Kate's Place is on Long Lake in Harrison, Maine.
For several weeks throughout the summer,
families who have been affected by Spinal Muscular Atrophy enjoy the vacation home at no cost to them. This fairly wheelchair
accessible home has been a wonderful getaway for the nearly 20 families who have visited the home over
the past four years.
Kate's Place was created in honor of Kate Pecora who lives with
SMA type III. Kate is the granddaughter of Butch and Sue Fransen. They are aware of the many stresses that SMA families endure.
Their hope is that they can offer families (both kids and adults) a time and place to relax, have fun and make some memories
while leaving their troubles at home.
Facts About Kate's Place:
-
There is a ramped entrance into the house.
-
There are 3 bedrooms and one loft. One bedroom is located on the first
floor. There is one king-size bed, one queen-size bed, one full-size bed and one set of bunk beds.
-
There are two full bathrooms, one on each floor. (Please note:
Both bathrooms have a tub/shower unit and are not built to meet today's accessibility requirements. However, the
families that have visited Kate's Place have not noted any difficulties with the bathrooms. Please inquire
if you have any questions.)
-
The large, fully-equipped kitchen is open to the family room.
-
The house has air conditioning.
-
Access to a generator is available if needed.
-
There is cable TV with a DVD player.
-
WiFi access is available.
-
There is a large deck overlooking the lake and grassy play area. A
gas grill is available for your use.
-
There is a washer and dryer also available for your use.
The house is located in Harrison, Maine. It is about 45 minutes from
North Conway, NH. It is also about 45 minutes away from the city of Portland. There are many fun, family-centered
activities in the area. Please inquire for additional information.
A random drawing is held in March to give several families each one week at Kate's
Place. There is no charge for this week (a value of $1,500 to $2,000) but families are responsible for all other
costs - food, travel, etc. Except for service animals, pets are not allowed.
PLEASE NOTE: Kate's Place is not responsible
for providing transportation to and from the home.
Qualifications for applicants:
Individuals must be living with SMA or have
an immediate family member who has lost their battle with SMA.
We are accepting names to be put into the drawing from
now until March 16th. The drawing will be held on March 17th. For additional questions, please
contact Kristine Pecora at the contact info listed below.
