMMER Made In Canada SALE LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER IT'S OURS!: Logan and Lucas Craig celebrate after seeing their newly-renovated bedroom thanks to volunteers from the Oakville-based Wallls of Hope. Walls of Hope bring smiles to struggling Burlington family By Melanie Cummings SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Steven and Chris Collection Valerie Craig's home was invaded by masses of local tradespeople, fundraisers, designers and determined do-gooders last weekend. Wearing Walls of Hope T-shirts and brandishing power tools they wreaked havoc in almost every room of the single mom's home, taking down walls, ripping up flooring and pulling off cupboards. Their destructive ways filled a dumpster parked out front of the north Burlington home. In plain view of neighbours, cars and pickup trucks pulled in and out of the driveway endlessly delivering supplies, food and experts. The end result was more than a dream come true for Valerie and her identical twin boys Lucas and Logan who are both aged five. "This is a collective of people with really big hearts who believe that they can make a difference, and they do," said the founder of Walls of Hope, Sera Mansueto, of Oakville. The local charity managed a $50,000 renovation with a $7,000 budget thanks to donations from area businesses such as Turkstra Lumber, Stoneys Restaurant, Budget Environmental, Speers Paint, Four Corners Construction and Entire Imaging. Since its launch in 2005, the Oakville-based Walls of Hope has completed nine home makeovers for families in need, scheduling one in August and a second in December, in homes in Oakville, Mississauga and Burlington. ErinoakKids, a treatment centre for children with physical and developmental disabilities, submitted the Craigs' name to Walls of Hope. For more than three years the centre has helped Lucas, who has cerebral palsy, and his family, with practical support. He is currently learning how to manoeuvre a wheelchair, which is much like teaching a five year old to drive, said his mom, so that he can make his way around his senior kindergarten class in September at Clarksdale School. On the advice of the occupational therapists at ErinoakKids, Walls of Hope's Mansueto and Linda Montalbano moved See Fifty page 11 Carpet Cleaning Specialists Since 1952 TV CABINETS From $599 Spot! WALL TO WALL FURNITURE & UPHOLSTERY AREA RUGS PERSIAN & ORIENTAL Truck Mount In-Plant Service Water Damage Restoration RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL Drop-off Discount! 25% OCCASIONAL LAMPS BAR STOOLS Solid BIRCH Bedroom Suite $ Made In Canada 2898 Includes: Queen bed, 2 night tables + Dresser) FREE 250 ml SPOTTING BOTTLE www.onthespotcleaning.ca 1446 WALLACE RD., OAKVILLE, ON Bronte 1029 Speers Rd.,Oakville 905.842.3739 (showroom at Speers and 4th line) 905-825-4256 QEW W Speers Wallace Speers Rd. & 4th Line (Main Location) WWW.JOSHUACREEKFURNITURE.COM