October 25, 2007
Quitman - It's hard to call a place home when a blue tarp is your roof, plywood your floors and sheets for windows.
But that's exactly what Annette Stewart of Quitman has done for three years, since she spent her life savings to hire a contractor to renovate her home. "I just wanted a nice place so my mother and I can live and we'd be able to go in the kitchen, in a nice kitchen like everybody else," she says.
The contractor completely gutted the house, took her money, and left, leaving Annette with hardly a roof over her head.
So when it rains in Quitman, it pours in her house. "I emptied 32, 5 gallon buckets of water our of my house in one night."
Embarrassed by her situation, Annette kept her living conditions to herself. Her faith she says, getting her through. "Jesus carried his cross and this is my cross to carry. The trials and tribulation that I've had to go through, this is my cross. Nobody knows but me that I live in this house. They see but they don't know, no body knows," she cries.
But finally, her church did find out and wants to help Annette shoulder the burden and they are asking the community to help. "Whether its time, money, help, materials that you've got laying around your house where you've done a home project and its left over. Donate it!" exclaims Ernie Owens, owner of Owen's Propane.
"If we have enough and can get on a schedule then she will be able to beat the winter and get her house in order," adds Mary Folsom, a member of her church.
And bring Annette the one true gift she needs for the holidays. "All I want is to have my house fixed!"
The benefit to repair Annette's house will be held this Saturday at 6:00 PM at the Bethel AME church in Quitman. The church is located at 1203 South Court Street. For more information, call Owens Propane at 229-263-5004.
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