Slack reminisces about the various work groups, which are often teams from area businesses and churches.  “When I think back on the different projects – what comes to mind is the unique experience of each group. We had a team from General Dynamics working on a tall building.  We needed to get a roof on and had to contend with telephone wires on a corner lot – I can still see those men – inexperienced builders - standing on the edges of the outside frame literally guiding the crane and the trusses into place.  They were having a ball, laughing the whole time, and did the whole thing in one day. Visiting Nurses Association brings in wonderful women who do painting and sanding.  Then there are the different church groups in Burlington who also provide marvelous food for their crews.”

Jane Stickney is part of the Family Support team at Habitat.  Their tasks are to set up classes in financing, budgeting and home mortgage, and to support the family in meeting their sweat equity obligations.  Stickney is also a long-time Board member, and has attended many house dedications.  House dedication is a time-honored ritual at Habitat, bringing the volunteer efforts for that project to closure, signifying the completion of the house and the dedication to the owner family. It is a big event attended by the family and their friends, volunteers, and Board members.

“A dedication that stands out in my mind was that of a family from Bosnia.  Our usual custom is a Christian-oriented ceremony, though we are open to whatever a family chooses.  This family spoke in their native language, and in prayer position bestowed a Muslim blessing on their home.  For me, that was so different and fascinating culturally. Whenever I drive by their house, that memory comes back to me.”

Holly Jones lives in a Habitat built home with her daughters Kimberly and Megan, and recalls the building of her house. “It was a fabulous experience, from the very first Saturday we started to the end.  I got to know all the volunteers as friends. They all signed the beams – even Governor Douglas, even the kids over at Burlington Tech who helped cut them – and when I sit in my living room I think about the hands that built my house and I feel them all here.”

“My son helped with our sweat equity and was on the steep pitched roof many times. I brought snacks and hot chocolate on cold rainy days and my cousins and friends of our family all helped. It’s amazing to get to know this network of friends, and how exciting it is for me to thank them. And it made a difference to them to get to know the people who would be living in the house.  The people we met at Habitat will be friends forever.

I know that every nail in this house was hammered by someone’s hand, and people who have never done this work before – there was a sorority who was climbing and getting up on the roof – they were being challenged in ways they never had before.

And on top of all that – it’s energy efficient.  Habitat installed energy efficient light bulbs and a gas furnace, and alerted me to a grant for extra insulation – which I got -- and doubled the insulation.  The heating bills are very reasonable.  And perhaps one of the best things is knowing that this house will stay in our family as long as we want – that is important to me. I don’t have to worry about my girls having a place to live.”