At Home Living: A Dream room for Jesse

To fulfill a dream often takes the help of many people. For 11 year-old Jesse Stolle, the dream of a room made just for his special needs became a reality through the work of Dream Factory of Greater Kansas City and the Topeka Professional Remodelers Council of the Topeka Home Builders Association (THBA). It took the efforts of many people, who started as strangers but grew into friends, to make this dream room real.

On a recent afternoon, Jesse enjoyed playing with his trains in the beautiful basement room built just for him. He chattered away as he moved the small engines and box cars around the track on a table full of trains. His mom, Kim Stolle, said, His trains were in the basement before the remodel, but he would never come down here, probably because it was too dark and ugly. Now he comes down every day.

This dream began with Kim, who wanted a room in her home that fit Jesses special needs and allowed the family to spend time together. When Jesse was born, he weighed less than two pounds and only had a 40-percent chance of survival. Now he has autism, as well a limited vision and hearing. Plus, the ventilator that kept him alive in those first days of life damaged his lungs.

A year ago, Kim passed her dream for Jesse on to the Dream Factory of Greater Kansas City. The organization fulfills 60 to 90 dreams each year for critically or chronically ill kids. The group is managed completely by volunteers, and Jesses room wish was given to dream manager Dick Smith to make come true.

In the beginning when I accepted this dream, I didnt know how to get started since I wasnt familiar with Topeka, Smith remembered. He went for assistance to Doug Kinsinger, president of the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce. It was Kinsinger who suggested he contact the THBA. If it hadnt been for Doug, I might still be pounding the pavement in Topeka looking for help.

Rick Hudkins, vice president of PDQ Construction, was the projects manager for the Remodelers Council. He said. Im the chairman for the council, and whoever is chairman gets to pick a project for the council to consider. The Topeka Home Builders Association is a part of the community, so we like to give back when we can.

Working as the general contractor, Hudkins passed a list of the jobs that needed to be done around at a council meeting. When he got the list back, Plumbing by Carlson signed up even though there was no plumbing work to be done. Instead they signed up to do painting chores, saying, Plumbers can paint, too.

Work began last November and was completed in February. The sensory room is designed to be a calming, safe place for Jesse to explore. The walls are painted in peaceful shades of blue. It is a bright space thanks to extra lighting and white window shades that give both privacy and daylight. Also, a 50-inch high-definition television and surround system allow Jesse to view his favorite programs and the family to enjoy time together.

In one corner of the room, a black-canvas swing is suspended from the ceiling. The swings motion is calming to Jesse. He has one like it at his school, Jay Shideler Elementary, and loved one Kim discovered at last years Kansas City Renaissance Festival. Calls were made to the Festival organizers, and the swing was secured from SKY Chairs in Minnesota.

The flooring is a warm faux wood vinyl plank. Carpeting was first suggested for the floors since it would be warmer on the feet in the basement room. However, the family has a dog that sometimes has accidents inside, so the wood floor was installed. They knew it was the right choice when Jesse took out his trains and began to run them along the floor. Smith said, He never could have done that with carpeting.

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At Home Living: A Dream room for Jesse