by William Matthias
Pictured at the official ground breaking ceremonies on March 28 are (l to r) Will Gallagher, John McBride, Kevin Foy, Marco Mattioli, George Romell, Paul LeFrois and Paula Amico.Construction is underway for a 2,100-square foot, colonial-style home in Parma that will benefit the Northwest and Westside YMCA Invest in Youth Campaigns and the “Dream Home” will soon be auctioned off to the highest bidder.
Matco Builders and Developers broke ground on the third YMCA “Dream Home” March 28 and bidding on the house, which retails at $215,000, begins May 5. The house is located in the All-Seasons Sub-division in Hilton at Lot 247 Fallwood Terrace. The proceeds from the auction will help the YMCA provide local families with financial aid, giving youngsters access to character-building programs including day care, summer camp, youth sports and swim lessons.
“We strive to not turn any child away from the life-changing programs the YMCA offers,” said George Romell, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Rochester. “The Invest in Youth Campaign helps us deliver that promise. Matco Builders is not just building a dream home for a local family – they are funding the dreams of kids who want to learn to swim, go to camp and be a leader in the community.”
The two previous Dream Home fundraisers – in Greece in 2010 and in Henrietta in 2011 – raised $66,000 for the Invest in Youth Campaign, according to press releases from marketing agency Dixon Schwabl. Parma resident Marco Mattioli, president of Matco Builders and Developers, said he hopes to raise $30,000 this year.
The fundraiser has given Mattioli an opportunity to give back to the community that supported him during troubling times. Mattioli’s 10-year-old daughter Gabriella died of cancer in August 2010. Gabriella took swim lessons at the Northwest YMCA.
“The support and compassion of the people within the community was tremendous,” Mattioli said. “It inspired me to give something back. I’m proud to collaborate with the YMCA because the organization gives so much to the children and families of our communities every day.”
Last year, the YMCA Westside Group, which includes the Northwest and Westside YMCAs, raised $174,000 for youth program assistance, Romell said. The group awarded an additional $526,000 for membership assistance, raising the number of families receiving financial aid in the west side district from 1,700 to 4,000, Romell added. The programs funded in part by the “Dream Home” are designed to foster healthy living and social responsibility.
“We want to make sure we are taking care of the needs of the kids within the community,” said Will Gallagher, YMCA Westside Group vice president. “We want to teach them good principles through fun activities so they are not out getting into trouble.”
The Westside Group’s Invest in Youth Campaigns help provide scholarships to children in westside communities including Hilton, Greece, Gates and Chili. About 25 to 30 percent of the children participating in the group’s youth programs receive financial aid, Gallagher said.
Gallagher brought the idea for a “Dream Home” from the O’Fallon Family YMCA in St. Louis, Missouri, where he worked from 1998 to 2003, before moving to Rochester and joining the Westside Group. He remembered the original fundraiser as a “novel idea” and the sponsor for the first “Dream Home” in Rochester, Wegman Companies, was eager to jump on board, Gallagher said.
“The really neat thing about it is that so many people said we couldn’t do something like this because of the economy,” he said. “It’s amazing to see how many people stepped up to help make this happen.”
Wegman Companies donated the land for the first “Dream Home” and suggested the sponsor, @Home Builders, for the following year, Gallagher said. Jay Wegman, vice president of operations at Wegman Companies, said his family wanted to help “kick-start” Gallagher’s vision.
“We are excited that the fundraiser has made it into its third year,” Wegman said. “Marco (Mattioli) is helping to keep the tradition alive and it (the fundraiser) just keeps getting better and better. It’s gratifying for everyone involved.”
According to a list provided by Matco Builders and Developers, 28 subcontractors and vendors are contributing to this year’s “Dream Home,” some of which are donating their services and/or supplies. This includes Residential Steel Services, Morse Lumber Company, Matthews and Fields Lumber, Madalena Mechanical, DTT Insulation and Drywall, and Alside Supply.
The community helped shape the style of the ”Dream Home” via online voting for the house’s exterior and kitchen designs, which can be viewed at www.13WHAM.com. The house is expected to be completed by July 15, Mattioli said.
Bidding for the house runs from May 5 through July 15. All bids will be handled and qualified by Paula Amico at Keller Williams Realty. (paulaamico@kw.com)
