Vesta Churchill was the recipient of some heartwarming family love and old-fashioned Christian charity last week.
The 77-year-old Oxford Village resident’s Pleasant St. home received some much needed repairs and improvements courtesy of her family and Righteous Mission.
Righteous Mission is a unique summer camp comprised of high school age students who spend one week performing community service projects and “acts of kindness.” The program is conducted by Clarkston and Davisburg United Methodist churches.
Churchill’s six children, five of whom live out of state, recently returned to Oxford for a reunion and to fix up their mother’s home.
“They all came home to help mom,” said daughter Deborah Hebb, of Lapeer.
The out-of-state kids include Rhonda Cervanyk (Wyoming), Rebecca Churchill (Arkansas), Neil Churchill (Arkansas) and Larry and Danny Churchill (Florida).
Churchill, who’s lived at 22 Pleasant St. since April 1960, suffers from emphysema and has “spent a lot of time in the hospital lately,” Hebb said.
As a result of her age, poor health and modest financial means, Churchill’s home had fallen into a state of disrepair.
Hebb described her mother as a “very proud woman,” who doesn’t easily accept help from others.
Despite their mother’s pride, the family pitched in to help the woman who gave them life, a home and so much more.
Contributing money, labor and materials, Churchill’s family installed new front and back doors, custom built a shower that allows for easier access, put in new lighting and ceiling fans, added a closet, installed new carpeting and tile and made some needed structural repairs to the home.
“We’re just doing whatever we can,” Hebb said.
Aiding her kids in the project were Churchill’s eight grandchildren (Clint, Shanda and Kayla Cervanyk; Kristin and Brittney Hebb; and Christie, Sabrina and Katie Churchill), sister Martha Bierwirth, nieces Gloria Dunlap and Connie Haddrill, and sister-in-law Bev Brantley and her husband Bill.
Teen volunteers from Righteous Mission also helped out last week by painting the entire outside of the house, building a new wooden porch with railings and installing new gutters.
The volunteers who did the painting included Scott Cooley, Matt Chesley, Todd Merz, Anne Oltman, David Lawrence, Nikki Whiteford, Kim Vincent, Jenny Driscoll, Sarah Maesch, Tom Schmidt, Brett Kenerson, Lane Fortinberry and Kristen Graham.
Chruchill said her newly renovated residence “looks real good.”
“It’s beautiful,” she said as her eyes began to fill with tears.