Habitat for Humanity Menominee River volunteers Ricky Downs and Andy Vandenbush prepare an opening for a replacement window at the Dickinson County Cancer Unit Loan Closet building in Kingsford. (Iron Mountain Daily News photo)

KINGSFORD — The Dickinson County Cancer Unit Loan Closet is finally able to use money donated to them by the 100-Plus Women Who Care group last August.

After receiving more than $16,000, they decided it was too late in the year to complete renovations needed on the outside of their building at 201 E. Breitung Ave. in Kingsford.

With help from Habitat for Humanity Menominee River, work began Monday to replace five windows, add foam insulation and install new siding. Soffits and fascia will also be replaced.

“When there is an issue, you almost hate to fix it because it’s not going to the clients. If we don’t fix it, the building is going to fall apart and then we can’t do anything to help the client,” said Diane Schabo, president of the organization.

Habitat’s donated labor will save an estimated $12,000. “As non-profits, we have to support each other,” said Nancy Pellegrini, Habitat director.

With a discount from Home Depot, the project will cost an estimated $8,600. That was much better than the first bid they received of about $21,000, Schabo noted. They hope to add seamless gutters later.

Gary Jacobson of Jacobson Heating donated space for the cancer closet to store the materials. Lousiana-Pacific made a donation as well. Green For Life of Kingsford has provided a dumpster.

This is not the first time the cancer closet has had a local business step up to help with building maintenance. When the roof began leaking two years ago, Ryan Okler of Okler Roofing supplied the labor at no cost, with the cancer closet purchasing the materials.

Pellegrini anticipates it will take two to three weeks to complete this project, using the Habitat core crew and other volunteers.

“It’s like a community coming together. It’s so important in my world, so I know it is in your world,” Pellegrini told Schabo.

The cancer closet provides for cancer and non-cancer patients in Dickinson County and the surrounding Wisconsin communities of Florence, Spread Eagle, Aurora and Niagara. The loan closet helps several hundred new people a year and they keep a master list of people they serve.

They offer shower chairs, commodes, walkers, wheelchairs, crutches, canes and just about everything else. Help is given to anyone with need, with no income restrictions.

Pellegrini said the cancer closet really fills a need in the area. “No one is doing what you do. The community needs that support from the cancer closet,” Pellegrini noted.

The cancer closet relies on donations to serve its clients. Schabo said 97% goes to helping clients.

“We’re just happy. We’re thankful that we get to work together,” Schabo said.

She gets upset when she reads negative comments about the area.

“This is an area that helps each other. Someone has a fire, people are there to help; someone has a little one in distress, people are there,” she said. “How can you say that about an area that sticks together? You don’t find that everywhere.”