A home was recently returned to River City Habitat for Humanity.
Sometimes all the hard work doesn't pay off - the sweat equity, the years of mortgages, the ongoing home ownership training.
For whatever reason, the nonprofit organization has to take some homes back once in a while, Director Susan Cook-Williams said.
The housing ministry serving low-income working families in Cole County has helped more than 100 families reach their goals of home ownership. It's currently working on its 108th home since building its first one in 1992.
A large crew that included four Marines gathered early Saturday morning to begin working to give the returned home at 412 E. Ashley St. another start.
To rescue it.
They painted walls and ceilings, made repairs and built a roof over an outdoor stairwell to the home's basement, according to Shane Spalding, the construction manager.
"We're giving this home a general overhaul," Spalding said. "It is our goal to deliver a home to a family that has a much longer life expectancy than when the home is paid for."
For families who enter the Habitat for Humanity program, that's 25 years, interest-free.
The overhaul includes all new light fixtures, appliances, outlets, plumbing fixtures and anything else that is mechanical and can wear out.
Prolonging a house's usefulness is often difficult to do for remodeled homes, Spalding said, particularly in communities like Ashley Street, where the homes are nearing 90 or 100 years old. Many are reaching their end.
That's a reason he encourages the organization to steer away from remodeling homes. By the time repairs are completed on some of the homes, Habitat for Humanity may spend as much as it would if it just built new, like it is doing for Tony Triplett.
Triplett spent Saturday morning at the Ashley Street house, helping build the roof over the stairwell and working toward completion of his required sweat equity. For couples, like Triplett and his wife, the organization requires 450 hours of equity. For singles, it requires 350 hours, Triplett said.
Their Jefferson City home is nearing completion, he said. The drywall is up. Triplett's wife was excited to pick out flooring for it on Friday.
"I can see the Capitol from my backyard," Triplett said. "It's beautiful."
And, he said he understands the responsibility he'll face: maintaining a steady income, the expectation to make the mortgage payments, and the requirements that homeowners attend educational classes on home ownership, home maintenance, budgeting and more.
When the Tripletts signed up for the program, assessors came to their home to see their current living situation.
There were five people living in the two-bedroom home.
"They wanted to get us into something better," Triplett said. "They are getting us away from a bad environment."
Their new home has four bedrooms and two bathrooms.
"It's all one level because I was in a bad car accident," Triplett said.
The couple has about a month and a half to go before they'll be in the new home.
"I'm so excited!" Triplett said. "I can't wait."
As Triplett worked outside the Ashley Street home, the sound of activity from inside could be heard.
Four Marines who have been training at Fort Leonard Wood were with other volunteers painting the home and making repairs.
Originally a U.S. Army basic training facility, Fort Leonard Wood has evolved into a training facility for multiple military services.
Eric Epps, a 35-year-old U.S. Marine warrant officer stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, said he is one of many officers receiving specialized training at the Missouri base.
Instructors at the fort suggested the volunteer work as something for the soldiers to do in their free time.
"I probably wouldn't have been able to do this in North Carolina," Epps said. "I would have spent the free time with my three kids."
His wife and children are at home in North Carolina.
The Ashley Street house "doesn't look too bad," Epps said. "It has spots that need some attention."
The Marines were focused Saturday on rehabilitating the second floor of the home.
It was a new experience for Epps.
"I've painted dog houses and small things before," he said, "but never an entire house."