FOND DU LAC - Thanksgiving came early to the Sweeney residence in North Fond du Lac. Neighbors collaborated for weeks to replace the driveway and garage on the property.
Sgt. 1st Class Karen Sweeney has been stationed in Kandahar, Afghanistan since January for her second tour overseas. Karen's mother, Sue Haefemeyer, has been watching her daughter, Rachel Sweeney, at Karen's home.
While Karen has been away, the neighbors have pitched in to help Haefemeyer shovel the driveway, trim trees, remove a stump and mow the lawn. The driveway and garage were in rough shape and two neighbors thought repaving the driveway would be a nice thing to do while Karen was away.
"Before Karen left, she said she was going to put up a new garage when she got home," neighbor Al Fink said. "The neighbors thought we should do it before she gets home."
According to Haefemeyer, it was going to be a surprise for Karen, but she had to sign the building permit before the project could start.
Al talked about the project to the owner of Our Gals, who later mentioned it to Bob Hoch of R&B Construction in Fond du Lac. Fink called Hoch and lined up the people to help. Hoch was needed to lead the construction of the garage.
"We saved her a lot of money," Hoch said. "Faber Building Oak Center gave a discount on the lumber package, Precision Overhead Door gave a discount, Pat Tighe Roofing provided free labor and Town and Country Electric set up the garage electricity for free."
"We just told them the story and many businesses were happy to help," Fink said. "We're just proud of what she's doing for us."
Fink lined up John Giese Enterprises to take down the old garage and remove the remains and the old cement while Larry Leeman and his boys of Leeman Masonry laid the new cement slab. Fink's brother, Marve, came to help build the garage; Hoch had two men show up to help; and Pat Gannon and Tim Cratchy, Karen's neighbors, pitched in when they were available.
"Rachel had a lot of fun riding her bike before the garage was built over the cement," Haefemeyer said. The driveway was widened from 8 to 10 feet. The garage was a one-car garage measuring 19 by 19 feet and is now 24 by 24 with a 6-foot slab added on the side for a patio. The bigger garage provides more storage space and now has an electric door; the old one did not.
Another neighbor, Rob Chandler, lined up neighbors to help. He performed the demolition of the old driveway.
"We didn't know for two weeks who leveled the driveway," Fink said. "I told Greg Ninneman about the project and he just came over one day when no one was around. We came back and it was done."
Haefemeyer and Fink wanted to raise money, but they didn't want it to become a charity project. Instead it turned into a bunch of neighbors helping another neighbor. People from Brownsville, Fond du Lac, Teresa, North Fond du Lac, Van Dyne and Waupun were involved in the project.
"We weren't asking for donations," Hoch said. "We were asking for people to help out. The least we could do was put up a garage. I wish we could have done more. It's the right thing to do."
"We were going to order a kit garage," Haefemeyer said. "But with Bob helping us we ordered the supplies for a real one."
The project started at the end of August. They started tearing down the old garage at 7 a.m. and were finished by 10 a.m. They did the construction whenever people could do the work.
"There wasn't a time frame for this project," Fink said. "We just wanted to get as much done before Karen returned next spring."
"We had good weather," Hoch said. "It was a blessing in disguise."
The garage was finished Nov. 11.
"I think it's a good Veterans Day gift," Fink said. "We get to give back to someone who's serving overseas for us."
The driveway will be paved early next spring, after the gravel settles.
"All these people," Fink said. "We didn't have to ask them twice. The original project was to get as much volunteer stuff done for nothing and get the project done for the cost of materials. The labor was free for everything."
Most of those who helped have never met Karen.
"I don't even know what she looks like," Hoch said. "The neighbors were pitching in to help a fellow neighbor."