By Joe Winter
Catholic Herald corresponden

Group uses house to help pro-life cause

HUDSON -- A Hudson businessman recently led an effort to build a house, which then was sold so the proceeds could help young, unwed mothers or fathers. Monies could go to individuals, but will more likely go to a number of groups which aid such people and have a pro-life stance.

Rick Waldschmidt says the aim of the project is to allow -- and perhaps persuade -- such parents to keep their babies and not have abortions. He said that a preference might be given to parents who are on the fence about how they should make such a decision.

The labor to build the house, located a short distance behind Somerset High School, was donated by Waldschmidt and numerous others. He hopes a total of $100,000 can be raised for the cause through sale of the house. The funds they raise will be matched at 50 percent by the Schwann Foundation, which usually selects charities involving Lutherans.

Waldschmidt is a Lutheran who worships in Stillwater, Minn., but said he is eager to help young parents of any faith through the effort.

"We want to provide the money and help them to keep their child," he said. "We wanted to show that in the trades, there is a concern to give (babies) a chance to live."

He added that he's in a prime position to lead the project because he owns St. Croix Valley Cabinetry and a related construction business, which gives him access to building materials. His office, filled with baseball memorabilia and pictures of Jesus Christ, is east of Hudson -- where several construction businesses are housed under one roof.

It also helps, Waldschmidt said, that he is the volunteer executive director of a Denver-based organization which offers 25 pregnancy counseling centers in the United States. The Hudson area people are also helping supply new windows to the van used at a center in Denver. The counseling ministry is a branch of Christian Life Resources, a pro-life network based in Milwaukee.

"We wanted to make the home marketable and affordable, something we wouldn't mind having our business and ministry name attached to," Waldschmidt said, adding that the need for affordability extends to donors, as well. "We can't do a mansion on Lake Minnetonka."

The 75 donors, who are from western Wisconsin and the eastern Twin Cities suburbs, come from a wide range of backgrounds and helped provide materials and labor. Many are business owners, like Waldschmidt, who have a construction background.

"We raised a fairly significant amount of capital," he said, adding that the way the project was structured allowed donors to contribute not just dollars, but also their talents and business expertise. Waldschmidt said he believes that makes the projects mean more to donors.

Waldschmidt preferred a country setting, and the only such lot -- in the desired price range -- was just over a mile off a main road south of Somerset. It features rolling hills, is near small ponds and covers three acres, the minimum lot size in that area of St. Croix County.

The group wanted to build a house of the highest quality they could, and buyer Nick Duley originally didn't know about the charitable purpose, but approved of that once he found out, Waldschmidt said.

Listing agent Mike Pizenow said that the purpose of the project is great, and that he would be interested in it, whether it be a Christian cause or another kind of charity. He did all the realty work free, and said he felt obligated to get it done as soon as possible because of the charitable circumstances and whom it would benefit.

When combining the project and its labor with the requirements of operating his group of businesses, the effort was hard work and kept Waldschmidt extremely busy, but he has no regrets.

Gene Berwald and his wife, who own Berwald roofing, supplied the interior doors, windows, soffets and siding. "He was great," Waldschmidt said. "He's a pro-life guy at heart."

Berwald convinced the Bakken family, which owns Cemstone Products, Co., to donate the concrete, Waldschmidt said.

Jim Burton, who has done mission work worldwide, and his brother Ron, also helped.

These businesses also donated items or labor: F & K Excavating; Joe Plumber, installation of concrete foundation; Cody Plumbing, Brown Plumbing and Schumacher Plumbing; Sandra Kettering Design; Hansen Electric; Guyers Appliances; Indianhead Glass; Mattila Well; St. Croix Insulation; Iowa Paints; County Concrete; and River Valley Lighting.

Editor's note: For more information, or to request a donation, call Waldschmidt's cell phone at 612-978-9778.

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© Superior Catholic Herald, 2004