Cornerstone Church remodels member’s home

The Rev. Bill Godair (center) and his wife Tina (left), of Cornerstone Church in Salisbury, talk with Delorest Lattimore in the master bedroom of Lattimore's newly remodeled house. Photo by Donnie Roberts/The Dispatch

Delorest Lattimore (center) is astonished at seeing her remodeled house Wednesday evening on Leonford Street while surrounded by Tina Godair (right) and other members of Cornerstone Church in Salisbury along with Lattimore's neighbors. Cornerstone Church members and other volunteers completely rennovated the house in one week while Lattimore had no knowledge of it while on a trip to Texas. Photo by Donnie Roberts/The Dispatch

By Deneesha Edwards

The Dispatch of Lexington

LEXINGTON — Delorest Lattimore never imagined coming home from a trip to Texas on Wednesday that she would be greeted by nearly 100 friends and neighbors who surprised her with a remodeled home.

The early Christmas gift was an act of love conspired by members of Lattimore's church, Cornerstone Church in Salisbury. She was greeted with hugs, cheers and applause by church members, co-workers, neighbors and community members who offered their support.

“Thank you to everybody,” Lattimore said in tears after she arrived in a limousine. “I could have never imaged this. Thank you Lord, it's beautiful.”

Several members in the crowd held signs that read “Welcome home,” “Congratulations” and “Cornerstone Church loves you.”

Bill Godair, the lead pastor of the church, shouted through a bullhorn to Lattimore, “We have done an extreme makeover. Merry Christmas,” right before the crowd yelled “move that bus.”

Plans to fix the house started nearly a month ago when a church member stopped by the house to assist Lattimore with some electric work. After noticing how poor the condition of the home was in, church members prayed that help would come to help Lattimore because she was a good woman. A couple of weeks later, Godair and church members decided to act, feeling compelled by the spirit that they needed to do something to help.

“I’ve known her for 14 years and never heard her complain,” Godair said. “I would have never dreamed she had this kind of situation at home. We realized it was a severe situation. If she knew we were trying to do anything, she would say no because that's the type of person she is. It has been a great blessing and an act of love.”

Lattimore, a single mother of three children — LaKisha, Antonio and Tamika — had been living in the house on Leonford Street for more than 15 years. The house didn't have any central heat or air, water had piled underneath the house creating mold, some of the walls were without drywall and one of the bathrooms did not work.

Before her mother arrived, Tamika said her mom is a very private and quiet person and would be blown away once she saw her new home. Tamika stays at the home with her mother and was overwhelmed with everything and was anxious and excited for her mom to return.

“I've been in tears all week,” Tamika said. “She always told us we were very blessed. We're blessed, God is good. I give him all the credit. The church has not only shown love, but put it in action. It blesses me that they would love and bless my mother.”

When Lattimore traveled to Texas last week to see her son, who is in the Army, church members saw that as the opportunity to make life a little better for one of their members. Since last Wednesday more than 100 volunteers have come to the house to install central heating and air conditioning, paint rooms, repair some electrical wiring, fix windows, spray foam installation, complete plumbing and finish an additional room that was added a couple of years ago. They also renovated the front porch and added some landscaping.

“We just wanted to make the house safe,” said Rev. Calvin Willis, one of the pastors at the church. “The house was not keeping any heat. We fixed all the holes in the foundation, took care of the roofing and placed gutters on the house to take care of all the major moisture problems.”

Willis couldn't believe the outpouring of support from the congregation.

“It's great. We love our church,” Willis said. “Delorest is very private, humbled, caring and never complained about the situation.”

Lattimore returned to new carpet, furniture, bedroom suites, refrigerator, lighting and decorations. From the beginning, Godair said his church has been on board. The day he first mentioned it to them they donated more than $1,200 on the spot. Overall nearly $75,000 worth of work and donated furniture and appliances was completed by volunteers.

“It has been unbelievable,” Godair said. “This is the best Christmas they have possibly had. I think everybody did it because we all respect Delorest, but we’re the winners. This is the best Christmas I have experienced. I'm very proud of my church family. It's been pretty cool. It's not about us, it's about Delorest.”

Lattimore is a human resources technician at Lexington Memorial Hospital. She was speechless as she walked through the home.

“I just thank everybody for all of their hard work,” she said. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Words can’t really describe, I just love my pastor to death and the congregation. It’s just a beautiful home.”

Deneesha Edwards can be reached at 336-249-3981, ext. 213 or deneesha.edwards @the-dispatch.com.