PORT ANGELES — The transformation of the Captain Joseph House is under way.
Volunteers this week are gutting the walls of a former bed-and-breakfast that will become a place of healing for families of fallen military men and women.
Gold Star Mom Betsy Reed Schultz is converting her former Tudor Inn at 1108 S. Oak St. into a haven — “a home away from home” — for families of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
The house is named for her son, Army Capt. Joseph Schultz, a Green Beret who was killed in action in Afghanistan on May 29, 2011.
“We have all kinds of stuff to do,” Betsy Reed Schultz said.
“We’re just very grateful for anyone who wants to be a part of it, whether it’s an hour or two or a half-day or a whole day.”
Converting the 103-year-old house is no small task.
The home is getting an elevator, an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramp, a new roof, a fresh coat of paint, windows, three dormers and new landscaping for the lush, undulating grounds.
Schultz, who received nonprofit status for the Captain Joseph House Foundation last November, needs to raise about $495,000 to open the house in 2014.
“People’s enthusiasm to do it is great, and there’s always room for more volunteers,” she said.
Crews on Monday began knocking out the kitchen walls and upstairs bedroom walls to make room for new bathrooms and larger suites.
The kitchen will be extended to the north.
“It’s going to be a huge kitchen,” said volunteer contractor Bill Feeley of Port Angeles.
“The kitchen usually turns out to be a gathering place for everybody anyway. On Christmas and Thanksgiving, where does everybody end up? In the kitchen.”
The Captain Joseph House will get a new plumbing system and new wiring, but the classic doors and frames will be salvaged.
“We’re going to try to keep everything as original as possible,” Feeley said.
When the Captain Joseph House is finished, Schultz wants it to have the “feeling, flavor and look of a 1910 house.”
“They don’t build houses like that anymore,” she said.
Groundbreaking
A ceremonial groundbreaking for the Captain Joseph House took place Memorial Day weekend, exactly two years after Capt. Schultz died along with two members of his special forces team in the Wardak Province of Afghanistan.
The Captain Joseph House will become the only dedicated retreat in the nation for relatives of soldiers killed in action.
“We’re doing our best to get the word out outside the area and outside the state,” Schultz said.
“It’s an ongoing process, and it will be, whether it’s for the building or bringing families there.”
Feeley said he wanted to help “in honor of the people who have been in the military.”
“It’s a patriotic thing,” he added.
“I’ve known Betsy for a long time, and I just think it’s kind of a thing that should be done.”
While professional contractors will be required for the electrical, plumbing, framing and foundation work, Schultz and Feeley said in separate interviews that other volunteers are needed for simple tasks.
Monetary or in-kind donations for the Captain Joseph House Foundation are being accepted.
Checks can be mailed to the Captain Joseph House Foundation at 1108 S. Oak St., Port Angeles, WA 98362.
For more information, visit www.captainjosephhousefoundation.org or wwwfacebook.com/CaptainJosephHouse, or phone Schultz at 360-460-7848.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
