The first labour of love from Wagga’s most caring tradies is complete. And the result is both heartwarming and truly remarkable.
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Two months ago, Lisa Saffery and Sarah Williams hit rock bottom when, after years of battling with cancer and struggling to financially support their three young children, their Kooringal home was devastated by flooding.
There was no chance the couple could afford the thousands of dollars worth of damage – and that’s when they found themselves the first to benefit from the Wagga Community Blitz team.
Co-founded by local tradesman Dane Smith, the group of big-hearted handymen rushed to the rescue.
It took 11 tradesmen four days and 60 hours to complete, but Ms Saffery and Ms William’s home has not only been rid of the flood-damage, but also received a complete face lift.
After returning from a long weekend on the coast while the work was done, the cries of joy that escaped from the women’s mouths when they first set eyes on their new home was enough to know the hard work had been worth it.
"These guys really are the most giving and beautiful men and women,” Ms Saffery said, as she wiped tears of joy from her eyes.
“They just have the most kind souls and I really hope they prosper from this because they deserve to, because what they've done for us is out of this world."
Ms Williams, who was diagnosed with advanced cancer in 2014, said they had forged lifetime bonds with the tradesmen and felt they were like family.
“We're very grateful and very humbled that these people have come into our lives,” she said. “Even in our darkest times they've managed to shine a light through."
The house underwent a remarkable transformation from the flood-spoiled, waterlogged space it was to a home decked out with new carpet, freshly painted walls, a pool and outdoor play equipment, that anyone would be proud to call their own.
Mr Smith estimated the total cost of the renovations, including labour and supplies to be around 60 thousand dollars.
“We couldn’t have done any of this without the people who came on board and donated the supplies, as well as people who donated their time,” he said.
"Wagga is a small country town and a lot of people think it's a town full of crime, but there are a lot of good people here and this kind of project shows that giving side of our community."
Mr Smith said he was proud of what he and the other workers had achieved and was looking forward to spreading more goodwill with their next project, which he hopes to begin in August this year.
“When I saw the final result I had butterflies in my stomach, because it really does look so much better and we think we really kept the vibe of Lisa, Sarah and their family throughout the house,” he said.
“Now we're all excited about getting started on the next one."