A Lincoln business and its employees are helping get a ’boutique on wheels’ off the ground.A converted school bus will deliver new clothes and school supplies for foster care kids across the state.It’s been a dream of Leigh Esau for years. She is the executive director of the Foster Care Closet in Lincoln.Over the last 16 years, the closet taken donations to help provide abused and neglected kids get new, name brand clothing and shoes for free.”We want our families and our kids to feel like they’re shopping with dignity,” Esau said.Esau said they could see the need was statewide including the Omaha-metro.”We get calls from everywhere,” Esau said.The nonprofit organization opened another closet in Kearney and are planning one in Omaha, but that’s not enough.”No, really, we need to get a bus, and we need to be able to take our closet on the road to any community,” Esau said.Three years ago, a donor gave them an old school bus from Kansas.Then, they went to Lincoln-based Duncan Aviation to see if they could take the project to another level.”Duncan Aviation is good with tubes with wings, could you help us with a rectangle, rectangle with wheels,” said Jason Duhs, Duncan’s Airframe Service Sales representative. The internationally-known custom jet designer climbed aboard.”They like to support the community. So to be a part of this is pretty special,” said Carie Bruss, a designer at Duncan. But then COVID-19 hit.”We were shut down, and we had to take a little bit of a break from working on the project. We couldn’t get materials,” Bruss said. Now, the project is off the ground. Duncan donated equipment and parts to fix up the engine and give a new look.”This is a normal paint scheme that would go on an aircraft,” said Duncan finish team leader Chris Nelson.Dozens of Duncan employees donated 1,000 hours of their own spare time gutting the interior.”We have all kinds of shelving in here for clothing, school bags,” Bruss said. “We’re going to have a dressing room and here we’re going to have a little sitting area.”The finished interior will have wooden floors, flashy lights and a big screen TV.”To kind of give it a boutique look in here,” Bruss said. Duncan employees put in the same expertise and flair they would in celebrity and corporate jets.”So that the kiddos didn’t think they were just walking onto a school bus that they’re walking into something special,” Bruss said.Esau said she is humbled by Duncan’s work.”Obviously, Duncan Aviation as an international business, they’re going to bring their best to the table,” Esau said. And something special for kids and families who need it more than ever. “Prices are now really hurting people in the pocketbook. There are people who are off of work for long periods of time due to COVID and those financial pressures for everybody adds up,” Esau said.A GoFundMe has been set up to raise the $15,000 needed for a air conditioning and heating to complete the bus.Esau hopes to have the bus rolling by the start of school this fall.
A Lincoln business and its employees are helping get a ’boutique on wheels’ off the ground.
A converted school bus will deliver new clothes and school supplies for foster care kids across the state.
It’s been a dream of Leigh Esau for years. She is the executive director of the Foster Care Closet in Lincoln.
Over the last 16 years, the closet taken donations to help provide abused and neglected kids get new, name brand clothing and shoes for free.
“We want our families and our kids to feel like they’re shopping with dignity,” Esau said.
Esau said they could see the need was statewide including the Omaha-metro.
“We get calls from everywhere,” Esau said.
The nonprofit organization opened another closet in Kearney and are planning one in Omaha, but that’s not enough.
“No, really, we need to get a bus, and we need to be able to take our closet on the road to any community,” Esau said.
Three years ago, a donor gave them an old school bus from Kansas.
Then, they went to Lincoln-based Duncan Aviation to see if they could take the project to another level.
“Duncan Aviation is good with tubes with wings, could you help us with a rectangle, rectangle with wheels,” said Jason Duhs, Duncan’s Airframe Service Sales representative.
The internationally-known custom jet designer climbed aboard.
“They like to support the community. So to be a part of this is pretty special,” said Carie Bruss, a designer at Duncan.
But then COVID-19 hit.
“We were shut down, and we had to take a little bit of a break from working on the project. We couldn’t get materials,” Bruss said.
Now, the project is off the ground. Duncan donated equipment and parts to fix up the engine and give a new look.
“This is a normal paint scheme that would go on an aircraft,” said Duncan finish team leader Chris Nelson.
Dozens of Duncan employees donated 1,000 hours of their own spare time gutting the interior.
“We have all kinds of shelving in here for clothing, school bags,” Bruss said. “We’re going to have a dressing room and here we’re going to have a little sitting area.”
The finished interior will have wooden floors, flashy lights and a big screen TV.
“To kind of give it a boutique look in here,” Bruss said.
Duncan employees put in the same expertise and flair they would in celebrity and corporate jets.
“So that the kiddos didn’t think they were just walking onto a school bus that they’re walking into something special,” Bruss said.
Esau said she is humbled by Duncan’s work.
“Obviously, Duncan Aviation as an international business, they’re going to bring their best to the table,” Esau said.
And something special for kids and families who need it more than ever.
“Prices are now really hurting people in the pocketbook. There are people who are off of work for long periods of time due to COVID and those financial pressures for everybody adds up,” Esau said.
A GoFundMe has been set up to raise the $15,000 needed for a air conditioning and heating to complete the bus.
Esau hopes to have the bus rolling by the start of school this fall.
