CLEARLAKE — Good karma is seemingly being returned to a woman who recently opened her heart and home to a stranded dog in Clearlake. Kathleen Francis and Princess Abby continue to feel the warmth of community as their threat of displacement steadily fades.
Francis, 68, recently suffered loss at the hands of the licensed contractor she hired to build her dream home, which is located in the Clearlake Park area. The contractor did not finish the job and left Francis with an unlivable dwelling and an empty pocketbook. Seeing her plans for retirement vanishing, Francis was at a loss as to what to do.
Word of the woman”s plight traveled to the ears of Ben Finneston, who has served as the guardian angel of sorts to several nearly-displaced families in the area for the past few years. Finneston, who said his good deeds are guided by God, found it impossible to standby as Francis, and Abby, faced the threat of homelessness.
Determined to finish Francis” home for her, Finneston rounded up his troops and has gone to work. “There are a lot of bad and ugly and unjust things in this world that we can”t do anything about,” he said. “This time we can if we pull together as a community.”
While Finneston and his crew are providing labor free of charge, it”s the materials that he needs help with. “I have most everything handled but it would be nice to get a little help,” he said
Mike Hanson, of Mike”s Custom Cabinets has joined in the project as he has done with several of Finneston”s goodwill endeavors. Mendo Mill is contributing, too.
“Mendo Mill has been very supportive on this project,” Finneston said. “They”ve been there with us all the way.”
Francis said she is overwhelmed with gratitude having struggled through the past four years to see her home complete. “Everything is good now. I”ve been crying all morning; that”s how good it is,” she said. “This means more to me than I could ever say.”
Finneston said more help is needed. He estimates material costs of the project at approximately $3,000.
A raffle for a brand new Whirlpool washer and dryer is currently under way. Proceeds from the raffle will help fund the project. Tickets are priced at $1 apiece and are available at Enterprise Towing, Animal Hospital of Lake County, Four Corners Builders Supply and Mike”s Custom Cabinets. Tickets are also available at Mendo Mill in Clearlake where the appliance set will be on display within the next week.
Finneston said what he really needs is someone with experience hanging sheetrock in an A-frame house.
Anyone interested in contributing to the goodwill project is encouraged to contact Ben Finneston at 478-6189. Any labor, monetary and/or material donations would be appreciated.
Contact South County reporter Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com or call her directly at 994-6444, ext. 11.
