Generous rebuild
Fire victim getting new home thanks to local contractors
With the help of the Yuma Southwest Contractors Association (YSWCA), board member Yira Hoffmann is working to get a house built for Dee Fugate, a longtime Foothills resident whose home burned down nearly two years ago.
“I’m hopeful (and) I think we can get it done by Christmas,” Hoffmann said. “I just take it one day at a time.”
She and Fugate are relying on local contractors — nearly all of them YSWCA members — to donate their time and resources to get the house built.
Last week, the roof went on the 700 square-foot house just northwest of Foothills Boulevard and County 12th Street.
There’s been plumbing and electrical work completed by the local contractors. Lumber and windows were provided, and an air conditioning unit has been donated.
Hoffmann said they are still in need of Sheetrock, chicken wire and blue foam.
While materials and labor have been entirely donation-based, people are also welcome to give money that hopefully won’t have to be used on the completion of the house itself, Hoffmann said. She’s hoping to save that money for appliances, light fixtures, furniture and household items.
When Fugate approached the YSWCA early this year, they were unable to help.
“I took it upon myself to do it on my own,” said Hoffmann about her coordination of the project. YSWCA later became involved as many of its members began to assist Hoffmann get Fugate’s home built.
“I’m really impressed, but not particularly surprised at just the extreme and quick generosity of our members,” said Courtney Cutler, YSWCA’s plan room manager.
Cutler said after Hoffmann took up the project independently, YSWCA decided to become more involved.
“We have donated monetarily and we helped facilitate our members contributing their time and labor and different services to help with this project,” she said.
“Most of it is just getting people on board to donate their labor and their supplies,” Cutler added. “Finance is
the biggest consideration when you start to deal with all of this.”
She also noted a recently-completed project that began earlier this year — when the association facilitated the build of an accessible restroom and shower for longtime Yuma contractor Frank Bustamante, who has limited mobility.
While YSWCA has no specific service projects program, Cutler said they help when they are able to.
Fugate, 65, calls Hoffmann her angel.
“She’s been a true blessing,” said Fugate, a Yuma area resident of 45 years.
The double-wide trailer she lived in for about 14 years burned down in November 2014, killing her dog and putting her in the hospital. The adjacent structure she had been renting out was also badly damaged.
Fugate said after she was released from the hospital, she lived in her car on and off for about six months before moving into the small shed on the property that wasn’t damaged by the fire.
She said she can’t work due to her health issues, and her friend Stacie Whiteman has been staying with her due to Fugate’s mobility issues.
Two wheelchairs she had were lost in the fire, she said, noting that she’s had a couple of recent falls and is hoping to get an electric wheelchair once her new house it built.
“She’s a trouper,” Whiteman said. “She’s just given so many people strength (and) has prevailed through the roughest times.”
Fugate said she gets excited every time Hoffmann comes to check on her and tells her the continued good news of more contractors becoming involved with the project.
A donation account — “Dolores Fugate Home” — was opened at Foothills Bank, where anyone can assist Dee. The account number is 1001003316. Hoffmann can be reached directly at (928) 210-6145.