Mueller donates 4,000 square-foot building to Azleway Substance Abuse Program in Big Sandy

BIG SANDY, Texas (KLTV) - Construction work is underway on a new addition to the Azleway Substance Abuse Program in Big Sandy.

The building is being donated by Mueller Inc, which manufacturers custom steel buildings. The company donates one building each year to a nonprofit organization in Texas.

Azleway Executive Director Chester Amidon said Azleway was chosen out of hundreds of applicants.

The building is 4,000 square-feet, and Amidon tells us it will be used to house vocational training programs, including welding, woodworking and graphic design.

“This just opens up marvelous opportunities," Amidon said. "The guys coming into this program are in an intense substance abuse treatment program, and this will give them skills that they can take out and get a job and get a footing in their lives.”

Mueller first started donating buildings in 2008 as a way to help people suffering from the recession. The idea came from Bob Phillips with Texas Country Reporter, a show sponsored by Mueller.

“Right as the recession, hit the people at Mueller, who’ve been sponsoring our show said ‘you know, we’d like to do something to help people,' and I came up with this idea and said, ‘well, you build these beautiful big buildings. Why don’t you just give one away to help a nonprofit?'” Phillips said. “Nonprofits are the ones who really suffer during any kind of recession or anything like what we’ve been going through this year.”

Construction will continue for the next few days and Azleway will get the keys Saturday.

“Twelve years ago now, we gave away a building and we’ve been giving away a building every year since, and we believe we’ve helped a lot of people to help a lot more people and that’s what it’s all about,” Phillips said. “This particular building is going to be used to teach trades to some at-risk teenage boys. They’ve been in a little trouble with drugs, and they’re being given a chance to really makes something of their lives.”

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