Greetings from Petaluma Sandalwood Estates

Christmas comes early for one resident of the Petaluma Sandalwood Estates

Betty Martinelli has been a homeowner at the Petaluma Sandalwood Estates for more than ten years.

For the past 36 years Betty has been affected with rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic inflammatory disease that affects many joints in the body. The long-term joint damage is seen in Betty's hands and without a doubt, has to be combined with severe pain.

But Betty is not one to complain about pain and not one to sit back and feel sorry for herself. She is a spirited woman, moving around her home in a wheel chair and working at her craft.

The past couple years Betty's home has been deteriorating and a probable cause might be too much ground shifting due to the park owners digging up large trees next to Betty's home, making room for a new and much larger home after they removed the old one.

Several complaints to the park owners were denied and in addition, the park owners began to send Betty notices threatening her with fines if she did not tidy up her yard. Betty was stressed to the limit.

This is when the miracle happened.

On Saturday November 19, 2005, a crew of about 20 people arrived at Betty's home and began moving her old deck and replaced it with a newer large deck where Betty will be able to come out and enjoy the outdoors from her beautiful new deck.

The non-profit organization responsible for this miracle is Rebuilding Together of Petaluma , with Carl Rebstock, Executive Director and Program Manager, Jo Ann Rinaldo. Please visit their web site and find out about the fine work these people are doing. Their work is possible thanks to the donations of a generous public.

At Betty's home, a crew from the United State Coast Guard Petaluma overseen by Chief Petty Officer Glenn Royes and the Petaluma Rotary Club with Jeff England, volunteered their time along with Building Together of Petaluma. All l this at no cost to Betty.

Click here to meet Betty and

some volunteers.

Here is what Rebuilding Together Petaluma Program Manager, Jo Ann had to say about the day at Petaluma Sandalwood Estates:

"When the listing agent of the property at the corner said we could have the deck but had to move it quickly, Carl Rebstock, the new Executive Director of Rebuilding Together of Petaluma responded "lets go for it"!

Jeff England (a member of the Rotary) was instrumental in making it happen so quickly and we couldn't have done it without the Coast Guard volunteers and the Rotary volunteers. I hope you'll mention Mr. & Mrs. Batts, (who live across the street from Betty) who were very generous in making sandwiches and putting out their sodas and chips for the volunteers. Betty's daughter and granddaughter made cookies (with a note attached of thanks) and fudge for the volunteers. Betty enjoyed visiting with volunteers and made sure they went home with a hand made craft or two. Moving the deck would not have been possible without the approval of Teresa Spataro, the listing agent on the property on the corner. Kathy Fiebiger, the park manager was helpful as well in letting us park our 2 folk lifts overnight and we got no hassle about our blocking the street for a little while. As neighbors drove or walked by, they seem delighted to see all that was happening. It was a very successful day. The plan is to come back again within the next week or two and level Betty's new deck, put up railings and finish some work in her garden."

Thank you, Rebuilding Together of Petaluma.

Thank you, to the U.S. Coast Guard Crew.
Thank you, to the Petaluma Rotary Club Crew.

This could not have happened to a more deserving person.

	Rebuilding Together Petaluma
	United States Coast Guard
	Petaluma Sunrise Rotary Club
	United State Coast Guard Petaluma

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