Bridget Kebuar, Associate Editor 09.18.13
Tucker’s House, a nonprofit organization that raises money to retrofit and modify houses for the care and therapy of profoundly disabled children, held their big fundraiser August 16th in Mount Airt, NC. The Franklin, TN based organization auctioned off custom designed and built backyard playhouses to an array of buyers including Nicole Kidman, Toby Mac, Sheryl Crow and Mike Wolfe.
“These playhouses are mind-blowing,” said Darron Haralson of ISOM, LLC, the local Franklin company tapped to provide insulation for Wolfe’s playhouse. “This year there was a log cabin, a lake house, an old grocery store, and a schoolhouse. The playhouse Mike Wolfe bought—the one we were chosen to insulate—was this little amazing white country home by Tim Fritsch of Fritsch Design Build. It’s 10 ft. x 12 ft. with a sleeping loft, herringbone oak floors, and accordion doors, an oak swing, and InsulStar closed-cell SPF insulation.
“We were so moved by what Tucker’s House does we donated the spray foam insulation and our time and services to insulate this playhouse. Last year for the first charity auction we used NCFI’s open-cell spray foam, Sealite, on the “best of show” playhouse purchased by Sheryl Crow. This year we used NCFI’s higher density closed-cell foam InsulStar. We sprayed two inches on the roof deck, and 1.5 inches in the wall cavities. Just like a regular home. I guarantee you the kids will be warm in the winter and cool in the summer in that playhouse. We choose NCFI’s spray foam because it’s the best on the market and combines high R-value, with consistency of quality—it’s an air-barrier, water barrier, and adds to the comfort and health of the space.”
The inspiration for such an incredible organization is CEO Sunny Rosanbalm’s grandson, Tucker, who is disabled as a result of infantile spasms shortly after birth.
“My husband, Mike, is a builder and I’m a designer, and even we were daunted when Tucker was three-and-a-half and we started planning to redesign our home so we could help take care of him,” Rosanbalm said. “Wider doorways, ramps, changing flooring so wheelchairs and walkers can transition from room to room, wheelchair accessible shower, and so many other design features are needed. We learned so much from our own project, that when we finished we knew other families needed the kind of experience, skills, and financial resources we’d discovered, so we started Tucker’s House. Families with a special needs child spend so much on medical, therapy and equipment needs, special training, school, childcare etc., that often the last thing they have money for is home modification.”
She says the board of directors is thrilled at the response to the playhouse auction. “We’re blessed so many people—like Sheryl Crow who bought two—want these playhouses and want to help our mission. They really are wonderful and the builders who donate them are the best. We appreciate every dollar we get to help families directly and partner with other organizations like Habitat for Humanity.”
Rosanbalm says the need is prolific, and she is forced to turn away calls from as far as Washington State and Minnesota. “I wish we could help these families all across the country. I know, from experience, how much they need help. Making the house equipment-accessible and therapy-friendly helps not only the child, but also the entire family to overcome the isolation that comes with the exasperation of doing simple things like getting out to go shopping or taking the child to a park. The properly designed and modified home needs to provide that kind of comfort as the child grows into an adult.”
“These playhouses are mind-blowing,” said Darron Haralson of ISOM, LLC, the local Franklin company tapped to provide insulation for Wolfe’s playhouse. “This year there was a log cabin, a lake house, an old grocery store, and a schoolhouse. The playhouse Mike Wolfe bought—the one we were chosen to insulate—was this little amazing white country home by Tim Fritsch of Fritsch Design Build. It’s 10 ft. x 12 ft. with a sleeping loft, herringbone oak floors, and accordion doors, an oak swing, and InsulStar closed-cell SPF insulation.
“We were so moved by what Tucker’s House does we donated the spray foam insulation and our time and services to insulate this playhouse. Last year for the first charity auction we used NCFI’s open-cell spray foam, Sealite, on the “best of show” playhouse purchased by Sheryl Crow. This year we used NCFI’s higher density closed-cell foam InsulStar. We sprayed two inches on the roof deck, and 1.5 inches in the wall cavities. Just like a regular home. I guarantee you the kids will be warm in the winter and cool in the summer in that playhouse. We choose NCFI’s spray foam because it’s the best on the market and combines high R-value, with consistency of quality—it’s an air-barrier, water barrier, and adds to the comfort and health of the space.”
The inspiration for such an incredible organization is CEO Sunny Rosanbalm’s grandson, Tucker, who is disabled as a result of infantile spasms shortly after birth.
“My husband, Mike, is a builder and I’m a designer, and even we were daunted when Tucker was three-and-a-half and we started planning to redesign our home so we could help take care of him,” Rosanbalm said. “Wider doorways, ramps, changing flooring so wheelchairs and walkers can transition from room to room, wheelchair accessible shower, and so many other design features are needed. We learned so much from our own project, that when we finished we knew other families needed the kind of experience, skills, and financial resources we’d discovered, so we started Tucker’s House. Families with a special needs child spend so much on medical, therapy and equipment needs, special training, school, childcare etc., that often the last thing they have money for is home modification.”
She says the board of directors is thrilled at the response to the playhouse auction. “We’re blessed so many people—like Sheryl Crow who bought two—want these playhouses and want to help our mission. They really are wonderful and the builders who donate them are the best. We appreciate every dollar we get to help families directly and partner with other organizations like Habitat for Humanity.”
Rosanbalm says the need is prolific, and she is forced to turn away calls from as far as Washington State and Minnesota. “I wish we could help these families all across the country. I know, from experience, how much they need help. Making the house equipment-accessible and therapy-friendly helps not only the child, but also the entire family to overcome the isolation that comes with the exasperation of doing simple things like getting out to go shopping or taking the child to a park. The properly designed and modified home needs to provide that kind of comfort as the child grows into an adult.”
