Five-year-old Doylestown resident, Natalie Shoulberg, recently presented Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County Family Program Director, Stefanie Clark, with $26.50. Natalie, a student at Windmill Day School and Camp, saved the money, and with the help of her mom, Valerie, decided to donate it to Habitat to “help families build houses.” Thanks, Natalie!

Habitat affords low-income families an opportunity for a hand-up in reaching their dream of homeownership. Partner families contribute up to 375 hours of “sweat equity” and pay an at-cost, no-interest interest mortgage on their homes.

> Click for a printable version (.pdf version) of this story

Univest Corporation (listed on NASDAQ: UVSP), and its employees donated $20,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County to help with the rebuilding efforts in Jackson County, Mississippi.

“We started collecting funds through the Univest Foundation shortly after the hurricane,” said K. Leon Moyer, president and chief operating officer of Univest National Bank and Trust Co. “Our employees raised nearly $9,000, which demonstrates our united effort to make a difference.” The Corporation contributed the remaining sum.

In 2006, Univest will also be sending two employee teams to the region to help with the rebuilding efforts.

>A Press Release with more information is here!

Two-Time winner and a course record highlight the 2005 Habtiat 5K! Dean Dimmig became the first two-time winner at the 2005 Habitat 5K on November 26. Dimmig, 42, won the inaugural race in 2002 and repeated his triumph in a time of 17:33. Andrea Luebbe, a 22 year old student at Lehigh University, finished fourth overall and won the women's title in 18:14. Luebbe's time shattered the previous women's course record by a full two minutes.

A total of 144 runners took part including Habitat staffer Stefanie Clark, husband Anthony and son Anthony Jr. Anthony Sr. finished tenth overall and won his age group with a time of 19:44. Emerald Hollow homeowner Rich Cole and Advisory Board member Hal Margolit were among the participants. The race, organized by the Quakertown Rotary Club with support from the Quakertown United Methodist Church, raised over $2,000 in support of Habitat's mission. The Ngorimo, Horst, Kaufman and Policastro families helped on race day. Susan Policastro's son Robert served as the honorary starter.

> Click here for the final results list!

Race sponsors were Visionetics, Fischers Tuxedo, QNB, Farm & Home Oil, Diversified Refrigeration , John M. Heley Attorney at Law, Alpine International, Hutchinson, Gorman & Freeh, PC, R. G. Moffett, Attorney at Law, Spinnerstown Hotel, White Eagle Group, Ivanhoe Industries, Spinnerstown Hotel, Eagles Peak Spring Water, Quakertown St. Luke's Hospital, Sal's Pizza Randa, Born-2-Run, The Chocolate Factory, Power Bounce Shoes, Manhattan Bagel, Boyer's Food Market and Road ID.

New look, same vision.

Habitat for Humanity has a powerful new tool to strengthen the organization's house-building mission worldwide: a new shared logo that incorporates the ideals of partnership, shelter and action and reflects the principles that shape the Habitat movement. And while our look may be changing, rest assured that our mission is steadfast: to build simple, decent, affordable houses in partnership with families who need them.

Habitat Bucks has begun to implement this new logo on our signs and we plan to have all of our materials updated in time for our 15th anniversary in December. Keep an eye out!

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Habitat has developed a quarterly email youth newsletter titled Connections. Every issue of Connections will update you on upcoming events, recent successes and the progress of our building project. It will also inform you about our partner families and youth who are positively impacting our community through Habitat Bucks.

Through Connections, we hope to build stronger relationships with youth and consequently enable them to help strengthen their community. The newsletter will be emailed four times during the school year and will be written and designed by students.

> To join the Connections staff or to receive the newsletter, email Dan at d.oconnor@habitatbucks.org.

Join the fun at the Annual Harvest Hoedown, benefiting the mission of Habitat Bucks – it’s guaranteed to be a foot-stompin', knee-slappin', overall-wearin' good time! This high energy, family-oriented event is expected to draw as many as 300 people and will include live music by The Blue Mountain Gang, square-dancing, old-time photos, chuck wagon food, pony rides, a live auction, craft and other vendors and games and prizes. The Harvest Hoedown is the perfect occasion to mix and mingle, catch up with friends, get reacquainted with neighbors and have a great time supporting the vital work that Habitat Bucks is doing right here in the community!

> Click for more information about the event and the new Chili Cook-Off!

Habitat Bucks celebrated Building on Faith Week in partnership with Habitat affiliates around the world between September 12th and 17th. The week peacefully started with a candlelight prayer vigil led by Pastor Bernard Kelly of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Richlandtown. Throughout the week different faith groups volunteered to help build homes, provide lunches and donate financial contributions to help continue the building at the Emerald Hollow Estates Community, a 73-home community in upper Bucks County.

Senator Wonderling taped the August episode of his monthly television show at Emerald Hollow! The Senator interviewed Habitat partner family, Cheryl and Hannah Moore, Executive Director, Trish Kriger, and volunteers from Toll Brothers (shown at left) for his show about the efforts of Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County. Click the links below to visit the Senator's website for more information:

>  Press Release about the visit
>  Video of the tv show with a list of air dates, times and stations

A very special thank you to Justin Isabel who designed, revised and revised again all of the building plans for the Emerald Hollow Phase II homes. Justin, who is a designer with TH Properties, joined our design team as a volunteer in 2004. Throughout the process, Justin provided expertise and patiently made adjustments to the drawings as the team aspired to create beautiful and efficient floor plans for the next 36 homes. (Pictured at left, Justin receives the Volunteer of the Month award from Mike Fallom, deputy director, construction.)

We miss you already, Melissa! Melissa Trainor, family program associate, has completed her AmeriCorps*VISTA year of service. She will be greatly missed by Habitat families and staff alike. We wish her well in her new endeavors and thank her for her tremendous year of hard work, dedication and compassion. Her time here was well served in helping to restructure the expanding family program department, and in keeping it running smoothly while Stefanie, family program director, took maternity leave this past fall.

Habitat Bucks, The Non-violent Peace Force of Bucks County and Interfaith Gathering of Lower Bucks County partnered to host a dinner about a unique project, the Batticaloa Action Team. The event was an informational dinner about starting a sister-community relationship with the Batticaloa District of Sri Lanka which was hit hard by December's tsunami and has been devastated through an on-again and off-again civil war.

The action team hopes to provide immediate relief by financially supporting Habitat for Humanity of Sri Lanka in their work to rebuild homes and by supporting peace workers in their attempts to allow for open spaces where conflicting sides can resolve their disputes by talking instead of fighting.

Miss Porter's School in Farmington, CT spent a third spring break with staff and other volunteers building homes at Emerald Hollow (press release). This dedicated group of girs worked and played hard during their visit to Bucks County thanks in part to Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Kutz Elementary School, Doylestown Rock Climbing Gym and First United Church of Christ in Quakertown. Thanks to all involved!

Habitat Bucks Participates in CBHCT's MLK Day of Service
This event, organized by CBHCT (Central Bucks Healthier Community Team), starts with an interfaith service after which participants go to different projects to volunteer. Habitat Bucks will be providing some youth and family activities; numerous organizations take part so there are options for all ages and interests to be involved.

For more information on the event or to sign up to participate, contact Vicki Lackoff at CBHCT, 215.489.9120, visit the link above and click here for a brocure.

Bucks Country Gardens recently invited Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County to participate as a recipient in the garden center's first "Thanks to You Weekend." Along with giving customers a 5% discout on all purchases, they asked each customer to choose one of twelve local charities to which they will donate the 5%! Details on the success of the event will follow.
Bucks Country Garden is located at 1057 North Easton Road in Doylestown.

Hope152 Campaign  It's about...Hope.  
At Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County, we know a lot about hope. Our families give us lessons on it all the time… Would you help build a home for a family in need for $152?

Annual Harvest Hoedown
Save Saturday, November 6th for the Harvest Hoedown held in Milford Township! Enjoy a live auction, square-dancing, chuck wagon food, games and prizes at this fun event taking place in our big, red barn from 6—10pm. Tickets are only $25 and kids under 12 get in free! All proceeds benefit Habitat Bucks. Order tickets here: Adults Children
For tickets and information, call Joe at extension 303; j.morrison@habtiatbucks.org.

Habitat for Humanity 5K
Register for the Third Annual Habitat for Humanity 5K Race taking place at the Quakertown United Methodist Church and organized by the Quakertown Rotary Club.
For more information and a registration form, click the above link.

Spaghetti Dinner
Thanks to all involved in the successful Spaghetti Dinner held at the Trumbauersville Firehouse on September 18th!

Habitat Bucks Welcomes New Team Member
Habitat Bucks welcomed new Family Program Associate, Melissa Trainor, on May 3rd. Melissa is serving Habitat Bucks for one year as part of the AmeriCorps*VISTA program. Melissa will be working with Stefanie Clark, family program director, with the usual tasks of family selection, family support, mortgages and the like. Melissa joins us from upstate New York, having recently returned from two years of Peace Corps service in the West African country of Burkina Faso.
Melissa can be reached at (215) 348-2204 x304 or m.trainor@habitatbucks.org.