Local News - November 2003

Churches bring forces together

Built on faith

By AMY WADSWORTH, Staff Writer

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Ten churches have come together for the same goal, to build a home for a family in need.

Our Towns Habitat for Humanity is constructing its first Interfaith Build Home in Mooresville. The event will be the organization’s 84th home in the Lake Norman area.

The home is being built for the Reid family, a family of four who currently live in a trailer in Statesville. Once complete the house will have three bedrooms and two baths.

“They are in a situation where they need a better living situation,” said Terry Laney, executive director for Our Towns Habitat for Humanity. “They purchased a trailer eight years ago for $800.”

Laney said in the winter the family has to move into one room in order to stay warm. The room is heated by a kerosene heater.

The Reid’s new home will take 2,500 hours to complete. In return, the family will provide 300 hours of “sweat equity” labor while working on their house and houses of others during the next four months.

Laney said the idea for the ten churches to help build a house started at a meeting at St. Mark Catholic Church in Huntersville in April of 2002.

“St. Mark Catholic wanted to start the project but could not afford it,” Laney said. “They brought up the idea to some other churches and the idea mushroomed from there.”

The project began in October and will be complete in February 2004. Its location is on Leonard Street in the new Eddy Place Habitat development. The development is being named after Henry Eddy, a volunteer with Habitat who has been helping for 15 years.

The cost of the project is $66,500 and also includes the construction of three houses in Guatemala.

Laney was one of the volunteers who went to Guatemala in February 2003.

He said their idea of a home is very safe and simple.

“The houses there are built on concrete blocks,” he said. “Some of the houses have electricity and they do not have inside plumbing.”

Laney said it took going to Guatemala for him to realize that the impact of a new home on a family in Guatemala is the same impact of a new home on a family here.

“The children were all smiles to see their new rooms in Guatemala,” he said. “It all overwhelmed us to see the family having an opportunity to sink its roots.”

Dick Mahoney, house leader for the Interfaith Build said this is a wonderful project to be involved in.

“The focus and dedication is heartwarming,” he said. “It is human beings at their best.”

Mahoney, of Cornelius has been volunteering with Habitat for five years.

He has also had the opportunity to go to Guatemala to assist with the house builds.

“The houses they live in there down there are basically shacks made out of bamboo with mud,” he said. “They experience a lot of earthquakes there and need a house that will not shake down.”

Mahoney said making a house out of cinder blocks and cement floors is a palace to them.

He said the whole project is a great thing to do.

“It is so community oriented and healthy,” he said. “It is a win win situation.”

Habitat will construct the Interfaith home every Saturday until February 2004 or the completion date.

Habitat will also be constructing a Santa’s House at Birkdale Village. Teen volunteers will be building it on Nov. 8 and 15. Keys will be turned over to Santa on Nov. 29.

The proceeds will go toward a real Habitat home in Mooresville, built by local youth beginning in April 2004.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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