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Unbridled Spirit

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By JAN HOLLINGSWORTH

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 14, 2008

LITHIA - Dude's Bronze Bonanza is used to banking a cool $1,250 for a roll in the hay with any number of comely, pedigreed mares.

Friday and Saturday, though, he and studly stable mate Heza Jet Playboy will offer their services to the highest bidder at a one-of-a-kind charity fundraiser at their Lithia farm.

Mike Holmes, horse trainer, breeder and publisher of Horse 'N Tack Magazine, the largest equine trade publication in Florida, is hosting a national yard sale, auction and benefit concert to help a former Pasco County man build a special home for his children.

Three of Greg and Diane McDougal's four children have been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, an inherited chronic disease that clogs the lungs and can lead to life-threatening infections.

Greg McDougal, a country singer and songwriter, has spent the past two years trying to raise enough money to build a home free of the mold and dust that aggravate the children's medical condition.

"The simple plan was and is to sell enough CDs at my Web site to build this special house," he said.

The Web site, www.ahousefor mykids.com, chronicles the family's struggle with the disease that has resulted in more than a dozen hospitalizations in the past two years. McDougal's CD, "The Work of a Carpenter," is a collection of "special songs God has given me over the years," he said.

Slowly, but surely, people have rallied around his cause. McDougal, who gave up his music career and turned to carpentry nine years ago after the birth of his first son, figures he needs $160,000 for the house he plans to build largely on his own.

"I plan to have my hands on every piece of it," he said. "I will need some help, and lots of really wonderful people have stepped up to say they will help once we start."

McDougal was born and raised in St. Petersburg and moved with his family to Darby, a Pasco community a few miles from the Bellamy Brothers' farm, while in high school.

He met his wife when he was performing in Pinellas County nightclubs. The couple married in July 1992 and moved three months later to Nashville.

"I was gonna be in the country music business," he said.

He got his first job writing songs in 1995. He felt his career was on its way when John Michael Montgomery recorded one of his songs, "I Can Prove You Wrong."

Then he hit the road with Stephanie Bentley, another singer-songwriter who wrote Faith Hill's monster hit "I Can Feel You Breathe."

"Things seemed to be on their way," he said.

Somewhere in the midst of recording and producing an album of his own, his first son, Jeffery, was born.

"We had never heard of cystic fibrosis," McDougal said.

As fate would have it, he and Diane carry the recessive cystic fibrosis gene.

"Once, you certainly don't ever imagine it would ever show up," he said. "Once, twice - and certainly not a third time."

The dreams of a career in country music vanished overnight.

"I went through some real soul-searching and had a real talk with God. Before I knew what was happening, I was out of the music business and at a construction site," he said.

Although the Web site contains a journal of the family's day-to-day trials, the McDougals prefer not to disclose which children have been diagnosed with the disease - and which one has not.

"We deal with what we have to when we have to," Greg McDougal said. "The rest of the time we're pretty doggone busy being Mommy, Daddy, two sons and two daughters."

In addition to Jeffery, now 9, there is Sean, 8; Katie, 6; and Grace, 3. The older children are able to read what is written about them, and their parents tread a fine line in trying to fulfill their mission while preserving what they can of the children's privacy.

"We're just trying to not have these children wear this like a T-shirt," he said. "To have it so clearly stated in black and white, for my wife and I, has been really something to wrestle with, for their sake."

Still, if not for McDougal's very public Internet campaign, the special house the children need - without carpeting and glues that off-gas formaldehyde, with a basement that doesn't leak and a high-filtration air-conditioning system - would not be possible.

McDougal has sold about 2,300 copies of "The Work of a Carpenter" over the past two years, netting $9 each after costs. Last month, a group called Samaritans First sponsored a concert fundraiser in Mount Juliet, Tenn., that raised $10,000 for the family's cause.

"Two years ago, we had no options. We were renting a modest place, had a couple of vehicles with lots of mileage," he said.

The family is still renting a modest place and has vehicles with lots of miles.

"But now, because of this project and the CD sales and so many people stepping up to want to help, it has brought us to this point, and we're amazed," McDougal said. "It's getting done."

The family has a deed to an acre in Mount Juliet, courtesy of some Florida businessmen who knew of the McDougal's project. The groundwork has been laid and permits pulled. McDougal is ready to start building - but not quite.

"The fever for getting this house built has continued to be pitched higher and higher with each hospital stay," he said.

Enter Mike and Denise Holmes, who met the McDougals about a year-and-a-half ago and learned of their quest.

"Our hearts just went out to them," Mike Holmes said.

The Lithia publisher and horseman decided it was time to Git R Dun.

That's what he has dubbed the fundraiser that he organized for Friday and Saturday, beginning with a yard sale each day, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. At 6 p.m. both days, McDougal and six other inspirational country artists will offer a free concert at the Holmes' 11-acre farm at 7818 Lithia-Pinecrest Road, near County Road 39.

At some point, Holmes will auction off the services of his prized quarter horse stallions, Western art, jewelry and other items donated to the cause, including a $700 watch and a harmonica signed by country singer Martina McBride.

"I'm really getting excited," said Denise Holmes as she assembled the incoming donations weeks before the event.

Holmes' horses have been evicted from the main barn to make room for shelving and thousands of items to be sold at the giant yard sale. There is a little of everything - from clothing and housewares to antiques and collectibles and lots of toys.

Another barn on the property is being set up for the concerts. Holmes has supplied hundreds of chairs but said he could use hundreds more.

"It will be standing room only - we pray," he said.

Singer Danny Ray Harris, who will share the bill with McDougal and others, spent a few days last month hauling boxes and breaking down stalls to prepare for the event.

"It's a real good cause," said Harris, who will be coming from Alabama.

Tommy Brandt, Inspirational Country Music's male vocalist of the year two years in a row, will play for the crowd, as well as Bill Mullis, The Wacaster Family, Chris Smith and Jayc Harold - all heavy-hitters in inspirational country music circles.

McDougal himself was nominated in three categories last year, finishing in the top five for an award won by country powerhouse Alan Jackson.

McDougal will be bringing his latest CD, "Try a Little Kindness," an album of duets recorded with the Bellamy Brothers, The Oak Ridge Boys, Tammy Cochran and Brandt.

The concerts will be available through a live Webcast at www.horsentack.com.

Donations can be made at the event or on the Horse 'N Tack Web site.

"The money raised in Lithia will be added to what we already have and will go a long way for construction loan approval and will help to ease the impact of the extra costs involved in building this house," McDougal said. "We are amazed at the stories about how individuals and businesses have stepped up to help with this event in Lithia."

Mike and Denise Holmes, he added, "have become like family to us."

Holmes also is encouraging people across the country to hold simultaneous Git R Dun yard sales, with proceeds going to A Home for My Kids Foundation.

"If enough people will band together for just one weekend, we can get this done," Holmes said.

McDougal said he's staggered by the outpouring of support.

"Because of how miraculous this whole thing has been in our lives, we're on a mission now," he said. "Once we get the house built, we're going to turn this into a nonprofit organization. We've got to pay that forward and help another family that's sitting there in a hospital with their kid."

IF YOU GO

Git R Dun

WHAT: Yard sale and concerts to benefit a family trying to build an allergen-free home for three children with cystic fibrosis

WHEN: Yard sale, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday; free concerts at 6 p.m. both days

WHERE: 7818 Lithia-Pinecrest Road, Lithia

INFORMATION: (813) 967-3046; www.horsentack.com; www .ahouseformykids.com

Reporter Jan Hollingsworth can be reached at (813) 865-4436 or jhollingsworth@tampatrib.com.

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