ST. LOUIS (Feb 2021) – The Electrical Connection is again donating resources to build a very special home to help support the kids served by the renowned St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®.  The partnership of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1 and the St. Louis Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association is donating all electrical services to build the 4,060-square-foot, amenity-laden home.  The home is being built by Payne Family Homes in Dardenne Prairie, Mo.  NECA contractor Branson Electric and IBEW will perform the electrical work.

The Electrical Connection IBEW/NECA team at the site of the St. Jude Dream Home, left to right, are Chris Clermont, IBEW Local 1 business representative; Pat Smyth, IBEW; Jeff Eckelkamp, field supervisor, Branson Electric; Marvin Beumer, partner, Branson Electric; and Joe Steinhoff, IBEW.

“We are always proud of the meticulous planning and work by our residential electrical contractors and IBEW workforce when building a home, but this one is truly special,” said Frank Jacobs, IBEW business manager.  “It will not only be a home with extras that deliver modern lifestyle needs, but it will support St. Jude’s critical research and treatment of childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.”

This is the eighth St. Jude Dream Home built by Payne Family Homes with the help of IBEW/NECA.  The eight-year-long charitable endeavor has raised more than $7.1 million locally for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. 

 “We are grateful to all of our vendors and partners like the Electrical Connection IBEW/NECA partnership who donate skills and services to deliver outstanding luxury living, optimizing the value of the St. Jude Dream Home giveaway” said Dawn Walter, director of marketing, Payne Family Homes. The home is built at zero cost to St. Jude with the generosity and support of sponsors, trade partners, and the local community. Every dollar raised goes straight to St. Jude for funding research and providing care.

 “It’s a beautiful home and features new electrical and communications technology that our NECA contractors excel at delivering, including a room dedicated to remote learning, working and connecting,” noted Doug Martin, executive vice president, St. Louis NECA. 

 The 2021 St. Jude Dream Home broke ground on January 28, 2021. It is located in the Inverness neighborhood at 106 Royal Inverness Pkwy in Dardenne Prairie.  The two-level, 4,060 square-foot-home will feature:

·         An in-home classroom or conference room to support work from home needs;

·         A main floor a home office, 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, kitchen, dining room and other living space;

·         A finished lower level featuring a home gym, recreation room including a wet bar with wine cellar, game area, full bath, safe room or vault, and the home schooling or work from home room.

·         A five-car garage featuring ‘The Dog House’.

·         A large screened porch on the rear of the home with a second, private screened porch off the owner’s suite; and

·         A doggy wash and pet care stations included on the main floor.

A total of 14,000 tickets will be offered to win the home for $100 each beginning on Thursday, June 10, 2021. To reserve a ticket, simply visit dreamhome.org or visit the St. Jude Dream Home page at paynefamilyhomes.com.  The winner of the 2021 St. Jude Dream Home will be announced live on KTVI Fox 2 News on Thursday, August 19, 2021.

Established as one of the Payne Family of companies in 2007, Payne Family Homes has quickly risen to be the St. Louis metro region's second largest homebuilder and recently was named one of the area’s fastest growing companies by the St. Louis Business Journal. With communities in some of the most desirable areas of St. Charles, St. Louis and northern Jefferson counties, Payne Family Homes builds memorable estate homes, condos, villas, townhomes, and single-family homes in nearly every price range. For more information, visit www.paynefamilyhomes.com or call 314-477-1218.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent, and we won’t stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude freely shares the discoveries it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook (facebook.com/stjude) and following us on Twitter (@stjude).

The Electrical Connection IBEW/NECA partnership more than 5,000 highly skilled and safe IBEW electricians and the more than 150 NECA electrical contractors who employ them.  For more than 75 years, the partnership has trained more electricians/communication technicians than any education program in Missouri. Its award-winning work provides safe and reliable electrical construction, maintenance, repair and replacement services across Missouri, the nation and the world. Learn more at www.electricalconnection.org.