UKIAH, Calif. – On Saturday, Oct. 26, students in the Sustainable Technology program at Mendocino College will be replacing approximately 20 windows at Project Sanctuary’s transition house in Ukiah.

Lia Patterson, local Realtor from Re/Max Full Spectrum and recent graduate of Leadership Mendocino, has organized the “Adopt a Window” campaign which has raised money to replace the building’s old single pane windows.

The new dual pane windows will increase energy efficiency, reduce heating costs, and improve comfort in the building.

Orion Walker, coordinator of the Sustainable Tech program at Mendocino College and Leadership Mendocino alum, first heard about the effort when a fellow Leadership Mendocino graduate contacted him with the idea that the Sustainable Tech program could provide Project Sanctuary with skilled volunteers to install the windows.

“I immediately thought this would be a great opportunity,” said Walker. “It will give students in our Construction Fundamentals class an opportunity to apply the skills they are learning in a real world setting, while assisting an important local nonprofit.”

The construction students, who are currently building a fully contained tiny mobile house on wheels, will take a class day to complete the window installation work under the guidance of course instructor Jen Riddell, as well as additional local contractors who have agreed to volunteer their assistance.

Patterson, who has spent the last eight months soliciting donations and making arrangements for the window installation, says she got the idea for this Leadership Mendocino project when she read Dina Polkinghorne, executive director of Project Sanctuary’s 2013 New Years wish: “To have no repairs or problems with either of our shelters this year.”

“I immediately wanted to do something to help make that a reality,” said Patterson.

Project Sanctuary is thrilled to see this project coming together as it will greatly improve the comfort of the house and help on heating costs.

This is especially important for its residents, as the 100-year-old building is used for displaced families to live in for up to one year, rent free, so that they are able to get back on their feet by securing a job and saving money to move out on their own.

A fundraising tri-tip dinner is also scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 16, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at 300 W. Smith St in Ukiah.

Tickets are $25 for one or two for $40. Dinner will be provided as well as live music and a silent auction.

Tickets can be purchased at the Mendocino Book Co. or Project Sanctuary.

All proceeds will go toward Project Sanctuary’s window project including other necessary repairs to the transitional house.

Project Sanctuary is a domestic violence and sexual assault agency serving the entire County. The organization provides emergency response, 24-hour, seven-day-a-week counseling, legal advocacy, and long term individual and group counseling to more than 2,000 survivors.

For more information on Leadership Mendocino contact Kimberly Smith at 707-467-3230 or go to www.leadershipmendocino.org .

For more information on Project Sanctuary contact Dina Polkinghorne at 707-462-9196 or www.projectsanctuary.org .

For more information on the Sustainable Technology Program at Mendocino College contact Orion Walker, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 707-468-3224.