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Eric Tognazinni was born in
1946and has lived in
Despite Ericís handicap he got an education and managed to go around town, making friends and supplementing his modest income collecting recyclable bottles and cans.
In 1993, both of Ericís parents passed away leaving Eric and his only brother, also handicapped, to fend for themselves in the family home, which was extremely rundown and it was in need of extensive repairs inside and out.Ý
The local Scoutmaster, Mr. Kelvin Malco, of Troop 400, the Hollister Rotary sponsored Boy Scouts, was looking for a community project to expand the Scouting experience. This is when he found the living conditions that the Tognazinni family was left with once their parentís had passed away.Ý Kelvin approached the Hollister Rotary Club with the idea of a community project to renovate the home. Hollister Rotary took a heartfelt look at Ericís situation and then decided to take on the project of renovation and repairing the Tognazinni home.
Members of the Hollister Rotary Club divided the project into Teams or areas of responsibility. The teams then contacted local suppliers and contractors to give details about the project and request donations of time and materials to help renovate the home.Ý The Team leaders from the Club each took on a responsibility for the various renovation related projects. There were Teams for roofing, windows, painting, termite inspection, carpentry, insulation, fencing, landscaping, furnace, bath and kitchen repair. In addition there was plenty of labor expended on weekends to complete the project.
The project complete within a yearís time and now Eric and his brother are living in a completely renovated home including a handicap ramp for Ericís motorized wheelchair.