Habitat Scores Another Hit
Hot Stove League puts Eastbrook family into new home
By Gordon Engelhardt
Sunday, November 23, 2008
MOLLY BARTELS / Courier & Press Preston Mattingly, center, son of baseball great Don Mattingly, far right, hands new Habitat for Humanity homeowner Brenda Larvo, second from left, the keys to her new home during a dedication ceremony on Saturday. Larvo and Brenda Whitehouse, far left, will both live in the home.
Cousins Brenda Whitehouse and Brenda Larvo were presented the keys to their new Habitat for Humanity home by former professional baseball player and current coach Don Mattingly and his son, Preston, during a dedication ceremony Saturday morning. Don Mattingly is a former standout player at Evansville's Memorial High School and a New York Yankees first baseman and hitting coach. He is currently hitting coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Preston Mattingly is a prospect in the Dodgers' organization. Whitehouse and Larvo lost their home in Evansville's Eastbrook Mobile Home Park when a killer tornado struck there Nov. 6, 2005. They hope to move into their new house in the New Haven subdivision — where many former Eastbrook residents have relocated — around Christmas. Saturday's event marked the 347th house completed by Habitat for Humanity of Evansville. The Tri-State Hot Stove League, which provides Evansville sports professionals and enthusiasts an opportunity to give back to the community, sponsored this house. "This is wonderful," Whitehouse said. "There are not enough words to say (to express my gratitude)." It is the fourth house built by Habitat for Humanity as part of the Good Sports Build, developed by the Hot Stove League to aid tornado victims.
Former University of Evansville and Chicago Bulls standout and current Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan sponsored the first house, built in July 2007. Former Rex Mundi High School, Purdue University and Miami Dolphins standout Bob Griese and his son, Brian, sponsored a house dedicated in September. Brian Griese is a backup quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Former Harrison High School and Indiana University standout and longtime NBA player Calbert Cheaney dedicated a house in October. Hot Stove League Vice President Paul Gries said Don Mattingly was instrumental in the Hot Stove League being able to put up $50,000 to build the Whitehouse and Larvo home. "Without him, we wouldn't be able to raise that much money," Gries said. Mattingly deflected the praise, saying Gries does most of the work behind the scenes.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity to be able to give back in this way, but it's Paulie and his group that deserves all the credit for this," Mattingly said. Gries noted that local high school coaches helped build the house.
Whitehouse is a cancer survivor, and Larvo has had heart complications. June Scott, Larvo's mother, also had been living with them, but she was unable to attend Saturday's ceremony because she is in a nursing home recovering from a broken hip.
"We were living in Eastbrook Mobile Home Park, and obviously, the tornado came through," Whitehouse said. "Our (mobile home) was damaged severely. It was dangerous because the structure was weak." They have been living at Eastminster Presbyterian Mission Home the past nine months, hoping a Habitat for Humanity home would become available.