The MARY BRYANT HOME FOR
THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED^[1] has
kicked off a three-year campaign to raise $250,000 for updates
at the home, 2960 Stanton St.

Among plans are to install a more energy-efficient heating and
cooling system. New library materials and dining room furniture
also are planned.

The fundraising campaign officially kicked off with an Elvis
Himselvis show sponsored by the home Jan. 7 at the Hoogland
Center for the Arts. The show raised about $7,000.

A total of $38,500 has been raised for the campaign so far,
through the show, a chili supper and a Christmas appeal.

The first of about three phases is under way to replace the
home’s pneumatically controlled heating and air conditioning
system with an electronic system.

The home’s current system is original to the building, which
was constructed in 1983.

“The boilers are 2 million BTU boilers that they’re telling us
are between 60 and 65 percent efficient. The new ones that
we’re looking at are 92 to 93 percent efficient,” said JERRY
CURRY, executive director. “The fuel savings alone there will
be cost-effective.”

With the pneumatic system, because each apartment at the home
has separate thermostats for heating and cooling, there is a
potential for mistakes to be made in climate adjustment. The
heating and cooling could battle each other.

“So, you have the air conditioner blowing air into their room
trying to cool it down to 65 at the same time you’ve got the
boiler trying to pump in 85-degree air to heat it up,” Curry
said.

New chairs and tables also are needed for the dining room, and
new library materials are needed.

“Some, not all, the Braille books that we have are 30- to
40-year-old Braille books, and the bumps are starting to
flatten out. We’ve been getting donations for new, large-print
books and Braille books,” Curry said.

The Mary Bryant Home has 38 residents. The home, which has a
yearly budget of about $1.1 million, receives funds from
residents’ rent payments and donations.

“We’ve operated 65 years without state or federal funding,”
Curry said.

Donations can be mailed to Mary Bryant Home, 2960 Stanton St.,
Springfield, IL 62703-4385 (make a note for the boiler fund or
capital campaign fund). Credit card donations may be made by
calling 529-1611.

The SPRINGFIELD LOW VISION AWARENESS DAY will be held from 9
a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2 at the home. Demonstration of
products will be available. It’s open to the public.

The home’s Low Vision Store is open to the public from 9 a.m.
to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. It offers items like
large-print calendars, talking watches, talking kitchen items
and canes.

Charity Honor Roll

FLIRTING FOR DISASTER, a benefit for the ILLINOIS CAPITAL
AREA CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS,^[2] will
be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, at Erin’s Pavilion
at Southwind Park, 4965 S. Second St.

The event will be a cocktail party atmosphere with
entertainment by the country band STILL
KICK’N^[3].

A raffle and silent auction will be held.

Tickets are $30 per person or $35 at the door. For tickets,
visit il-redcross.org or visit the chapter office at 1045 Outer
Park Drive.

Tamara Browning is a columnist and feature writer for The
State Journal-Register. She can be reached at 788-1534 or at
tamara.browning@sj-r.com.
 

References

1. ^{^} MARY BRYANT HOME FOR THE BLIND
   AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
   (www.marybryanthome.org)
2. ^{^} ILLINOIS CAPITAL AREA CHAPTER OF
   THE AMERICAN RED CROSS,
   (www.il-redcross.org)
3. ^{^} STILL KICK’N
   (www.stillkickn.com)

Amazon.com^[1] is
completing the last building in its 1.7-million-square-foot
headquarters complex.

Spear Street Capital of San Francisco recently broke ground on
a 130,000-square-foot office/retail building, and Seattle
developers Touchstone and Vulcan Real Estate are seeking
permits for office projects totaling another 1 million square
feet.

UW Medicine is expanding its South Lake Union research center,
and another 100,000-square-foot biotech building recently won
city approval.

Nearly 400 apartments are under construction in South Lake
Union, and another 1,300 are in the pipeline.

Eric Pryne: 206-464-2231 or epryne@seattletimes.com^[2]

References

1. ^{^} Amazon.com
   (amazon.com)
2. ^{^} epryne@seattletimes.com
   (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

NEW BEDFORD — Beautiful even in winter, the Home of the
Week must be a sight to behold in warmer weather. The arts and
crafts-style home has well-maintained gardens surrounding it.
In the spring and summer, perennials fill the yard with color,
complementing the shrubs and mature trees.

"This is really nice in the summertime," said Patti
Conway, the listing agent for the home with Anne Whiting Real
Estate. "The gardens are gorgeous."

The house has natural wood shingles and a new roof. In
addition to the lawn, there is outdoor space in the form of a
deck and two patios. The home is made all the more charming by
its proximity to Buttonwood Park, which can be seen from the
eastern side of the house and is only about 200 feet away. The
house is also close to several highways, including Routes 6,
140 and I-195. Past the yard, there is a detached oversized
one-car garage.

Inside, modern updates have been tastefully paired with
some of the home's older features, such as the exposed
whitewashed radiators and high baseboards. Add to this the
current owner's simple, elegant d?cor, and the home takes on
the cottage feel it exudes from the outside.

The front door opens into a small hardwood floor foyer
area, with stairs to the left and the rest of the home to the
right. An open living room and dining room area lets in plenty
of light with two sets of mullioned windows and a sunroom,
which is positioned off the living area. From the sunroom, you
can see the lilies that are out on the deck each spring, and
the pond at Buttonwood Park is visible.

Off of the dining area is the house's first bedroom. It
has hardwood floors as well as built-ins and a closet for
plenty of storage. A ceiling fan is another attractive feature.
At the back of the house is a den which could also count as a
bedroom, as it has a closet.

Currently, the closet has the doors removed and is acting
as an alcove for a television, which is another creative use
for the space.

Positioned next to the kitchen, this room could also be a
dining room.

A full bath with a corner cabinet and a window over the
tub is a charming and relaxing spot.

The kitchen has been updated to include some stainless
appliances, modern cherry cabinets and plenty of counter space.
It is large enough to be an eat-in kitchen if desired. A
microwave is built in, and the stove is electric. Off the
kitchen is a set of steps. Take a few steps down to access the
side door and the deck. After this landing, continue down the
stairs to the unfinished basement.

"You can live on one level," Conway said.

Two first-floor bedrooms will appeal to many potential
buyers, though the second floor master suite is a major draw as
well.

The stairs near the front door lead to a private second
floor master suite, which includes skylights and two closets,
one of which is a walk-in. Across from the walk-in closet,
there is an alcove that fits a sofa. The space measures about
19 feet by 18 feet. It also includes a private bath with a
walk-in shower, double sinks and a small octagonal window that
adds light and style to the room. The bathroom closet holds the
washer and dryer, although there are additional hookups in the
basement.

A winning location that is close to both peaceful
recreation and major highways is the icing on the cake for this
delightful home.

"It's a charming house," Conway said.

References

1. ^{^} Community Rules
   (www.southcoasttoday.com)
2. ^{^} Here's how
   (www.southcoasttoday.com)