Every time Steven Pyeatt and his wife drive down Slater Avenue, they see the vacant brown structure that used to house a family.

Since a fire ravaged the home three years ago, the frame of the house has been rebuilt. But a lawsuit over the structure’s foundation left reconstruction on the rest of the house dormant until recently.

The unfinished house reminds Pyeatt what happened the night of July 16, 2006, when the family – including 28-year-old Olga Milkin, her sons Andrew, 5 and Justin, 3; and her sister, Lyubov Botvina, 24 – was stabbed to death.

Conner Schierman, who is on trial for the killings, later admitted to police that he doused the home and bodies in gasoline and set them on fire to hide the crime, prosecutors say.

“We go by on the anniversary and see the memorial and the house still hasn’t been finished,” said Pyeatt, who has family ties to the Milkin family.

When Pyeatt read the Jan. 6 story in the Reporter about the tragedy, he decided he couldn’t sit back any longer.

Pyeatt is mobilizing the community in an effort to rebuild the Milkin home.

“My parents were raised at a time where if your neighbor’s barn burned down you pitched in and helped rebuild it,” said Pyeatt, who helped lead the group Save Our Sonics. “Just because we live in a more modern time that should still be the way we go about things. This is what the Kirkland, I remember, was like.”

He also described the recent police killings and the fact that Olga’s husband, National Guard Sgt. Leonid Milkin, was serving in Iraq when his family was killed.

“I believe it is all interconnected – people who serve their country don’t deserve things like this.”

Pyeatt has already contacted several people in the Kirkland community who have agreed to help, including Greg Steele, vice president of Mid Mountain Contractors, Inc.

“Our company is not a homebuilder, but I have told Steve I will help personally,” said Steele, who noted he will help with construction supervision. “I think it is a fantastic way to help with the pain.”

Pyeatt has also contacted Mike Nykriem of Kirkland Builders group, and Kirkland residents Michele Yousef and Toby Nixon, who have expressed interest in helping.

“Toby is one of the most connected folks in the community and he is now Fire Commissioner,” said Pyeatt. “This seemed to hit (the firefighters in the area) as bad as if they lost one of their own.”

Nixon, who is the newly elected commissioner for King County Fire Protection District 41, said he would be happy to rally volunteers through his community contacts and would let the local firefighter unions know about the project.

“I think a lot of people will want to help,” added Nixon, who attended the family’s memorial service after the incident.

And a lot of volunteers are needed for the effort, which will include landscaping, fence and deck work, garage repairs and finishing touches inside the house.

Pyeatt hopes to see various groups from the community step up to help, such as the Kirkland Kiwanis and Rotary organizations, local hardware stores, caterers to feed volunteers and companies who could donate equipment and material.

The effort will also require funding. Pyeatt has set up various ways for people to donate funds, including an account at Sterling Savings Bank. He has also created the “Milkin House” Facebook account where people can sign up to volunteer and track the progress. For more information on any of the accounts, e-mail Pyeatt at milkinhouse@gmail.com.

“Sometimes people in the community feel that if they participate and help out they can get closure too,” said Pyeatt, adding, “It would be nice to see that when the trial is over, and Schierman is convicted, that the house is done and Lenny can move on with his life.”

Pyeatt is looking to start the project in early March as contractors are currently repairing the foundation of the house.

Leonid Milkin said he is grateful to the community for their support.

“I really appreciate what the people are doing for me and I’m going to gratefully accept it on behalf of my family to honor my family,” he said Sunday afternoon while speaking to the Reporter in front of his Kirkland home.

He said he was at war when his family was killed, “but they were in the rear supporting me so I could do my job to protect my country. In my mind, in my heart, I feel like I was at war but yet they paid the ultimate price and I couldn’t have done anything without them. I think they deserve to be honored.”

Before he went to Iraq, Milkin spoke with Olga about what would happen if he was killed in war.

“We agreed she would move on,” he said. “I know for certain that Olga would want me to rebuild my life and move on. I know nothing would make them happier than to see me recover from this and be happy and move on.”

Olga bought the couple’s first home while Milkin was serving in Iraq. She renovated the tear-down property in time to surprise her high school sweetheart when he visited his family on leave.

“I’m very attached to this property because this is where I’ve been the most happiest with my family,” said Milkin, who would be celebrating his 11th anniversary with Olga this week. “This is where the best couple years of my life were, where I was happy with my family, with my kids playing there in the backyard, swimming in the lake and having friends over.”

He added he is very thankful to the community, especially to the Kirkland Fire and Police departments for their support following the tragedy.

“I’m truly touched by how people have responded,” said Milkin. “It gives me strength and it feels like the burden I’m carrying is not just my own burden. It gives me hope.”

How to help

A “Milkin House Fund” account is set up at Sterling Savings Bank. Donate in person at the branch, or via mail to: 230 Main Street, Kirkland, WA 98033. Reference “Milkin House Fund” and account No. 59980279836.

Also, follow the progress of the project on the “Milkin House” Facebook account.

To volunteer, email Steve Pyeatt at milkinhouse@gmail.com

Editor Carrie Wood contributed to this report.