Brave Hearts open house Aug. 1

By Michele King
Special to the Pioneer Times
    It’s been more than a year since we started the renovation of our 40-room home in Island Falls with the mission to help young men become men of character and find their purpose in life. Although there are days that we drop into bed wasted from the trials of turning a “facility” into a home, there are also moments of extreme pleasure, gratitude and wonder.
    Like this past week, I walked by the music room and my husband is covered with grime and sludge from the pipes as he attempts to install plumbing for the upstairs bathroom. As he is attempting to trace pipes, chase leaks and work around plaster and lathes, he discovers other issues that make this project last significantly longer than expected, which is now becoming the norm. Don’t ask us about refinishing wood floors!
    But whenever we feel the urge to wallow in self-pity, now we go to the second floor and head to the front of the house. It’s the King Arthur Room and it is magnificent. Not just because of its colors, décor or furnishings, but because of the generosity and passion of the people who provided the materials and worked on it.
The King Arthur room.
    If that reminder is not enough, another person and her daughter came in today to create a room in memory of her father-in-law and all the valiant people who have served their country in the military.
    Even the outside has not escaped the ministry of our friend who has weeded our garden (oh, those were weeds?) and planted new plants to make our outside look as pleasing and homey as the inside is becoming. How can anyone get discouraged or complain when we get to see the goodness and generosity of people every day?
    So we are excited to share all the changes and the progress we and all of the friends of Brave Hearts, have made at our open house on Saturday, Aug. 1 from 3:30-5:30 p.m. We will have refreshments, outdoor music and tours.
    A video of the history of Gov. Carl E. Milliken, the hospital and our renovations will be available in the art room. Also available will be information about our after-school program for high school students from the Southern Aroostook Community School District and the RACE, a skill and character building program for teen-aged boys from Southern Aroostook County; both to start in September.
    So I encourage everyone to stop in and experience this community project that inspires and brings out the best in all who have helped make it what it is. Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who will forever play a part in the history that will one day be, Brave Hearts.