WBTV breaks ground on 8th St. Jude Dream Home

UNION COUNTY, N.C. (WBTV) - The 8th St. Jude Dream Home campaign at WBTV is officially underway!

WBTV broke ground on the home in Monroe with Dream Home Builder Jeff Newton of Newton Custom Homes and Realty, and several key sponsors and supporters like Lynn Knowles of Ashlely HomeStore, Sarah Lee of 96.9 The Kat and the developer of the neighborhood where the home will be built, Scott Merritt.

The home is valued at $425,000 and is being built in the new Sabella Estates neighborhood on Sincerity Road.

The 4-bedroom, 3 bath home will also have a study, bonus room, screened backed porch and many custom features.

“It’s like every year tops the year before, and this year will, too,” said builder Jeff Newton. “We’re going to have custom cabinets and countertops and just incredible moldings and hardwood floors and all these bells and whistles… all our national sponsors with Brizo fixtures, and Train HVAC equipment and Shaw Flooring and Bosch Appliances-- stainless steel. This house will be tricked out. It will be awesome!”

While we know Jeff Newton and his team of sponsors will go all out, the Dream Home campaign is always about the kids and families treated at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

This year Jeff is dedicating the Dream Home to 5 year-old Charlotte boy Jennings Palmer who was just recently diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia for the second time in his young life.

“When you’re in a situation like that, when you’re a family in a situation like that- you cling to hope,” said Newtown who says his heart breaks for the Palmer family. “We want to project that with what we do. We want people to understand that there is hope, and we want to help provide that hope by raising money for the researchers that do the research that find the cures that people hope for.”

Jennings was first treated at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in 2017 and is back at the hospital now for treatment now. His mom, dad and other siblings are also living near the hospital. St. Jude never charges a family for treatment, travel, housing or food.

Jennings and so many other young children facing pediatric cancer is why WBTV will ask you to reserve your ticket in mid-July for your chance to win the 2021 Dream Home.

You helped us sell out 20,000 tickets in seven days and raise more than $2 million last year, and we’re hoping to raise even more this year. Just 22,500 tickets will be sold in hopes of raising $2.25 million for St. Jude!

Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to more than 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago.

Stay with WBTV as we follow Jennings’ story, and the stories of other families impacted by the work being done at St. Jude every day.

If you’re interested in purchasing a 2x4 that will be used in to build the home, you can visit www.stjude.org/newtoncustomhomes. You can also add a donation on the website, and support construction of the home by being a part of Jeff Newton’s 1,000 for $100. Newton says usually he holds fundraisers to help offset the supplies for building the home. Because of the pandemic, he is raising money virtually. He says if he can get 1,000 people to donate $100, it will go a long way in aiding with construction of the 2021 Dream Home.

We’ll also be providing updates on construction of the home in Monroe and how you can have a chance to win it or other great prizes.

Copyright 2021 WBTV. All rights reserved.