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Early one Sunday morning, about 10 years ago, my Dad and I were riding our bikes in downtown Chattanooga. He wanted to show me where he used to deliver milk as a kid. His route had included the apartments on High St. As we rode, we passed an old Victorian house that had a big "For Sale" sign out front. Immediately I fell in love .The following day I called and asked to see it. Within a few weeks I was the proud owner of this beautiful home that needed more repairs than I could ever imagine. As I began remodeling, things just sort of snowballed and one problem lead to another. The windows were rotten and had to be replaced, a new roof was needed, wood rot was everywhere, and some of the flooring had to be replaced. Whenever possible I tried to keep to the original design. All of the beautiful woodwork you can see now had been painted WHITE! It was an extensive renovation. Finally, after 18 months of work, the entire house was completely renovated. I was so proud of it and loved living downtown. Most of my time is spent operating a cattle farm and I had looked forward to spending my winters at the house when things are typically much slower on the farm.

As for my decision to give the house away....Well, my parents had moved to the farm with me, and I had met this wonderful cowboy. A lot of changes were occurring and I decided to sell the house. It was not until after the house had been on the market for about a year that I started getting the idea to give it away. I had always wanted to honor my folks in some way, and was trying to think of a good way to do this. I spoke with several non-profits in the area; but they all wanted the value that the house would bring, and not the house itself. It was important to me that the house not be sold but used for a worthwhile purpose. One day a good friend of mine said there was a fundraiser for a project that he felt I might be interested in. As I sat there listening to the stories of the young women who had been helped through this organization, I felt that I really wanted to assist in some way. At the end of the session, this young lady mentioned that they were in need of additional office space. I knew immediately that I had found a purpose for the home on High St! I left a note for this young woman to call me sometime and that I might be able to help her. The rest is history. I have never regretted my decision one moment (even though I knew from the beginning it would be a 50/50 chance if they made it). What I didn't count on was Kelly's tenacity and her love for the Lord. I’ve never met anyone like her. With her determination (and a lot of hard work by many other wonderful people) Kelly has taken The Oak Project to heights I could only imagine. I am so proud to have honored my parents in this way, and am grateful that God brought Kelly into my life.

- Jeri Arledge

About The Oak Project

*AARON STRUMPEL

CORE VALUES

OUR HOUSE

( Expansion )

( Authenticity )

( Restoration )

( Family )

( HonoR )