"THE house is perfect."
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That's the verdict of Virginia Bertolotti and her three children who this week have been the first family to stay in Fiona Lodge.
Virginia agreed to be the 'guinea pig' for the project and has spent this week with her three young children "just having time out".
"I really needed a break and this has been wonderful," she said.
"This community has done an excellent job and it will really make a difference to families.
"They've given lots of the families the break they really need."
Virginia is the mother of four children, a 16 year daughter and three younger children, Nathan, 6, Naomi, 4, and Brendan, 3.
Six years ago her son, Christopher, died six months after being diagnosed with severe aplastic anaemia.
Nathan was three when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and has been in an out of hospital for the last three years.
His treatment is finished and the family must now wait out the next five years to see if the cancer returns.
It's been tough for the family but they've been through every step together and spent many months in hospitals while Nathan underwent treatment.
They've only had each other because, while Nathan was being treated, he needed to be isolated from contact with other diseases.
This holiday is the beginning of getting out and mixing with other people, Virginia said.
There's no TV at Fiona Lodge and she said that had been a blessing because, with no house work to do, she and the children have spent hours playing games, going for walks and talking to each other.
For years all their money has been spent on travel from Canberra to Sydney for treatment, on the food Nathan required and other illness-related expenses.
"You'd never be able to afford a holiday in a place like this," she said.
In her official capacity as the very first guest, Virginia has been making lists about what could be improved, what doesn't work and what's missing.
It's the finer details - like can openers - that need to be added and the Fiona Lodge Committee is all ears while they try to make everything just perfect.
"It is, it really is just perfect," said Virginia.
In every production, every event, every project there are quiet achievers whose contribution is essential to success - but who are sometimes never publicly acknowledged.
Fiona Lodge would never have been possible without the significant number of quiet achievers, says Graham McGillivray from the Fiona Lodge Committee.
Among them are Bruce and Anne Reid and their staff from Bay Removals.
From day one they have been the official fetch and carry team, their biggest job being the transporting of the sandstone from Bundanoon to the site at Rosedale.
They've transported materials, moved grand pianos for fundraising events and provided muscles for some of the bigger jobs - all without any fuss or need for recognition.
The same goes for Geoff and Sandra Cates at Vision windows. When their friend Des Phillips first mentioned the project they gave unconditional support and have been busy throughout the project, even up until this week fitting screens to the windows of the house for the first visitors.
They provided products at the best possible price and were on site repeatedly re-fitting an re-sizing the windows which are one of the house's most spectacular feature.
Dominic McClelland from KC's Betta Electrical is a supporter of almost every charity in town but has been particularly generous where Fiona Lodge is involved, said Graham.
He sourced all the white goods and appliances through his suppliers for both duplex houses and his contribution can be values in the thousands of dollars.
He's been at every fundraiser and never asked for anything in return.
He has been matched in generosity and sheer hard work by Peter Halkett from Broulee Electrical and Hugh McInally from TLE who have electrically wired the entire building at next to no cost.
For 18 months prior to building starting, they started convincing suppliers to come on board and saved the project thousands and thousands of dollars.
"You couldn't really put a value of what these guys have done," said Graham.
When the project's plumber dies tragically early last year Bill Lenehan came out of retirement to finish the job and the committee could not have been more grateful.
He probably didn't realise what a big job it was going to be but stuck it out until the end.
"Mentioning these people in no way diminishes the efforts of the hundreds of people who have contributed to Fiona Lodge," said Graham.
"These are just a few of the people who deserve great credit for their generosity and without whom the project would not have been possible."