Volunteers "Blitz Build" Home

Volunteers ‘blitz build’ home

By MICHAEL C. LEWIS 

Journal Staff Writer


MARTINSBURG — The days of Stephanie Smith and son Stephan not being able to own a house are about to change, and community volunteers are the ones doing something about it.

Members of the Eastern Panhandle Home Builders Association joined forces with Habitat for Humanity to “blitz build” the family a new home at 326 Twigg Drive, as part of Tuesday’s Day of Caring volunteer activities.

The round-the-clock construction is expected to be completed Friday when the keys will turned over during a dedication ceremony.

After laying the foundation Monday, volunteers spent Tuesday in the rain nailing up the frame and preparing for the next phase of the five-day operation.

“We’ve been blessed. This is just wonderful,” said Stephanie Smith, who applied to Habitat for Humanity in June. “Everybody has been so generous.”

Smith and her family were notified late last week by a Habitat for Humanity family selection committee that they had been chosen to receive a new home.

As part of the arrangement with Habitat for Humanity, Smith, her son and his girlfriend, Katriana Braden, must invest 500 hours in “sweat equity,” before they can move in.

Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Al Means said the future homeowners have been busy doing “odd and end” jobs, like shoveling, cleaning and moving materials to help the project along and notch the hours needed.

“It’s great when you see the whole community come together to build a family a house,” Means said. “It’s overwhelming to see it happen. I’ll never get used to it.”

In order to qualify, a family must have lived in the area for at least one year, have a need based on living conditions, volunteer the 500 hours of “sweat equity” and have the ability to repay a 20-year zero-interest mortgage loan, Means said.

“This family is very deserving,” Means said.

Brian Hensell, EPHBA member and project manager, said planning for the project began in January. The time needed to set the foundation slowed work down a little, but the project is moving along nicely, he said.

“When you get a group of professionals together like this, it goes smooth,” said Hensell, adding this is the second year EPHBA has built a Habitat home for an area family. “We plan on doing this every year,” he said. “I take away from this the professional relationships and the friendships you build.”

The Eastern Panhandle Home Builders Association is a nonprofit trade organization that includes among its 325 members companies, builders, suppliers and related businesses.