Dear Habitat Supporter,
Welcome to the June edition of the Habitat Update! The Habitat
Update functions as a way to improve communication about the goings-on
of Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County, and will be sent once
a month. 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 (m.martin@habitatbucks.org
or 215.348.2204 x306). If you prefer to have a hard copy version
sent to you or would not like to be included on this distribution
list, please respond stating your preference.
Take Care!
Mikaela
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
JUNE 2006 UPDATE
CONSTRUCTION VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH:
Ian Hewitt
GROUPS ON SITE: Trinity
Lutheran Church in Lansdale, Women Build, Faith Christian Academy
National Honor Society, Doylestown United Methodist Church, Microsoft
GROUPS PROVIDING LUNCHES: Applebee’s,
Covenant Presbyterian Church, Women Build Food Team, Blooming
Glen Mennonite Church, Microsoft
NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER HOURS LOGGED
AT EMERALD HOLLOW TO DATE: 80,008
NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS AT EMERALD
HOLLOW TO DATE: 9,587
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ON SITE…
Daniel’s Lane was paved in early April,
followed by the dedication of Cluster 14 on April 20th, during
which the Alexander, Moore, Myers, Policastro, Stiles, and Ramos-Rugliancich
families were presented with the keys to their homes. Siding was
completed on Cluster 15, and insulation and drywall installation
continued on the cluster.
On April 1st, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for Cluster
12 featuring sponsors Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Women
Build as well as Habitat supporter Congressman Fitzpatrick. Immediately
following the ceremony volunteers and families began laying block.
Maple and dogwood trees were planted along the entrance to the
development.
In May, drywall installation was completed in two homes in Cluster
15, and painting, cabinet and flooring installation was begun.
Foundations and plumbing work proceeded on Cluster 12. The road
connecting Phase I and Phase II of Emerald Hollow was paved, and
sidewalks are in progress.
> Construction
News Page, see photographs and read more about the progress
of our building efforts!
WELCOMING…
Welcome home, Alexander, Moore, Myers, Palicastro, Stiles and
Ramos-Rugliancich families!
Nancy O’Connor re-joined the Habitat staff—she began
serving as the Acting Family Program Director in early June to
cover Stefanie Clark’s maternity leave. Nancy previously
served as Habitat Bucks’ Youth Coordinator in 2001-2002
as an AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteer. So great to have you with us!
Nancy will be staying on staff when Stefanie’s maternity
leave ends in September.
JOIN US…
The Women Build Fundraising Team has been hard at work organizing
a concert to benefit Women Build 2006. Join us on Sunday, July
9th, from 2-6pm at the Delaware Valley College in Doylestown for
Raising Roofs, Raising Voices, an acoustical show featuring Nick
Antonaccio, Jennifer Logue, Jennifer Richman, Kelly Ricketts,
Christina Signorile and Sandy Zio. Tickets can be purchased through
our website at http://habitatbucks.org/shopProducts.asp, at the
New Britain office, or through any member of the WB fundraising
team for $25.
Following the success of the 1st and 2nd Annual Bargain Barn
Re-sales, Habitat Bucks has begun holding resale events on a regular
basis. The next sale will be held on Saturday, July 15th, from
7am-noon at the Big Red Barn in Trumbauersville (1733 Creamery
Road). Whether you are a contractor by trade or planning improvements
on your own home, don’t miss this chance to purchase new
and gently used building materials, appliances, furniture and
much more at discount rates. All funds raised support the mission
of Habitat Bucks.
Think you may have something to donate for the Re-sale? We will
happily accept the following:
· New and unused building materials and supplies, including
lumber, carpeting, windows, doors, unopened paint, lighting and
interior fixtures, etc.
· New appliances
· New and gently used garden, power and hand tools
· Extension ladders
· New and gently used furniture and children’s items
such as strollers and playpens
Please be aware that we are unable to pick up donations. For more
information, contact Kelly at k.hile@habitatbucks.org
or 215.348.2204 x305.
Please join us for a home dedication at the Emerald Hollow Estates!
On Thursday, July 20th at 7pm, we will welcome the newest members
of the Emerald Hollow community during a brief dedication ceremony;
immediately following, the homes will be open to tour and light
refreshments will be available. The event is open to the public
– friends and neighbors are encouraged to attend! (Attendees
of the event may “pound” our families by bringing
a pound of non-perishable goods, such as food or a cleaning product,
to give to the new families.) Come celebrate with us! The entrance
to the Emerald Hollow community is on the 1700 block of Creamery
Road, Quakertown
Comedy duo, Ted and Lee will be the main attraction at a Building
on Faith benefit - join us! Ted and Lee (http://tedandlee.com/)
take a funny and creative look at the Bible and celebrate the
text by unearthing both laughter and insight to give audiences
a new lease on stories they thought they knew. Their material
and form is distinctive live theater – not stand-up, and
entertaining for all ages. More detailed information about them
can be found on there website’s “Ted and Lee 101”
page, http://tedandlee.com/tl101.
The event will be on September 16 from 5:30 until 9pm at Calvary
Church on Route 113 in Souderton. Tickets are $25 or $20 for students
and senior citizens, and can be purchased on our website at, http://habitatbucks.org/shopProducts.asp,
or by calling Dan at 215.348.2204 x312. Click here for an event
flier: http://habitatbucks.org/pdf/ted%2Blee_flier.pdf.
On the Habitat Bucks website:
> Building
on Faith Week Page, read more about this fun event!
GIVING THANKS…
First United Church of Christ in Quakertown recently raised
$300 to benefit Habitat Bucks. A special offering was collected
during Lent at their church school. The children purchased cutouts
of houses for 25 cents a piece and then attached the houses to
strings and hung them in the church school hallway. Rev. Rebecca
Stephens, Minister of Christian Education, asked that Habitat
uses this gift in a way that will best serve the children and
families that so benefit from the work of Habitat. Thank you Pastor
Stephens, the teachers, children and parents who participated
in this project!
Thank you to all who pledged their support to Neighbor to Neighbor
campaign! In February, Habitat Bucks and the Bucks County Association
of Realtors, Inc. launched the Neighbor to Neighbor campaign,
a partnership between Habitat, the association and its members
to build homes for deserving families in Bucks County. The first-year
goal of the program is to raise $100,000 and, in addition to a
financial commitment, the program encourages participants to promote
the mission of Habitat Bucks to make safe, affordable housing
a matter of conscience and action in Bucks County. For more information,
contact Mikaela m.martin@habitatbucks.org
or 215.348.2204 x306.
On the Habitat Bucks website:
> Neighbor
to Neighbor Page, read more about this exciting program and
see a current list of participants.
IN PARTNERSHIP…
Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity continues
to gain support from the local Lutheran churches. St. Luke’s
Lutheran Church in Dublin held a collection which raised $527
to help with the costs of building the 2 Thrivent homes with Habitat
Bucks. Trinity Lutheran Church in Lansdale has reached their fundraising
goal of $10,000 in early June!
On the Habitat Bucks website:
> Thrivent
Builds with Habitat for Humanity Page, read more about the
Thrivent Builds for Habitat for Humanity program.
Thank you to Microsoft for their day sponsorship! On May 25th,
Microsoft employees installed drywall, painted, and worked on
the foundations of several Habitat homes in Emerald Hollow. They
previously presented Habitat Bucks with a $2500 day sponsorship.
OUT + ABOUT…
AmeriCorps members Jenny Williams and Laura McClellan
and Outreach Director Kelly Hile spent the week of May 15th in
Dallas, Texas participating in a Boot-Stompin’ Blitz Build
with the Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity. The blitz build challenged
local sponsors and AmeriCorps members from across the country
to construct 20 homes in one week. Jenny, Laura, and Kelly, working
on a home with AmeriCorps members from Omaha, Orange County, Sacramento,
and St. Tammany West, spent five intense days putting up walls,
roofing, installing siding, and landscaping. At the end of the
week, the keys to the home were presented to new homeowner Lynn
Lastrapes, originally from New Orleans, but displaced by Hurricane
Katrina. The home was sponsored by Habitat for Humanity of Orange
County through Operation Home Delivery http://www.habitat.org/disaster/OHD/default.aspx.
On Saturday, April 29th, youth from Grace Lutheran Church in
Warminster, St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in Audubon, St.
Andrew’s Lutheran Church in Perkasie, and New Hanover Lutheran
Church spent the day planting trees at Emerald Hollow as part
of Lutheran Youth Helping Hands Day. The day brings area youth
together to work on various service projects throughout the county.
The Newcomers Group of Doylestown hosted a Birdhouse Blitz Build
to benefit Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County. The event brought
16 children together to build and paint birdhouses for Habitat.
The group raised $160 to benefit Habitat through the event.
WOMEN BUILDING A BETTER BUCKS…
The second round of Lowe’s training clinics have begun.
Spaces remain for the Quakertown clinics. For more information
or to register, contact Laura at l.mcclellan@habitatbucks.org.
The 3rd and final round of clinics will be held in September.
Planning for Women Build-a-Thon Week 2006, October 14-21, has
begun. To request registration materials, contact Laura at l.mcclellan@habitatbucks.org.
Members of the Women Build 2006 training team, including past
and future crew leaders, participated in the building of a playhouse
as a further means of training. The playhouse will be raffled
during the opening ceremony of Women Build-a-Thon Week 2006 (Saturday,
October 14th at 9am) at Emerald Hollow. Now is the time to purchase
your tickets for a chance to win this work of fine crafts(wo)manship!
Tickets are $5 each or 5/$20 and can be purchased through our
website (http://habitatbucks.org/shopProducts.asp)
, at the Habitat office, or from any training team member.
For more information on Women Build, check out our website at
http://habitatbucks.org/womenbuild.asp!
MAKING NOTE…
It’s that time of the year
when the phones in our Outreach Department begin ringing off the
hooks! School is closed, students are home from college, the days
are long and the air is abuzz with activity. For Habitians (or
Habitat supporters in layspeak), this is the perfect time of year
to reinvigorate your involvement with Habitat Bucks! We are approximately
half-way through our ACT! GIVE! SHARE! 2006 campaign, and success
is still far off. The vision for this campaign was to bring volunteers
into our fold in an even deeper way. To have them experience the
various aspects of what it means to be a Habitat Bucks supporter
and ultimately fund and build a house. We can’t do that
without your help. So if you haven’t yet agreed to ACT!
GIVE! SHARE!, please send in your envelope or contact us today!
For more information on Act! Give! Share!, check out our website
www.habitatbucks.org/ags.asp
or contact Kelly at k.hile@habitatbucks.org
215.348.2204 ext. 305.
Thank you for showing your support by collecting supermarket
register tapes or registering your supermarket cards! Would you
like to participate in this simple way to raise funds for Habitat
Bucks? Every time you shop, a percentage of your purchases will
be donated to our mission:
> Genuardi’s
Community Cash Back program is powered by eScrip, an electronic
fundraising tool. To join, simply register your Genuardi’s
club card or your credit/debit card at www.escrip.com,
or use a sign-up sheet at the Genuardi’s customer service
counter. Our Group ID Number is 149390004.
> If you shop
at Acme Markets, just mail or drop of your receipts/register
tapes to our office.
What’s that you say? Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County
t-shirts are on sale for only $5?! You’ve got to see it
to believe it: http://habitatbucks.org/shopProducts.as
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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
www.habitatbucks.org
From 2005-2008, Habitat for Humanity will
build 36 affordable homes in Bucks County. Each home will require
a commitment of 2000 volunteer hours and financial contributions
averaging $4,250 per day. Habitat relies strictly on the generosity
and commitment of our neighbors and partner families to provide
these resources, and to make safe, affordable housing a matter
of conscience and action in our community.
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