Extreme Home Makeover: Showered with Generosity

Benicia Plumbing Helps Teen in Need on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"

Imagine being a 17-year-old girl with a life-threatening condition that makes it impossible to manage simple everyday tasks like taking a shower alone. That was the case with Jhyrve (pronounced Ger-Vay) Sears, who has a rare genetic condition called Krabbe Disease.

Now, thanks to community-minded Benicia Plumbing and ABC-TV's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," she has a special double-compartment, wheelchair-friendly shower which she can use without assistance - allowing her the freedom and privacy every young woman needs. "Jhyrve loves her new shower," said Karen Sears, Jhyrve's mother. "It really helps her get ready for the day. And, it's great for her to be able to increase her independence. I'm really thankful for the work Benicia Plumbing did. The whole house is absolutely gorgeous." Built from the ground up, the entire house was completed within a four-day span. "It was a hectic worksite," said William Cawley, CEO and founder of Benicia Plumbing. "About 20 of our craftsmen completed the plumbing for the entire house over that weekend. Plus, we were working alongside lots of other subcontractors. The original house had two bathrooms but the new version needed five, complete with first-class Kohler fixtures. Jhyrve now has a wheelchair-friendly shower with handrails, adjustable body sprays and a seat. She has complete control and can enter and use her shower with ease. Many of the faucets in the house are wheelchair accessible, too, with electronic sensors to turn them on and off."

Benicia Plumbing also helped with the plumbing and connections for the home's lower-level indoor therapeutic pool which helps Jhyrve's strength training. Equipped with a pump that creates a constant strong flow, Jhyrve now has the ability to strengthen her muscles by swimming in place against a current. The pool also features the convenience of a hydro-lift, which allows her to be raised and lowered into the water.

Benicia Plumbing was not alone in its efforts. As members of the Northern California Mechanical Contractors Association (NCMCA), they knew they would have plenty of industry support. According to Scott Strawbridge, executive vice president of NCMCA, "When Benicia Plumbing was chosen for the project we jumped at the chance to help fund their participation, along with United Association (UA) Locals 343, 342 and 159. Close to $80,000 in time, expertise and materials went into the plumbing for that project. MCA local affiliates and union locals nationwide have a history of helping those less fortunate in their communities, and we were proud to be a part of helping the Sears family."

Many of the skilled craftsmen who worked on the job were members of UA Local 159 in Martinez, Cal. Aram Hodess, business manager for Local 159, was glad to be able to assist someone in his own town. "Martinez is a great place," he said, "and it's always a good feeling to help a neighbor. Local 159's members are proud of all the work - and care - that went into building that home."

"We believe in giving back to the community," said Larry Blevins, business manager for Local 342, Concord, Cal., which also provided craftsmen for the Sears home. "One of my business agents once designed the plumbing for a home for battered women called Shepard's Gate. It was a 50-bed project with 50 bathrooms and our workers installed the plumbing free of charge. When people need help, we try to see what we can do."

A Real Challenge

"The house was a complete tear-down, located on a hillside at the end of a dead-end street," said Dave Sanson of DeNova Homes, general contractor for the project. "This home was a real challenge because of a very steep hill and a foundation that was 30 feet below the street. We obtained the use of a neighbor's backyard as a staging area where we could place a crane and a concrete pump to facilitate getting concrete, materials, tools and debris in and out of the site. The house took a grand total of four days and nine hours to do." The complete home construction project has an estimated value of $800,000.

"The key to success for this project," Mr. Sanson added, "was that the people were extremely organized and proficient, with enough manpower to pull it all together. I knew I could count on Benicia Plumbing to be an integral part of the team. I've worked with them exclusively for over 15 years because of the expertise of their union workforce. And, they are always willing to help the community."

Benicia Plumbing has also helped with numerous Habitat for Humanity houses. Benicia Plumbing's employees were eager to be a part of the Sears' house rebuilding - and ready and able to complete the job on time. "When a project has a deadline this narrow, there's no learning curve. You've got to hit the ground running," said Rod Cameron, business manager for Local 343, Vallejo, Cal. "Union training is pivotal in the success of a job with such short turn-around time. Together, the three locals involved with this project spend up to $4 million annually on training. We're very happy for the Sears family, and we enjoyed having an opportunity to showcase our work."

Other companies that contributed to the plumbing endeavors for the Sears home included General Plumbing Supply Co., Walnut Creek, Cal.; Slakey Bros., Fairfield, Cal.; R.V. Cloud Co., Campbell, Cal.; Rubenstein Supply Co., Oakland, Cal.; Aquapex by Wirsbo and Tact Pipe by Omegaflex. Established in 1975, Benicia Plumbing has plumbing and piping system expertise in residential, commercial and industrial projects.

For more information, call (707) 745-2930 or visit their website at www.beniciaplumbing.com.

Northern California Mechanical Contractors Association serves the unique
needs of its contractor members involved in heating, air conditioning, refrigeration, plumbing, piping, and mechanical service. They provide these members with high-quality educational materials and programs to help them attain the highest level of managerial and technical expertise. To find out more, visit their website at www.ncmca.net.