|
|
Recent ProjectsRecent Donations - ASPE Lee Schnell, Executive Director, is shown receiving a donation from Brenda Ledbetter, Past President of the Houston Chapter of the American Society of Professional Estimators.
State Farm In September, State Farm gave $5,000 toward a build, and several volunteers helped to raise walls on the Guerra House.
Willowbrook Mall Partnership In mid-May Willowbrook Mall partnered with Habitat NWHC as part of a program titled Family Portraits. Habitat built the frame of a house and had hand-outs and literature available to pick up. The Mall promoted the event throughout Willowbrook and provided cookies shaped like houses for kids to decorate and balloon animals. The event generated donations and a number of potential new Habitat volunteers. We look forward to future partnership events with our Highway 249 neighbor.
Clergy Build Day On May 3rd, 2007 we held our annual Clergy Build Day at the Hampton Place Build site in Tomball. Every year we invite ministers and their staffs to spend a morning getting a very ‘hands-on’ feel for what the Habitat experience is all about. This year about 25 church leaders, along with a half dozen of our regular volunteers, took part in the event. As you can see from the photos, houses were being built, and a ‘few’ stories were being told.
Strudler Community Center at Cherie Cove Dedication - On Saturday March 3, 2007 there was a formal dedication ceremony for the new Robert Strudler Community Center at Cherie Cove. Among the speakers were Pastor David Tart from Hosanna Lutheran Church, Clark Baker President of Houston YMCA, Wade Wilson past ED for Habitat NWHC, the Reverend John Crawford of Northwoods Presbyterian Church, and Cherie Cove homeowner Denise Chinn-Caldwell. In addition to the formal program the Cypress Creek YMCA provided games, activities, and lunch for families in the community during the afternoon. The YMCA will begin programs at the new facility the first week of June. Dick & Betty Canpbell reviewing the donor board at the new community center:
YMCA volunteers getting instructions before starting construction:
Bob Young leads the YMCA volunteers in raising the first wall:
Clark Baker, President of YMCA of Greater Houston speaks at the dedication program.
Ribbon Cutting at the Strudler Community Center Dedication:
Dedication activities for the Strudler Community Center:
Classroom Naming - The two classrooms at the new Cherie Cove Community Center were recently named in honor of Bessie McKinney and Leland Seaman as a Thank You for the generous donations by their families to Habitat. In a brief ceremony on Sunday April 22 plates were unveiled and the families and their guests had a chance to tour the new facility and hear about its purpose. It’s only through the on-going support of partners such as these that Habitat is able to assist families in need of decent affordable housing.
2007 ToolBox Bash NWHC’s second annual ToolBox Bash was a wonderful, fun filled night of great food, good music, bargains among the many donated auction items, and well deserved recognition for a number of important Habitat supporters. With major sponsorship from ABC Pest, Pool & Lawn Services and other support from Caldwell-Watson Real Estate, Amegy Bank, Prudential Gary Greene and British Airways the February event at Shirley Acres proved to be a smashing success. Among those honored that evening were Bob Young who received the Golden Hammer award for his long time contributions to Habitat and Merit Millwork as Supplier/Sub Contractor of the Year for the valuable contributions they have made to help families in need of decent housing. The many hours of hard work by the TBB Committee allowed the event to raise enough money to fund one entire Habitat house in 2007. Lara Knight, MC, at the Nail Hammering Contest.
Gary Akin, Affiliate past president, coaches Raleigh Jenkins from ABC Pest
NWHC Board President Carla Ehlers and husband Tim at the 2007 Bash:
Youth House In the fall of 2006 the youth of Harris County joined together for the annual Youth House build to provide a new home for the Paula Hernandez family. Over the sixteen weeks it too to construct the home more than 250 young people helped in the construction. Getting ready to raise walls at the 2006 Youth Build house:
Dedication of the fall 2006 Youth Build House build with Paula Hernandez:
Ruth Lemmon, Family Sponsor, Willie Gentry with Houston Food Bank & Hernandez Family:
Fall Disciple Build In 1989 Habitat Northwest Harris County was organized by 12 area churches. The faith community continues to be an important part of our success. With the wall raising on September 23, 2006 members of Heritage Presbyterian, Cypress Creek Christian, St. Ignatius, Truevine Baptist, Metropolitan Baptist, Klein UMC, and Holy Spirit Episcopal joined together to fund and build a house in partnership with Habitat and the Lavallies family. With plenty of prayers, sweat, and a few sore muscles the house was completed and Hope and her daughter moved in the first of the year. Dedication of the Hope Lavallies home:
Lavallies presented with Sampler from Shannon Shock:
Terry Smith, family sponsor, congratulates the Lavallies family at their home dedication:
Lennar Blitz Build A normal Habitat build consists of building two days a week and usually takes about 16 weeks to complete. However, on occasion we get involved in a Blitz Build where the concept is to build an entire house in 7 to 10 days working every day. In October of 2006 we completed the Cherie Cove sub-division when the folks at Lennar Homes built the last two houses in just one week. By combining their employees with their suppliers and sub-contractors they were able to start with a bare slab and only a few days later have two homes ready to be dedicated and occupied. With the completion of these homes Lennar built ten homes for Habitat in the Cherie Cove development. Special Olympic athletes taking part in the Blitz Build:
Ribbon cutting for the Selman home:
Global Village trip to Copan, Honduras in August 2006 A team of 13 volunteers went to Santa Rosa de Copan, Honduras for a 5 day build session in August 2006. The team, consisting of of 10 women and 3 men, astounded local organizers when in one and a half days they completed what local organizers had expected would take the entire week to accomplish. Over the five work days the team basically tore down a dilapidated home and rebuilt a new home for a young family of three. The team and owners in front of the home before demolition.
Bill Deerhake, Bob Young and Pat Hill work with the homeowner and local tradesman to rebuild the kitchen.
Kelly O'Brien, Mike Livergood, Bill Deerhake, Jeanne Ardoin and Bob Young take a quick roadside breakfast on a well deserved R&R day.
The local children were curious and very eager to help. Team Leader Linda Frederick and volunteer Corey Helm take a break with a local charmer.
Kelly O'Brien relaxes.
Watch for future details about NWHC's summer of 2008 Global Village Build Mission.
|
