Habitat for Humanity

completes, dedicates

second house in month
By Sherrie Norris

There’s nothing slow about the volunteers who work tirelessly with Watauga County Habitat for Humanity.

In fact, within a month’s time, these individuals have put the finishing touches on two new homes, assisted in the homes’ dedication ceremonies and turned over the keys to the new home owners, who, too, have given their fair share of time and talent (a.k.a. “sweat equity,”) during the process.

Executive director of Habitat Judi Scharns said, “In this season of giving and thanksgiving, we have another blessing to celebrate was we dedicated another home on Sunday, Dec. 16, built in partnership between Habitat, Charity Council and the community.”

Scharns noted that as Beth Shuford, one of the construction co-leaders, presented Council the keys to her home, she compared the nine-month building process to the birth of a child, both requiring the same amount of time to grow and nurture.

Scharns added, “The gift from the community to Charity and her family is the opportunity for a home and all that comes with home ownership.”

While the house is being paid for by the Council family through a 20-year zero percent mortgage, Charity has not taken the opportunity for granted, but has instead learned new skills through the process, which she used to help the volunteers as they built her house.

“Charity can tell you where every stud is located in the house; she can tell you many things about her house that the average homeowner rarely knows about their home,” Scharns said. “This is part of the strategy of Habitat, incorporating homeowner sweat equity hours into the process of building. It is the best tool to prepare the owner for the maintenance process of ownership.”

Scharns described the opportunity for Charity’s son, Dakota, to grow up in his own home as “priceless.”

“The opportunity to move this family into a simple, decent, energy efficient home helps them control their expenses,” she said. “They can now prepare for their future without worrying about where they will live and how they will afford to live in a home of their own. They will no longer struggle to stay warm in winter now that the winds can’t blow through the windows and cracks n the walls.”

Scharns said that while the day the home was dedicated was cold and snowy, “Inside, it was warm and cozy.”

Council’s home is the second System Vision certified energy efficient home built by Habitat in Watauga County. “It is also a solar tempered home, meaning that it is heated by the sun during the winter days, yet it doesn’t receive excess heat in the summer because the windows are shaded,” Scharns said.

On Sunday, friends and family gathered in Charity’s Zionville community to help celebrate the completion of her home. The Rev. Russell Hart blessed the home and read from the Bible as a part of the traditional Habitat dedication ceremony. Habitat presented Charity with her own family Bible in recognition that the mission of Habitat is based upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Scharns noted.

With the realization that affordable housing in Watauga County is difficult to find, the mission of Habitat for Humanity is to provide decent, affordable housing to low-income Watauga County residents. This is accomplished by building modest homes with volunteer labor, land and materials that are donated or purchased at reduced cost. Habitat offers zero interest mortgages to the homeowners. Homes are sold at no profit. The organization strives to be consistent with Habitat for Humanity International’s mission and to exemplify the gospel of Jesus Christ in all of its activities.

According to Scharns, “Our goals are to build more houses in the near future to continue to meet the growing needs of families in Watauga County; to increase support and involvement from local residents, churches, businesses and professionals in the community to advance the Habitat mission.

The ‘ultimate goal’ of Habitat for Humanity is to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the face of the Earth.”

For more information on Watauga County Habitat for Humanity, call (828) 268-9545, fax (828) 268-9686, visit online at www.wataugahabitat.org or visit 711 George Wilson Road, Suite 5, Boone, N.C. 28607