Texas Rangers pitcher Cole Hamels wasn't able to move into his dream Missouri mansion- so he gave it to a children's charity just in time for Christmas.

Hamels, 33, and his wife, Heidi, announced Monday they are donating their $9.75million mansion and 100 acres of land in southwest Missouri to a charity that provides camps for children with special needs and chronic illnesses and their siblings.

The 32,000-square foot home will be donated to Camp Barnabas.

'Seeing the faces, hearing the laughter, reading the stories of the kids they serve; there is truly nothing like it,' Hamels said in a release from Hamels Foundation. 'Barnabas makes dreams come true, and we felt called to help them in a big way.'

The mansion and land is near Table Rock Lake near Reeds Springs. Heidi grew up in Buffalo, Missouri.

The Springfield News-Leader reports an attorney for the couple said they thought the mansion would be their dream home.

The unfinished home has 10-bedrooms, 19-bathrooms and sits on a lake in the Ozark mountains.

The massive property boasts more than 1,700 feet of shoreline along Table Rock Lake.

When Hamels was traded to the Rangers, they moved to Texas and never moved into the Missouri house.

The Hamels started to build the mansion in 2012 and listed it in August of this year, although it is unclear when they took the mansion off the market.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new...mansion-charity.html

That is an amazing gift. That is a guy and his bride that get it. I have seen him interviewed a couple of times. Been impressed by him watching those.

God Bless him.

Nice tax deduction.

Class act.

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
Nice tax deduction.

Sour grapes, as usual.

quote:

Originally posted by PowerSurge:

quote:

Originally posted by RHINOWSO:
Nice tax deduction.

Sour grapes, as usual.

Humor.

quote:

Sour grapes, as usual.

Yep, our lil' ray of sunshine
It's not his fault. He can't help himself.

Very cool. Yes, tax deduction...so they are only out of pocket about 6.5 million?

Amazing gift indeed but..

Why does one need nearly twice as many bathrooms in the house than there are bedrooms?

It was subject to a dispute with the builder claiming shoddy construction and all sorts of problems. Still a nice gift but this more of making lemonade out of lemons

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:
Amazing gift indeed but..

Why does one need nearly twice as many bathrooms in the house than there are bedrooms?

Parties, guests. And now, a group home! Personally, I like having a daytime bathroom and an evening bathroom.

Without guests walking through bedrooms, 100 people (going off TABLE P-701 — MINIMUM NUMBER OF PLUMBING FIXTURES) you want six toilets plus a urinal. 101 people, it goes to 9 water closets and two urinals.

Comfort and privacy have its price. As far as the tax break, there's nothing wrong with a tax break, nothing wrong with mentioning it. It is a very nice tax break. In itself the tax break does not diminish from their generosity unless you're splitting hairs of a few millions.

Wow, what a nice chunk of land!

This mansion is just up the road from my parents place.

There had been plans to make it a spa and a winery, but the property is not zoned for commercial property.

My family liked to joke about buying it for ourselves.

That place is beautiful.

I saw this story on the local news and the place looked unbelievable. It got me wondering how a charity can pay the taxes on a place like that let alone the upkeep. Table Rock lake is awesome!

Why on earth would a married couple need a 32,000 square foot home?????????

As someone who's followed MLB for many years, I can tell you without hesitation, Cole Hamels is top drawer when it comes to class. Only the magnitude of this gift surprises me. Mr. and Mrs. Hamels have been involved with a number of charities for quite some time, and have done a great deal of good for a great many people. Perhaps the NFL players should take a lesson from the Hamels on how to improve the lives of others.

Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Hamels for a very gracious gift.

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Originally posted by 1s1k:
I saw this story on the local news and the place looked unbelievable. It got me wondering how a charity can pay the taxes on a place like that let alone the upkeep. Table Rock lake is awesome!

I don't know about MO, but in CA, a nonprofit that owns and uses a property for charitable purposes consistent with its mission can apply for an exemption to the property tax.

Not only does his family do a lot of good for the local people, his wife (and him I assume) are HUGE animal advocates. When he was in philly they attended many spica events, donated time/money/stuff to auction. Total class act family all around.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we had more people like this, helping the truly needy, and fewer wasteful government welfare programs?