A motorist doing doughnuts mowed down Hillary Finuf’s fence in July 1999 after she came home one afternoon.

Her lawn was patchy. Her driveway was cracked and the color of her Oak Park home was fading with age.

On Saturday, nearly six years after her iron fence was partially torn down, Finuf was selected for a nationwide program called Rebuilding Together and her home got a makeover. “I am honored,” Finuf said with a wide smile. “I think it’s really nice that they are here on their day off.”

Nearly 800 volunteers spent their free time to help, including Mikael J. Anderson, a Sacramento State assistant professor of civil engineering. Thirty-five volunteers, nearly half of which were Sac State students, helped upgrade Finuf’s home, as the group of 800 split up throughout the neighborhood.

Anderson also is the faculty advisor for the Construction Management Student Association. Twenty members of the group were to help with the project, Anderson said.

“They picked this neighborhood as the dream neighborhood,” Anderson said as community members and volunteers got their hands dirty to clean up parts of Oak Park.

The recipients are based on need, which may include income, Anderson said.

“Last Saturday, we poured concrete and yesterday we replaced a window. This Saturday is the big event, with new doors, bathtub, wrought iron fence, new grass, sprinklers, new paint,” Anderson said.

Finuf, a mother of two young boys, said she didn’t expect all of this.

“I thought it was just for the street. When they asked me, I mentioned I had no grass. They saw other things that needed to be done. I’m happy,” Finuf said.

Sac State student volunteer Natane Rogers, who is a member of the construction management group but said she hardly attends the meetings, arrived early to help on this day.

“It feels good to help,” Rogers said. “We’ll be out here until we’re done.”

Student Gareth Figguns, the group’s vice president, said that volunteering was a way to give back.

“It’s pretty cool; she was excited. It’s evident it’s a good cause,” said Figguns, adding that it was a practical way to get hands-on experience while helping a person in need.

Rebuilding Together volunteer Karen Rossi said in all, nearly two-dozen groups donated their time to help fix up homes of Oak Park.

Some streets near 14th Avenue in South Sacramento were filled with cars and blocked by trucks containing supplies.

Jack Davis Park was the headquarters for volunteers to sign up, eat and get other useful information regarding the day’s event, Rossi said.

Rossi said 15 homes were getting upgraded on Saturday: 12 for the elderly, one for a disabled person and two for single parents, including Finuf.

“It was a mob scene,” Rossi said of the volunteers that showed up to help. Rossi said more projects were to come, including missions to help more elderly people by building ramps and handrails to help them get through their daily routines.

Various corporate groups, such as Intel and Home Depot, helped with sponsorships, Rossi said.

More information about helping families in need can be found at www.sacramento.rebuildingtogether.org.

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Gamaliel Ortiz can be reached at [email protected]