Habitat for Humanity Build #17: Bunnell, Florida

''Home for the Holidays'' took on a special meaning as we joined another group of Care-a-Vanners for a two week build in Bunnell, Florida.

We once again had the opportunity to ...

hang siding and paint it ...

paying special attention to the small details.

We got to take out old windows
and put in new ones ...

allowing the sun to shine in
for the elderly homeowner.

We worked as a mighty team
to build walls ...

alongside future homeowners
 like Sierra who is building a
future for her family.

As always, during our two weeks here, we enjoyed meeting new friends and exploring the area.

John, our site supervisor, was always there to teach a new skill or share a good laugh. Here he is showing off his ''electric'' hammer that he claims (with a twinkle in his eye) will help you hit nails perfectly straight into even the hardest wood with only one or two swings of the hammer. Fortunately, not even I was gullible enough to want to try it. But since we have been doing a fair amount of framing recently, I sure do wish this ''magic'' hammer existed! 

After a long day of hammering the old-fashioned way, fellow Care-a-Vanner Bill still had plenty of energy to ''hammer'' out some amazing tunes on his guitar and banjo. His wife, Phyllis provided perfect harmony both on the job site and during his ''happy hour'' performance. Bill's original song, ''The Hands of Someone Wiser'' has become one of my new favorites. 

 

Visit his website here for more of his amazing music.

We are continually grateful for the skills and kindness of our fellow Care-a-Vanners that we meet along the way. Bob would ride with us to the job site every morning and always managed to start our day off with a smile!

On one of our days off, we drove to Blue Springs State Park to visit the over 500 manatee who have found their way into the warmer waters of the spring for the winter. Several adorable new manatee friends greeted us and seemed to enjoy the ''back rubs'' that the bottom of our canoe provided as they swam under it.

Nearby Flagler Beach was a great place to park the Baby Beest on the weekend days. We had everything that we needed as we enjoyed beach walks, bike rides, and the calming sound of the ocean waves.

But it was the chance to finally be able to witness the ultimate Habitat for Humanity experience that made this build extra special. While we have helped during many different phases of the building process, we haven't been able to witness the final phase of construction, the house dedication ... until now!

For Gail and her son Jared, this Christmas will be extra special. After two years of working closely with the Flagler Habitat for Humanity staff, Gail's dream of having a home for her and her son has come true. She had fulfilled all the requirements ... attending classes, working 250 hours on hers and other Habitat homes, and securing the loan. This was in addition to working her full time job. It was a challenging two years for Gail, but as she told me, ''I am doing this for my son and his future. He has struggled with a physical disability, and I want to make sure that he never has to struggle to find a decent and affordable home.''

Members of the community who have supported Gail and her son during this long process gathered to celebrate and give them gifts. The local high school service organization gave them a huge box filled with various house-warming gifts. Lowe's Home Improvement donated garden tools (but no snow shovel ... thank goodness!) and the Christmas tree. Local neighbors were there to welcome them into their new neighborhood.

During the special ceremony, they were presented with the gifts as well as a Bible, a golden hammer, and ...

THE KEYS TO THEIR NEW HOME! 

Cutting the ribbon and unlocking the door were the final steps to beginning their bright future in a new home.

Gail is grateful to be able to feel confident that she can provide a safe home and a solid future for her son. She is looking forward to preparing the first of many Christmas dinners in her beautiful kitchen.

Once again, our Habitat joy comes from meeting, working alongside, and seeing the joy of the Habitat for Humanity future homeowners ...

... as they work toward to day when they can open the door to a brighter future for their family!

We are grateful to be a part of an organization like Habitat For Humanity that is helping so many people to be ...

Home For The Holidays!

Print this post