From the Executive Director - Seneca Habitat for Humanity
Transcription
From the Executive Director - Seneca Habitat for Humanity
Seneca Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors Dick Wyka— President Tammy Sessions— 1st Vice-President Bernard Hohman— 2nd Vice-President Larry Clausing— Treasurer Hank Frey— Assistant Treasurer Bonnie Boroff— Recording Secretary Faye Lyon— Corresponding Secretary Dan Galaba Robert Overholt Carol Hammer David Kimmel Extreme Build 2013 At the end of the first Extreme Build in July of 2012, Rich Zeis asked our director, Joe Swora, if he wanted to do it again. Joe replied, “Absolutely.” With that, the first groundwork had been laid for the 2013 Extreme Build, which occurred on Saturday, November 8 from sunrise to sundown. The goal—to complete the exterior of the home (without siding) in approximately 12 hours. Once again, the Seneca County Home Builders’ Association, along with Seneca Habitat’s Senior Builders, volunteers from Tiffin University, Heidelberg University, Sentinel Career and Technology Center, and many more answered the call to work on the home that will be at 258 Third Avenue. And while the project fell slightly short of goal, getting the amount of work done on the home positioned Seneca Habitat’s builders and volunteers to continue doing interior work on the unit through the winter. Just as it was with the first Extreme Build, the day was filled with hard work from builders, volunteers, and partner families, all contributing towards a great cause— helping provide a new partner family with a safe, decent, and affordable home. Georgia Reed Lynne Cartwright New Homes, New Partner Families Charlene Watkins Richard Zeis Emily Kizer Ruth Metcalf Teresa Miller Ronald Ruffing Seneca Habitat has had a busy year, and we’re pleased to say that it’s been a good one. First off, 252 Third Avenue was closed on for ownership by Challie Briihl and her family in August of 2013. This amazing threebedroom home yet again shows the hard work that our builders and volunteers put into each project. Next, we welcomed two new partner families. Tina and Robert Newman and their children will be the owners of 258 Third Avenue, the focus of this year’s Extreme Build, and we anticipate their home will be done sometime in the summer of 2014. We also welcomed Kisha Reuter, Steven Kopp, and their children into the Habitat family. We anticipate starting construction on their Third Avenue home sometime in the summer of 2014, and we look forward to working with them! Page 2 From the Executive Director This might be a longer-than-usual blurb from me than you’re accustomed to reading in our end-of-the-year newsletter, but as 2013 winds down and we begin looking forward to next year, I’d like to spend what I think is the appropriate amount of time (or space) to recollect and recognize some of what’s happened this year, especially over the past few months. And as I sit here writing this in early December, my memory is going back almost a year and a half to the summer of 2012. Specifically, I’m thinking of the end of the day at our 2012 Extreme Build, which was held in July of that year. The long and short of it—together with the Seneca County Home Builders’ Association, we were able to get the exterior of 252 Third Avenue completed in 12 hours. It was a ridiculously amazing event to watch unfold and be part of, and even now, I’m still in awe of it. Anyway, at the end of that day, as those who were still there were sitting and relaxing, I was walking by Rich Zeis, one of my board members and the man who had the idea of an Extreme Build to begin with. After chatting for about a minute and taking stock of everything that happened, he asked, with a slight grin, “Want to do it again next year?” I looked back at him, grinned as well, and said, “Hell yes, I do.” That event and that exchange have stuck in my mind so strongly because it represents EXACTLY the type of support, dedication, hard work, willingness, and care that Seneca Habitat is privileged to enjoy from Tiffin and the surrounding community. That’s the main reason that we’ve been able to serve for as long as we have been—now, as we approach our 28th year of operation, it constantly amazes and humbles me to see this trend continuing. Community support for Seneca Habitat was going especially gangbusters in the last month or so. Not only did we have our 2013 Extreme Build on November 9th for the home that will be at 258 Third Avenue, we were also one of the recipients of the proceeds of the Holiday Cooking Show on November 13th. I can’t begin to tell you how great it was to see such outpourings of support for us, from those who braved the wind and November weather at the Extreme Build to those who supported a great cause on the 13th. It was touching, inspiring, and more, and from the bottom of my heart, representing the partner families, Board of Directors, and volunteers of Seneca Habitat, we thank you all. Still with me so far? I’d like to offer some very specific and heartfelt thanks here. Seneca Habitat is a volunteer-driven agency—quite frankly, without our volunteers (whose duties and tasks are numerous), as well as our contributors, we wouldn’t survive, and I’d like them to be recognized as best I can. Do me a favor, if you’re still reading this—if you know someone that helps Seneca Habitat, thank them for what they do. First, we’d like to thank Jim Wilson Realty, Select Realty, Coldwell Banker Tri-Pro Realty, Real Living Generations, and The AdvertiserTribune for selecting us as a recipient of some of the proceeds from the Holiday Cooking Show, as well as everyone who came out to it! It was a great evening and a fun event to watch and be part of. Next, I’d like to thank Rich Zeis, Tom Daniel, and the rest of the contractors and builders who are part of the Seneca County Home Builders’ Association for doing the Extreme Build with us again. There are no words that can describe how amazing that event is—and I hope we have the chance to do it again. Building on that (pun intended), I’d also like to thank Heidelberg University and Tiffin University for everyone who came out to help on the Extreme Build and to support your institutions. Kudos and gratitude also go out to Tom Renninger and the Sentinel students who were there as well! (For those that don’t know, Tom and his students in the electrical program also do the wiring on our homes for us, and their work is amazing). Chief Stevens from the Tiffin Police Department was there as well, and we’re happy to have him as a volunteer. Special thanks also go to Georgia Reed and the Seneca County Opportunity Center for their donation of the tables and chairs, as well as to Java House, Bailiwick’s Coffee Company, and the Tiffin Bake Shop for the coffee and treats that helped get us through the morning. I’d also like to recognize Ms. Ruth Metcalf, and the volunteers she recruited, for the delicious food that was provided for lunch and dinner— and to Skills USA, who also provided an awesome spaghetti dinner as well. A special shout-out to everyone who was there at the Extreme Build, too—please know that your work will make a difference in our families’ lives. I also want to thank my Board of Directors, without whom this agency would truly be lost. Dick Wyka, Tammy Sessions, Bernie Hohman, Bonnie Boroff, Hank Frey, Faye Lyon, Larry Clausing, Dan Galaba, Robert Overholt, Carol Hammer, David Kimmel, Georgia Reed, Lynne Cartwright, Charlene Watkins, Rich Zeis, Emily Kizer, Ruth Metcalf, Teresa Miller, and Ron Ruffing—thank you all for everything that you do, and for making my job more fulfilling. WE’LL SEE YOU IN 2014! The Hammer and Nail Review Our builders and volunteers have been busy as we continue working on our Third Avenue development project. It’s hard to believe that we’re now entering our fifth year of working out there, but we’ve been doing great in designing and building homes with our partner families who live there. 246 Third Avenue was completed and closed on by its partner family in December of 2011. 252 Third Avenue, which was the focus of our first Extreme Build in 2012, was completed and closed on by its partner family in August of 2013. Both of these homes are beautiful three-bedroom units, and reflect the unique personalization and hard work that the families did with our builders. Our current project is taking place at 258 Third Avenue, which saw its foundation dug and poured in the early fall of 2013. Reflecting the commitment and partnership that we have developed with the Seneca County Home Builders’ Association, this home was the target of the 2013 Extreme Build on November 8. The majority of the exterior was completed in one day, and several crews of volunteers continued to show up in the subsequent weeks to help our builders finish getting the home under roof for winter work on the interior. We anticipate that this four-bedroom unit will be completed in the summer of 2014. We will also plan another new home build on Third Avenue, the eighth house in our project there, to begin sometime this coming summer. As always, if you’d like to help us build, please don’t hesitate to call the office, and we look forward to seeing you there. Seneca Habitat’s Hard Work Pays Off— Pictures of this Past Year Thank you to our donors in 2013! Business and Club ContributionHabitat for Humanity International Kroger’s Ballreich Brothers, Inc. HWE Co-Op: Operation Roundup United Way of Sandusky County United Way of Central Ohio Tiffin-Seneca United Way Select Realty Group Clouse Construction Company The Republic Banking Company Dr. Richard Fletcher, DDS The Old Fort Banking Company Custom Machines, Inc. American Legion Aux. Post 404 Heidelberg University Sutton Bank Tiell Financial Group The Tiffin Rotary Foundation Kiwanis Club of Tiffin The Advertiser-Tribune Alpha Phi Tau Edward Jones Investments Church Contributions NWOA United Church of Christ Zion United Church of Christ First Presbyterian Church— Lydia Circle Trinity United Church of Christ, Tiffin Bascom United Methodist Church First Christian Church Women’s Fellowship Bascom United Methodist Church, Women of the Church Trinity United Church of Christ, McCutchenville Christ’s Church at Tiffin Memorials—Alton Raudebaugh Arthur and Joyce Geyh Individual Contributions Allan and Loretta Kaplan Gerald Burkholder Marie Setzler Dan and Holly Kimmet Fred and Louise Zoeller Gary Link D.R. and P.E. Smith Donald Loving Blanche Hurley Leon and Phyllis Putnam Janet Rennels Ann Harry Larry and Judy Clausing Tom Chambers Jeanette Overmeyer Steven and Kimberly Dandurand Matthew and Arlene Swora Tom and Paula Bartlett Sue Hesson Marietta and Ken Estep Loretta Miller Dave and Peg Baker Ray Weininger Leroy and Elaine Bockbrader Memorials—Bob Avers Jim and Dianne Dannemiller Tom and Mary Ann Wolfe Marilyn Homeister Patricia Watkins Dalton and Margaret Pope Carol and Henry Frey, Jr. Dave and Ann Haney Mary and Dave Watson Memorials—Richard Curns Tom and Deb Kahler Memorials—Maxine Leeds Betty Pifer, et al Memorials—Bo Risner Jerry and Sue Donaldson Memorials—Earl Warnick Mary L. Stone Memorials— Deacon Dan Scherger William and Betty Obringer Memorials—Carl and Rosemary Clouse Clouse Construction Company Honorarium—Lenny Clouse John and June Bollinger Honorarium—Glenn Ritzenthaler Chloe S. Fertig Trust Fund Arthur and Joyce Geyh Honorarium—Jim Ruess Faye Lyon Honorarium—Tyler Wise The Tiffin Rotary Foundation Honorarium—Hank Frey Mark and Marguerite Frey Honorarium—Wilma Farmer and Jeanie Perl Daniel Busch Honorarium—Carol Hammer The Old Fort Banking Company Zion United Church of Christ Choir Honorarium—Tom and Denise Daniels’ 40th Anniversary Deborah Tiell Memorials—Cliff, Bruce, and Chris Farmer Stephen D’alisio Gifts In-Kind The Whirlpool Corporation Seneca County Home Builders’ Association NWOA United Church of Christ Building Hopes and Homes Since 1986 Bulk Rate U.S. POSTAGE PAID Tiffin, Ohio 44883 Permit No. 118 65 Grace Street Tiffin, OH 44883 (419) 447- 4270 [email protected] senecahabitat.org Habitat for Humanity works in partnership with God and people everywhere, from all walks of life, to develop communities with God’s people in need by building and renovating houses so that there are decent houses in decent communities in which people can live and grow into all that God intended. Special Recognition and Thanks Seneca County Home Builders’ Association Zeis Development, Ltd. The Gordon Lumber Company Tilson Roofing Sentinel Career and Technology Center— Building Trades Seneca County Opportunity Center Java House Bailiwick’s Coffee Company Heidelberg University Tiffin University Logan Burd and Clayton Burke The Old Fort Banking Company Anyone and everyone who has helped us in our mission to build safe, decent, and affordable homes with our partner families!