Santa Claus’ volunteers bring new life to homes for Christmas in April

Kris Hill

Monday, April 30, 2001 | 8:43 a.m.

A small, older home in Henderson began Saturday as it has begun every day over the past several years, with a leaky roof, a sagging back patio cover, a dingy white exterior, threadbare carpeting and a dysfunctional sprinkler system.

By Sunday, thanks to two dozen volunteers with the Christmas in April organization, the roof and patio cover had been fixed, new carpeting had been installed, the sprinkler system had been brought back to life and a new paint job had given the house a whole new look.

Stephanie Christian, 38, who lives in the house with her four children, one of whom is disabled and battling an illness, said the volunteers were the best thing that's happened to the house in the nine years she's lived there.

"It was literally falling apart around me," she said.

The volunteers at her house were among 3,000 who fanned out over the Las Vegas Valley over the weekend, tackling 37 projects for people in need.

Christian had applied for help with the local Christmas in April affiliate last year, but missed the deadline. This year she made it in time, and on Saturday volunteers from Nextel Partners showed up at 8 a.m.

A single-story, three bedroom home, its electrical system needed to be brought up to code, it needed new carpeting, new paint inside and out, a new heating and air conditioning system and other general repairs.

Volunteers like Bob Bernardo, whose wife, Lauri, is a manager of the teaching department at the communications company, began work on the project earlier in the week. He helped dig out the front yard so that a wheelchair ramp could be built and a sprinkler system could be installed.

Lauri Bernardo described her husband as the quiet type who enjoys helping people. During the past week he would go to work at 4 a.m. and stop by Christian's house on the way home from work.

"That's just the kind of guy he is," she said.

The Bernardos became involved in the project after Lauri attended an information meeting.

"It pulled at my heartstrings," she said.

Other Nextel volunteers brought their wives or teenage children because they wanted to help and because the project is a good way to build up employee morale and teamwork.

"It's just a team building thing. We thought it sounded fun and that it would be a good way to give back," Brian Spitler, a telecommunications manager said, while working to fix the sagging back patio cover.

Spitler said that the project also helped him realize how much he had after seeing what other families don't have.

Organizers of the event that is in its eighth year in Las Vegas say it has a positive impact on everyone involved.

"I call this a win-win-win situation," executive director Keith Lane said.