Contractor gifts $15K reno to Halton Women's Place by Michael Gregory Oakville Beaver Staff 3 | Friday, March 13, 2015 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Halton Women's Place (HWP) gets a lot of calls to provide shelter to women facing domestic abuse and their children. It doesn't get a lot of calls of another nature -- if ever: an offer from a kind-hearted Oakville contractor, and designer colleague, looking to do $15,000 in renovations. "I was so excited," said the shelter's executive director Diane Beaulieu. "Without folks like you (Sean Caffrey and Catherine Tonon of Oakville) we can't continue to do what we do and provide nice space for our clients, and for our staff." Each year, HWP houses approximately 350 women and around 290 children in its 52 beds across Burlington, and Milton. Later this month Caffrey and Tonon will begin renovating one of the shelter's main offices, as well as a quiet lounge for its residents and a children's play area. "We're looking at more than just a facelift," said Caffrey, who's been a contractor for more than 25 years and is the lead coordinator on the project. "We're thinking of a lot more than just paint and a floor. There's generally a reason for everything that we're doing." For 15 years, Caffrey has reached out to those in Halton, or elsewhere in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), to do a pro-bono renovation. It would be easy to write a cheque, he says, Oakville's Sean Caffrey is doing a $15,000 renovation for Halton Women's Place (HWP), free of charge. Pictured is Caffrey, at right, with Diane Beaulieu, HWP executive director and interior decorator Catherine Tonon, who is assisting in the renovation project. | photo by Eric Riehl Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or facebook.com/HaltonPhotog) but it's more rewarding to get involved in the process and see the difference being made. "This is something that touched us and we actually feel very fortunate they're allowing us to do it," Caffrey said. "It's a mutual gift because the joy is being able to come in and help." Tonon, the project's designer and manager, said she was aware of the shelter and its work, and couldn't wait to get started once she learned of the project. "I said definitely let's make it more than just tearing up the carpet and giving them something new, let's make it something special," she said. "When I was growing up, this idea, this wasn't available to my community." The proposed renovation to the office space, currently used by two employees, includes installing custom cabinetry for storage, replacing the carpet with wood flooring, and new LED lights in the ceiling. "I'm just thrilled that they're going to have a space that's conducive and comfortable for them," Beaulieu said. "They're in there probably more hours than they're in their own homes so it's great that they're going to have a nice place to work." The last major renovation at HWP was done a few years ago when Halton police renovated the counselling room in the shelter's basement. Carmela Bozzo, HWP development manager, said she is excited about seeing the reveal of her new workspace in a few weeks. "This is what we've known it as for so many years and we just kind of go with it because we just don't have time to move furniture around," said Bozzo. "It's such a wonderful opportunity to be able to look at this space as a more efficient, conducive work space." The corporate partners donating materials and time for the upgrades include: Caffrey Contracting, Catherine Tonon Interiors, Sukh Sahota from Sky Kitchens, Shane Syring from Sherwin-Williams Paint, John Weinrich from Ele-Com Electrical Services and Natalie Cordeiro from Home Depot of Canada. Sore Feet, Sports Injury, Painful Ingrown Toenails? Plantar Warts? We can help! Exceptional footcare for all ages. · Routine footcare · Corns & calluses · Plantar warts · Heel/arch/foot pain · Diabetic footcare and education · Thick or ingrown nails · Nail surgery · Sports related foot problems & injuries · Custom made orthotics · Sigvaris® compression stockings · Evenings and saturday appointments available · New patients welcome! J. Richard Werkman chiropodist CUSTOM EVENT MARCH 28 20% OFF CUSTOM CLOTHING FROM COPPLEY Treatment & Surgery for painful ingrown toenails located on the north/west corner of maple grove dr. and cornwall rd. 1495 Cornwall Rd., Suite 33, Oakville www.werkman.ca T: 905-845-4817 n ow o f f e r i n g P h ys i ot h e r a P y o s t eo Pat h y at h l e t i c t h e r a P y ALL DAY AT oakvillesportsmedicinecentre.ca 905 337 8455 200 Lakeshore Road East, Oakville, Ont. www.burrowsclothiers.com 905-842-0232