Tres Rios Habitat & Wells Fargo Partner to Rehabilitate Home

We are partnering with Wells Fargo to repair a families home that is quite literally falling apart.  

The homeowners, Mason and Cassie Walters, wrote:  “During the drought this summer we ended up getting a very large crack along with other smaller ones in the front yard. The crack is about 10-15 feet long and about 2-3 feet deep.  We are not sure if the crack had anything to do with the separation from the original house and the previous ad-on that was done around 1990, by Mason’s parents when they lived here.  This is currently our son’s room now and he has cracks in the walls and his window doesn’t close properly due to this side of the house sloping slightly.  Also, our den on the north side of the house is starting to separate from the house.  The front porch is separating from the house too.”

An inspection committee composed of Greg Anderson, the construction supervisor for our new houses, Michael Jackson, our Board President and knowledgeable construction volunteer, and Frank Hayes, a representative of the Selection Committee, followed up with an onsite inspection.  The group found that the addition was pulling away from the house about an inch, as was the front porch and two windows did not shut fully.  After going into the crawl space under the house, Greg Anderson concluded that the problem was the water coming off of the roof and soaking the ground around the house.  

To help this family, we are doing the following: 

1. On April 5th, a professional company installed guttering (see picture below of new gutters).  
2. In mid-May after the space around the house has dried, Wells Fargo employees have volunteered to help replace the two windows.  
3. The Wells Fargo volunteers also will paint the exterior of the house to keep water from penetrating the walls. 

This project is made possible because of funds donated by Wells Fargo's Lift the Block program.  We also want to thank Chick-fil-A (Farmington) for donating lunch for the volunteers.  Please stop by both these locations and tell them how much you appreciate their support of Tres Rios Habitat for Humanity. 

MEET THE FAMILY
Mason and Carrie are in their late 30s and have been married 18 years this July 4.  Mason is a strapping young man, tall and strong, and certainly looking like he doesn’t need the help of anyone in order to get along.  That would have been the case had he not had a seizure causing him to roll his truck in 2003 on his way to work.   The result has been life threatening seizures ever since.  Over the course of the last 15 years, Mason has had to be flown to Albuquerque for medical attention.  He has made two trips to the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix.  Mason was able to get on disability through Social Security, however, Cassie had to quit her job in order to be near to Mason in case he needed medical help.

Cassie has had her medical problems as well.  She was diagnosed with a degenerative back condition.  She had her first back surgery to remove a herniated disc and to insert some rods and screws to help relieve persistent pain she was having.  About six months later the screws gave way and she had to have a second back surgery that has offered stability and relief.

In the midst of their medical crises, Mason and Cassie have given birth to three children.  Two girls who are now 14 and 10 and a son who is 7. 

SUPPORT TRES RIOS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
If you would like to donate to Tres Rios Habitat, please mail checks to: PO Box 324, Farmington, NM 87499.  If you would like to volunteer, please email us at [email protected].  

To learn more about Tres Rios Habitat and what we are doing in San Juan County, please visit our website: https://www.tresrioshabitat.com. ​