State-Journal.com - Volunteer electrician puts family's burnt home back together again

Photo By State Journal/Hilly SchifferAda Lund stands with her daughter, Gabrielle, 10, in front of the remains of their home at 102 Redwood Drive. The Lunds, including Ada’s husband, Tom, were visiting family in Alabama when they received a call saying their home had caught fire on Thanksgiving Day. Now, Jerry Seyberth, an electrician at Art’s Electric, is rounding up a crew to help put the pieces of their home back together.

Photo By State Journal/Hilly SchifferPiles of wood and an outdoor patio sit in the back yard of the Lunds' home.

Move over Ty Pennington. A local electrician is at the helm of a Frankfort project reminiscent of the Good Samaritan construction jobs popular on TLC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."

When Jerry Seyberth, an electrician at Art's Electric, heard about the fire that gutted the Redwood Drive home of Tom and Ada Lund, he knew he had to do something.

The Lunds got a phone call Thanksgiving Day telling them their house had burned as they visited relatives in Alabama. Luckily their dog and cats were in tow.

The fire, which started in a bathroom, was likely caused by electrical problems, Ada Lund said.
They returned home to find it gutted - their family photos and everything they owned became rubble in the basement when the flooring collapsed.

As if the burning of their home and loss of everything wasn't enough, the Lunds had more trouble coming.

They bought the home at 102 Redwood Drive two and a half years ago and were told by their mortgage company that it would insure the property.

"That was a mistake," Ada Lund told The State Journal Tuesday.

Lund said she and her husband didn't think anything about the possibility of disaster. The coverage was inadequate, she said.

"I'll never take it for granted anymore," Lund said.

The policy paid off the remainder of their debt on the house, offered them $11,000 for their possessions inside and set them up through May in a rental house three doors down.

But the Lunds were left with a burned out shell and didn't know what to do.

To make matters worse, they found out the furniture rented for their temporary residence by the insurance policy would be deducted from the $11,000.

Tom Lund, who works second-shift as an electrician, began working on the house in his spare time, replacing a floor joist or a wall stud one piece at a time.

Seyberth heard about the situation from his children, who play with the Lund's daughter, Gabrielle, 10.

He estimates the complete reconstruction and finishing of the house would cost nearly $160,000, though it had been appraised at about $115,000 before the fire.

Seyberth convinced some of his electrician friends to donate their time to the project.

"When (Seyberth) came to my door, a load had been lifted," Ada Lund said." We didn't know what we were going to do. I couldn't sleep, my husband couldn't sleep."

"It weighed on my heart," Seyberth told The State Journal Tuesday. "The Lord led me out here."

And Seyberth has led others to the project.

Volunteers have started working on weekends at the home, now shrouded in green tarp with most of the Lunds' charred possessions cleared from the basement.

Local businesses have donated some materials, some tradesmen have volunteered their services and a builder laid out the home's floor plans.

And though support has grown steadily ever since, Seyberth put the word out, he needs more help, he says.

"We need masons," Seyberth said, and "anybody that can lay block, and heating and ventilation guys."

This weekend Seyberth hopes to rebuild the caved-in front wall of the home and said volunteers can work on the project any weekend.

"Everybody's good at something. I can't do drywall or lay carpet, nor would I ever try," Seyberth said. "But somebody out there does."

While some materials have been provided, they don't have all of the building supplies needed.

In the meantime, volunteers are keeping the project moving.

"Anyone can come out Saturdays and no matter the weather, we'll be here," Seyberth said.

The Lunds and Seyberth furnish coffee and propane heaters in the house for helpful folks who happen by.

Seyberth is optimistic about moving the Lunds back into the home soon, but won't hang up his hat until the project is done.

He'll be at it "every weekend until they move in," he says.

"We can come together as a community and put this family back in their house," Seyberth said.

Those interested in volunteering can reach Jerry Seyberth at (502) 352-1748.

30.	Posted by jerry seyberth January 17, 2009
	Hi everybody, my name is jerry seyberth. First I would like to apoligize for my spelling and my none computor skils. My son is helping me wright this.First I would like to thank recon marine for his service to our country.When this comment thing was shown to me ,I had to say somthing ,recone marine I would like to say thank you for fighting for my right to do what I am doing.The worst thing that could happen to my little project is not finishing on time.But you sir could die.I say this as your fellow veteran.you take care of it over there ,igot your back over here,come home safe dude.we are fighting for the same thing brother.call me 352-1748 i will wright you about anything you need.now to answer everybody that has wrote on this comment thing .thank you for taking time to adress this issue.i am trying my best to put this family back in there home ,i am not a powerful person nor am i wealthy man.but i do have faith.and to be truthful thats about all i need.alot of things dount make sence to me like hate,stress,anger,dought,hopelesnes,judgement.but i deal with this inside myself every day of my life.at some point i have to make a decision ,to make a change that will get rid of alot of these . my choice is to put somone in front of my selfish demands.and by doing so i have never felt so free .come out to the jobsite at 102 redwood dr on saturday or sunday no matter the weather i will be there from 9:00 on until this family gets there house back.i would also like to add we have had very little support from frankfort buisness,no support from frankfort officials or any any leaders of the community .ARTS ELECTRIC has been very supportave.this story has been on chanell 36 news ,from the begining . they are out there alot .please help me in getting support from frankfort buisness,churches and residents.thank you