Kelowna News

Crystal and Bob Mandryk received an early Christmas present.

The Kelowna couple and their nine children walked into their new home Thursday morning just 14 weeks after a wrecking ball demolished their old home.

"They're heroes. It's far beyond a house, what they've done is change my kids lives," says Crystal Mandryk.

"They've changed how people give. My kids are already talking about how they can give back. The sense is we'll never be able to pay it back, but we'll try."

Paul Benson of Borebank Ventures took on the project after the Mandryk's approached him about doing an addition to the original home.

At the time, Benson says he saw an opportunity to do more, and approached a number of local trades, asking they provide materials and time to build a new home for the family at little or no cost.

Initially, about 45 suppliers and trades were involved, however, that number more than doubled by the time the home was complete.

"As people heard about it, we got more than several phone calls and requests to help out in some way or another. There were also some that I hadn't contacted at the beginning that I had hoped to call as we progressed," says Benson.

"I didn't have very many people say they didn't want to be involved."

Thursday afternoon, the Mandryk's met many of the trades and suppliers who made the project possible.

Earlier in the day, they got a chance to see the house for the first time.

"It was very emotional," says Benson. "I will say that there were some tears, there was some excitement. The kids were quiet at first and then warmed up to the idea of what was really transpiring and became very excited and very playful."

Crystal Mandryk says the whole experience, seeing the house for the first time, was very overwhelming.

"To have friends that would do this kind of thing and to see every little detail looked after. There were little rubber ducks for the babies upstairs and some over-the-top touches."

Christmas lights and a Christmas tree were included in the unveiling.

Mandryk says one of the biggest surprises was the fact that many furnishings and appliances had already been added.

"We had our own appliances and our own furniture and to see that people had donated those things, it is almost too much."

She says part of the giving back will include a needy home for their old furnishings.

"We just found this out, so we are trying to process where to donate some of our things. We've talked about Share and the Food Bank and places such as those."

The Mandryk's will officially move into the home Saturday.

Link: Link to Project Family Room website