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Dear Habitat Supporter,
Welcome to the December edition of the Habitat Update!
The Habitat Update functions as a way to improve intra-organizational
communication, and will be sent once a month. If you have any
questions, please feel free to contact me!
As committee members, board members and other important volunteers,
it helps to know what is going on throughout the organization.
If you have information to send to others as part of the update,
or would like to make a suggestion in regard to the content or
style of the update, please contact me. If you prefer to have
a hard copy version sent to you or would not like to be included
on the list, please respond, stating your preference.
Take Care!
Mikaela
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
DECEMBER 2005 UPDATE
CONSTRUCTION VOLUNTEER OF
THE MONTH: Alyssa Hartman
GROUPS ON SITE: Venturing
Crew 1, Doylestown United Methodist Church, Episcopal Hammers,
Option One Mortgage
GROUPS PROVIDING LUNCHES: Venturing
Crew 1, Trumbauersville Cub Scouts, Blooming Glen Mennonite Church
NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER HOURS LOGGED
AT EMERALD HOLLOW TO DATE: 74,005
NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS AT HABITAT
BUCKS IN 2005: 9,266
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
JOIN US…
An interest meeting for Women Build 2006 will
be held on Thursday, 26 January from 6:30-8pm at Neshaminy Warwick
Presbyterian Church (1401 Meetinghouse Road, Warminster, PA 18974).
All women who are interested in getting involved with the program
are invited to attend. We will be discussing the 2006 program,
including revised planning teams, Lowe’s training clinics,
crew leader training, on-site build days and Women Build-a-Thon
Week 2006. There will be opportunities to speak with 2005 participants,
team leaders and members and Habitat staff. Participants from
2005 are invited to come and learn about program improvements
while those new to the program can expect a comprehensive overview.
Please pass this invitation along to any women you know who might
be interested.
On the Habitat Bucks website:
> Women
Build Page, Stay up-to-date on all the happenings of Women
Build 2006!
The Family Support Committee is holding a workshop for all Habitat
families on Saturday, 28 January at Andrews Hall at Doylestown
Presbyterian Church in Doylestown. The two presentations are:
“Improving and Protecting Your Credit” by Stan Reinford,
family support committee member, and “Creating Prosperity—It’s
Only a Thought Away” by Marianne Harms, LCSW. The event
starts at 9:30 a.m. Babysitting and refreshments will be provided.
> If
you would like to help baby-sit for this event, please contact
Stefanie at s.clark@habitatbucks.org.
GIVING THANKS…
The Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce’s
Business Cares Foundation recently awarded Habitat Bucks $1200
for holiday assistance for the Habitat families. The chamber has
supported Habitat Bucks through their foundation for the past
several years. Much, much gratitude to all the Chamber Members
who made this possible!
Related articles:
> W4, December,
headline with two photos: Business Cares is giving to
Elizabeth Rohrbach opened her home business, Elizabethan Christmas,
once again this year to benefit local non-profit organizations,
including Habitat Bucks. Thank you for supporting us, Elizabeth!
Related articles:
> Bucks County
Herald, 1 December, several color photographs with headline: Entrepreneur
opens her home—Elizabethan style
Members of Bucks-Mont NARI adopted all the Habitat kids this
Christmas—providing gifts, or funds for gifts, for nearly
80 children who either live in a Habitat home or will be living
in a Habitat home in the future. This is the third year NARI has
so generously made the Habitat’s kids holidays more exciting!
We can’t thank you enough for your ongoing support!
An anonymous law firm has adopted a Habitat homeowner family
this Christmas—giving them the holidays of their dreams!
The law firm has been playing Santa to Habitat families for the
past several years. A few of us know who you are—thank you,
thank you!
Philanthropic-minded Bucks County twins, Jake and Sophie, recently
celebrated their seventh birthday, and although their party had
the expected balloons, birthday cake and excited classmates, there
was quite an unexpected and obvious omission: gifts! Attendees
of their party were asked to bring instead, a donation for Habitat
for Humanity for use in rebuilding the hurricane-struck gulf coast
region. The twins collected $653 – thanks, Jake and Sophie!
On the Habitat Bucks website:
> Press
Releases Page, read the whole story under the press release
title: Seven-year-old twins birthday wished come true as they
raise $653 for Habitat for Humanity.
Our thanks go out to the following recent major donors who are
important partners in fulfilling our mission:
Harvest Hoedown: Ethan Allen ($2,500)
Family Support: Business Cares($1,200)
General Support: Anonymous ($3,000); Bergey's ($2,000); Federated
Lending Corporation($1,000); Fiber Line($1,000); James Johnston($1,750);
Myers and Rice Masonry ($1,000); Paul and Nan Payton ($1,000);
St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church ($2,000); Presbyterian
Church of the Deep Run ($6,268);
Without support from friends like you, we would be unable to do
what we do. Thank you kindly!
On the Habitat Bucks website:
> Donation
Page, read more about the ways people and organizations contribute
to Habitat.
IN PARTNERSHIP…
Habitat has been awarded two full home sponsorships
by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans through the Thrivent Builds
for Habitat for Humanity program. This project will start in the
new year and be completed by the end of 2006. This project will
unite Habitat for Humanity, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans,
local Lutheran Churches, future homeowners, volunteers and many
more for the purpose of building decent affordable homes with
those in need.
On the Habitat Bucks website:
> Faith
Relations Page, read more about the Thrivent Build for Habitat
for Humanity program.
Univest Corporation and its employees donated $20,000 to Habitat
for Humanity 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. Trish Kriger, executive director of Habitat
Bucks, recently accepted the donation on behalf of Habitat’s
Mississippi affiliate.
On the Habitat Bucks website:
> News Page, read
the whole story and see a photograph!
> The Reporter,
16 December, large photograph with caption
> The Intelligencer,
16 December, photograph with caption
The Broad Street Gallery in Quakertown held an art exhibition
in December in order to raise funds in support of Hurricane Katrina
victims. Local artists donated paintings and other artwork to
the exhibit, which were then sold throughout the month. Our thanks
go out to JoAnne at the gallery who organized and promoted the
event, and made everything come together so smoothly.
Related articles:
> The Communicator,
December, Kudos headline
> Out + About,
29 December, calendar item
> News-Herald,
28 December, Around town section headline: Art show aids hurricane
relief
> The Philadelphia
Inquirer, 25 December, Neighbors section headline: Gallery hosts
exhibit, sale for Habitat for Humanity
> Bucks County
Courier Times, 23 December, calendar item
> Bucks County
Courier Times, 9 December, Art Showcase headline: Broad Street
Gallery
The Second Annual Palisades High School Film Festival was held
in December with all proceeds from the event benefiting Habitat
for Humanity of Bucks County. The festival featured student-produced
films which competed for a Judges Choice Award and a Viewers Choice
Award. Prior to Thanksgiving break, student groups chose a featured
character, such as a wealthy, upper-class trust child that has
aspirations of becoming a zookeeper to save the walrus, and a
genre for their film, such as action/adventure, and then had the
break to write, film, and edit the production. According to organizers,
teachers John Venner and Jeremy Wolf, the festival is designed
to provide students with a creative outlet independent from formal
classes. Nearly 300 people attended the event, which raised almost
$1000 for Habitat Bucks.
Related articles:
> The Intelligencer,
2 December, Our Town section front page headline with color photo:
Students get to show off their filmmaking talents
OUT + ABOUT…
Resurrection Lutheran Church in Levittown held their fist annual
“Advent Fling.” It was an afternoon of crafts, gift
buying, eating and storytelling. Dan O’Connor, community
relations manager, built and painted birdhouses with two groups
of 15 children ranging in age from 4 to 15. As a part of the storytelling
portion, they read one of Habitat International’s children
books so they could learn more about Habitat. Donations were asked
to participate and all proceeds will go towards Tsunami aid in
Sri Lanka.
On the Habitat Bucks website:
> Tsunami
News Page, learn how Habitat Bucks is contributing to the
rebuilding efforts in Southern Asia.
Thompson Memorial Presbyterian Church held their annual alternative
Christmas Giving where Habitat Bucks was the beneficiary. Habitat
holiday products were sold to raise funds and awareness. Hank
Durivage, a member of the church and of our Faith Relations Committee,
worked the table.
Joe Morrison recently attended the Agency Fair for Bristol Myers
Squibb in Lawrenceville, NJ and spoke to a number of employees
about becoming involved in Habitat Bucks' important work. Most
were surprised to hear about the scope of our Emerald Hollow project,
and everyone wanted to know how they could participate. We have
truly captured the hearts and minds of friends all over this region.
MAKING NOTE…
Congratulations to Joan Bradbury, a junior at Central Bucks East
High School and Sarah Escher, a junior at Central Bucks West High
School. Both girls recently completed their graduation projects
with Habitat for Humanity, and received the highest mark of distinguished
on all aspects of their project presentations. Joan focused on
art & design for her project, creating numerous visual aids
for the Women Build, and Sarah focused on photography, providing
images of construction, Women Build events, and the Harvest Hoedown.
Both also spent numerous days working on the construction site
learning how to lay block, frame, and hang drywall. Thank you
to Joan and Sarah for all their contributions to Habitat!
On the Habitat Bucks website:
> Youth
Involvement Page + Currently
Building Page, read the whole story and see photographs by
Sarah!
This year Habitat Bucks will host two groups that will give-up
their spring break to help serve others. We have a returning group
from the Miss Porter’s School in Farmington Connecticut
and a new group from East Carolina University. Both groups will
spend the entire week building homes in the Emerald Hollow Community.
The date of this year’s Collegiate Challenge Week is 13
through 17 March.
Wehrung's Lumber has announced that 2006 is their 20th Anniversary
year, and in recognition of that fact, they will be donating proceeds
from various activates they will hold throughout the year to Habitat
Bucks. Their big celebration dates are 12 and 13 May, and Habitat
Bucks volunteers and partner families are expected to be an important
part of those celebrations. Keep an eye out for more details as
they are announced.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mikaela D. Martin
Marketing + Public Relations
Director
Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County
215 Matthews Avenue
New Britain, PA 18901
215.348.2204 x306
fax: 215.348.7988
It is the mission of Habitat for Humanity
of Bucks County to build affordable homes, better lives stronger
families and safer communities through partnerships with people
and organizations throughout Bucks County. |
