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House profit will go to Campus Life Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Painter Joe Russell caulks around the windows of a Griffith Oaks subdivision home in Central Point. Profits from the sale of the house, listed for $249,900, will help support Campus Life programs. Project in Central Point subdivision constructed with well-being of Rogue Valley teenagers in mind By GREG STILES Mail Tribune CENTRAL POINT - Put a contractor and someone who teaches others to build together on a board of directors, and chances are they'll wind up looking at the same page of blueprints. Medford contractor Jim Ronda and Crater High School building trades teacher Doug Gardner were pondering ways to raise money for Campus Life's ministry to several thousand Jackson County teenagers when they hit on the obvious - building and selling a house. Six months later, the $249,900 house at 652 Red Oak St. is nearing completion. Organizers hope it will net the organization $50,000 to $70,000. "Doug brought up the idea and we yakked about it and we decided to supervise it together," says Ronda. "He had his subcontractors and I had mine. We didn't call for volunteer help; we wanted everything to be quality professional work." Gardner has supervised the building of seven houses through his job at Crater High, but this endeavor was different. "When it comes to fund raising, I'm not much at begging for money, even for worthy causes," says Gardner, who figures people are more apt to dig in and partake when there's a project they consider worthwhile. "Frankly, when it comes to people in construction, their time is worth more than their money." When all is said and done, builders will have donated 500 hours in addition to discounted labor and materials. South Carolina-based architect Donald Gardner, no relation to Doug Gardner, provided plans at a reduced rate for the nearly 2,300-square-foot ranch-style house. W.L. Moore fronted the lumber and the property. Homes in the Griffith Oaks subdivision neighborhood on the northwest edge of town sell in the $225,000 to $275,000 range. Construction in the subdivision runs $110-115 per square foot. Views led Ronda and Gardner to make alterations. "We were standing at the top of the stairs when the roof was being framed and the sun was coming up over Roxy Ann," Ronda says. "We added a dormer and a little sitting room so you could see the view. It was just going to be attic space, so that was a nice touch." When it came to colors and decor, Ronda kept things fairly vanilla, bearing in mind that others ultimately will stamp their image on the interior. "My wife (Connie) and I came out with a color chart and did things pretty much white, with a blush," Ronda says. "On the outside, we looked around the neighborhood and the character of the neighborhood." They chose a grayish-white with bluish-gray trim. Local Youth for Christ executive director Brad Bills says the largest annual fund-raiser for Campus Life is a golf tournament that brings in about $30,000 of the group's $320,000 budget. "The house will enable us to get caught up on things," Bills says. "We're a little behind. We could put a little money away as a contingency fund and buy a couple things such as computers." Merchants and contractors contributing to the project included: Larry Coulter, Gene Covic, Hunt Plumbing, Familian, Allstate Roofing, Brian Moore, Elite Door & Cabinet, Dan Engledew, High Way Lumber, Bill Burfield, Medford Truss, Gale Insulation, Dave Latimer, Metal Masters, Lipperts Carpet, Doug Burchett, Doyle Hall, Hughes Bros., American Gutter and Joe Russell. Ron Galbreath of John L. Scott Real Estate is the listing agent. Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 776-4463 or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.