Clovis Classmate In The News
Thanks Tom Johnson for spotting this story for us!

The patrons of Kelley's Bar & Grill in Clovis, N.M., where Kitchens works, heard about the fire. "There were about eight of us sitting around the table drinking beer, and somebody came up with the idea that we should build her a house," said carpenter Jimmy Urioste.

The men called Kitchens over and told her that if she used her insurance money-$23,000-to buy materals, they would build her a new home. She started to cry. "I knew they weren't joking." Kitchens said.

Among the volunteers were electricians, roofers, plumbers, carpenters and concrete men. They were familiar with where to get deals on lumber, cement, door. Whenever they were stumped about a difficult aspect of construction, someone always knew someone who knew someone else who was an expert.

Roofer Steve Mullins was in debt to his boss, who told him he could wipe it off the books if he would help put the roof on Kitchens' house. "In all honesty, that's the only reason I came," Mullins said. "But I met these guys, and I just kept coming back."

Over 14 months of weekends-through a bitter winter, a windy spring, a hot summer-someone always showed up.

From her brother's nearby house, Kitchens served up chicken fried steaks, hams, roasts-with all the extras. Longtime friend Ben Barrow sent barbecue from his restaurant. Food was the only compensation the workers would accept.

When the job was finished, Kitchens found it hard to come up with an adequate thank-you. She arranged for each of her 41 new best friends to get a Red Cross Good Neighbor award. Then she invited everyone to a barbecue in the shade of the elm trees beside her new 1800-square-foot house.