Sam and Suzanne Iaquinta’s dream home is complete. Now all that’s left is for the home built in Cochrane’s Sunset Ridge to be sold, and the proceeds will then be distributed to help improve a cause near and dear to their hearts – children’s hospitals.
Homes for Hope is a non-profit initiative inspired by Sam and Suzanne Iaquinta and Castellano Custom Homes. They will donate the net proceeds from the sale of the $1.35M home at 25 Sun Valley View to Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary and Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton.
It was an emotional open house for Sam Iaquinta on March 18.
“It means a lot. We had an issue with one our children, who was quite sick in 2013. We thought we’d give back to our community by doing what we do,” he said.
“I feel great today.”
This sale will support the respective Pediatric Critical Care Transport programs at both hospitals. For children who are too sick to be treated in their home communities, a team of specialists' travel to smaller hospitals to stabilize and transport critically ill and injured children to the hospital safely and swiftly by ambulance, helicopter or fixed-wing airplane.
This is the second home built by Castellano Custom Homes for the Homes for Hope initiative. In 2013, after their twin son Ben was hospitalized at both hospitals; the Iaquintas' mission was to give back to the children's hospitals that provided exceptional care during their family's time of need.
"No parent wants to see their children suffer, but when they are sick, we want them to have the best care possible," said Suzanne Iaquinta.
At the open house, the Iaquintas were joined by well-wishers and contractors involved in the construction of the dream home.
Cochrane Mayor Jeff Genung stood a few feet away from where a media event was held to announce the start of construction a year ago.
“It takes a special person, in Sam and Suzanne, to have an event in their life that would spark in them the idea to give back," Genung said. "And I just think that’s an incredible story, and our community is filled with people like this.
“It’s a really cool story. It’s what makes Cochrane such a special and unique place to live.”
Over the past five years, more than 5,000 children from across Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, and the three territories needed the critical care from the Pediatric Critical Care Transport Teams. These teams are able to immediately offer expert interventions for their young patients that continue while they are transported safely to the Alberta Children's Hospital or Stollery Children's Hospital where comprehensive emergency and intensive care are provided.
The donation from Homes for Hope will help fund these essential services. "We are honoured to support the Pediatric Transport Teams," said Sam Iaquinta, Director of Castellano Custom Homes.
Whoever becomes the home buyer will become a part of the team at Homes for Hope.
"Not only will you own a beautifully crafted home, you are doing good by supporting these two impressive hospitals who are leading in pediatric care, and we are honoured to play a role in their mission," Iaquinta said.
The donation is the result of a community effort involving 61 companies and 213 trade specialists who volunteered their time to complete the home.
The home, in Pinnacle Estates @ Sunset Ridge will be available for viewing starting Tuesday, March 18, from 2 pm to 6 pm.
Founded over 20 years ago, Castellano Homes specializes in custom home builds in Calgary, Airdrie, Cochrane, and Balzac.
