REALTORS HELP FAMILY PAINT, FIX UP, CLEAN 26-ROOM HOUSE

Mark Hutchcraft is looking to a brighter future.

Hutchcraft has spent the past five years "fixing up" the 26-room house that he and his wife, Donna, purchased in 1992 at 817 Illinois Ave. in Cape Girardeau.

But when he was injured more than a year ago, he had to put everything on hold.

That's when the Cape Girardeau County Board of Realtors stepped in with its Random Acts of Kindness project, helping out on utility bills.

"We got to know the Hutchcrafts," said James Cox, a Realtor with Century 21 Dutch Realty.

Hutchcraft, a construction worker, was injured and has been out of work since May 1966.

"Things have been pretty tough," said Hutchcraft.

Hutchcraft recently obtained a job at Dana Corporation.

"Things are looking up again," he said.

Donna Hutchcraft has a part-time job.

Included in Hutchcraft's plans for the house was renovation of a seven-room apartment. The rent from the apartment would help on the house payments.

At 8 a.m. Tuesday, a number of Realtors from Cape Girardeau and Jackson arrived at the Hutchcraft home with paint, paint brushes, rollers, small ladders and cleaning supplies.

Hutchcraft's house had been selected by the Community Services Committee of the Cape Girardeau County Board of Realtors for that group's "Help A Neighbor" clean-up, fix-up and paint-up project.

Volunteers worked in shifts throughout the day, repairing and painting walls, ripping out old carpeting, and other interior improvements inside the house.

The annual "Help a Neighbor" project was initiated by the Board of Realtors to "sponsor a community spirit project to help someone who was disabled," said Cox, chairman of the Community Services Committee.

"We've had great cooperation on this project," added David Donley, president of the Cape Girardeau County Board. "People were here all day, working in shifts on the clean-up, fix-up and paint-up project."

Lowes Home Center provided the paint for the project, and members of the Board of Realtors provided brushes, other paint supplies and labor.

"We're hoping someone will come up with some carpeting," said Cox.

The project is remodeling of the seven-room apartment, which will be available for rent to help the Hutchcrafts with their house payment.

The project to ready the apartment for rent emerged from a "Random Act of Kindness" project. "As part of the Random Acts of Kindness, we helped some people with utility bills," said Donley.

One of those people were the Hutchcrafts.

"When we learned of their need for remodeling of the apartment, we selected it as our annual `Help a Neighbor" project," said Cox.

"We may have to go two days or more on this project," said Cox.

"This is great," said Hutchcraft. "This is greatly appreciated. I'll remember it, and I'll be around to help with the their next project."

Hutchcraft and his wife are parents of three children: Kassie, 9, Robbie, 4, and Cody, 3 months.

The Hutchcrafts moved to the Cape Girardeau area about six years ago.

"When we purchased the house here, it was a challenge," he said. "There had been some fire damage upstairs and the place needed cleaning throughout."

The Hutchcrafts concentrated on the first half of the first floor, preparing it to live in.

"I didn't know what I was going to do when I became injured," said Hutchcraft. "We needed the apartment for extra money."

The following Realtors participated in the "Help Your Neighbor" project at 817 Illinois Ave. Tuesday:

Janet Hill Barnhart, Hill Realty.

Scott McClanahan, Hill Realty.

Larry Underwood, ERA Cape Realty.

Howard Alexander, Century 21 Ashland Realty.

Cheryl Huffman, Century 21 Ashland Realty.

Chuck Leming, Century 21 Ashland Realty.

David Donley, Commercial Real Estate.

Barbara Leming, Century 21 Ashland Realty.

Bud Leming, Century 21 Ashland Realty.

Suzy Glasscock, Mercantile Bank.

Carol Crawford, Mercantile Bank.

James Cox, Century 21 Dutch Realty.