Nonprofit renovates Oakwood veteran's home into a home for veterans in need

A non-profit is bringing new life to the former home of an Army veteran, with the intent to make it a new home for veterans in need.

 

The estate of Frank Turk donated the Turk home to Bridging the Gap of Georgia. Turk was a veteran of the Korean Conflict and was heavily involved in the Oakwood community when he returned home.

 

"He believed in the Gainesville-Oakwood area very much so," said Spencer Marshall with BTG. "That we're able to receive this property on behalf of the Turk estate and put it to use welcoming back veterans from this area who served this nation is a very special project."

 

Marshall said at the end of the project, they wanted to be able to host up to six veterans, though don't anticipate six continuously , in the home.

 

"We're gonna be upgrading the wiring, putting a roof on the place, there's a lot of work. There's a mold issue, we're gonna be removing the interior walls and the ceiling and we're looking at the floor plan," Marshall said. A sunroom addition and unfinished basement in the home is also under consideration for office space or a computer lab.

 

Most recently, the Oakwood City Council waived permitting and builder's inspection fees for the non-profit's project, and Hall County waived the dumping fee.

 

Marshall said those interested in helping with the project can donate directly online through PayPal or contact them through their website. Right now, Marshall said they have about $2,500 of $8,400 needed for a dump trailer for debris removal.

 

"Most of our donations are in kind donations," Marshall said. "We're going to be looking for plants to line the walkways with, we're going to be looking for a lot of things. People and organizations don't really know what they have to offer sometimes, and they do have a lot to offer and it doesn't have to be huge amounts of cash."

 

And, Marshall said they don't take federal funding.

 

"We've been doing things in the area for a while now actually, but we've pretty much flown under the radar. With the attention that was brought to this specific property though, we kind of popped up on the screen," said Marshall. "We don't take any government funds at all, because we don't want to be on the political ends of things."