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Community News
Habitat for Humanity Middlesex Inc
posted 12/17/2009 by predmore
NEWS AND NOTES PO Box 492
November 2009 Ph (804) 758-4022 Hartfield, VA 23071
CHRISTMAS APPEAL
The response to our fund raising activities has been heartwarming. One of the benefits of being a Habitat Volunteer in Middlesex is meeting the nicest people. This includes the Board Members, the ones who volunteer for various projects, those who are always ready with a hammer when the call comes, those donating services; the list goes on and on. But, not in the least, it includes that long list of folks who have contributed the funds needed to make a family’s home a reality.
As we look forward to Christmas 2009 and the gift giving tradition of our faith, we have a suggestion. You might consider having family and friends make a gift to HFH Middlesex as their gift to you toward building the fourth house for our next family. We will provide receipts for the gifts and mail cards to the honorees to acknowledge the Christmas gift.
THE CRYER CENTER
As our Newsletter goes to press, construction at the Cryer Center nears completion on Puller Highway; Route 33 near Harmony Grove. Over the past few months we have been blessed by many calls to help Habitat as a result of the banner placed in front of the site. The site itself raised many questions as some wondered if it was a new Habitat house or commercial venture.
This facility will be a 10,000 square foot complex, when completed, and sits on just over 6 acres that will allow for future expansion. The Center is a donation from Linda and Dave Cryer and is designed to allow community based organizations to have a facility to serve the residents of the area. Hands Across Middlesex and Habitat for Humanity Middlesex became the initial groups to join the Center and we look forward to others joining us.
Through their involvement with both Hands and Habitat the Cryers saw this facility as a need. At the encouragement of the Boards of both Hands and Habitat it was agreed that it would be appropriate to name it the “The Cryer Center”. We are truly honored and thankful of this donation to our work.
The building will house the Hands Clothing and Furniture Barns; provide storage space and work areas for all organizations, a food bank, laundry and shower facility, extensive office space, and so much more. Essential areas will be on generator backup to help during emergencies. The office space will be staffed with volunteers from organizations using the facility to coordinate aid to those who need it.
A dedication service and open house is scheduled for 24 January 2010. Please watch the Sentinel for a detailed schedule after the first of the year.
THE DANDY FAMILY
The John and Charlotte Dandy family have been introduced in the Southside Sentinel in a series of articles in July and August this year. John and Charlotte are parents to Mali, 3, Malachi, 5, Ryheem 15, Jeromy, 17, Nigel, 19, and Bryan, 19.
This family was chosen from a number of applicants who had applied for a house. They exceeded the criteria of Habitat for Humanity International and our own local Affiliate. Like all the applicants, they would not be able to get a standard bank loan, but will be able to make monthly payments on a Habitat house where there is no interest on the loan payments. The pride and well being of home ownership is one of HFH.
HFH considers each selected family as “Partners” in the greater Habitat Family. We welcome them to this family!
SHARING “2 X 4’s”
Habitat for Humanity Middlesex uses a lot of lumber in building a house. The pile that seems the largest when material is delivered is the stack of lumber marked 2 x 4. These pieces are two inches by four inches, and we use them in various lengths. There are some 16 and 12 feet long. There are a lot that we call “studs”, 92 inches long. Some of these 2 x 4’s have been at the Urbanna Oyster Festival, you may even sign one that will be part of our next structure.
So you see, 2 x 4’s are important to us.
Recently when I saw an article titled “We Are More Than a 2 x 4” by Marine Scott, I took notice. Ms. Scott’s article was part of a church’s “Pension Fund Report”. She writes:
“Somewhere between the ages of 40 and 50, I started reading the daily obituaries. I’ve heard all of the reasons for doing this - like being sure your own name is not there and checking to see if any of your friends or neighbors are listed . For whatever reason this daily ritual takes place, I’ve started to notice a few things. Ten years ago, this snapshot of information was pretty cut and dried and didn’t even include pictures. Most obit’s were typically 2 x 4 inches in space and were listed alphabetically. Only those who society (or the obit editor) considered important, merited a picture and extensive wordage. Also, most newspapers offered this information service free.
Now our local paper charges for each word in an obituary notice. So, a “2 x 4" is not the level playing field any more. At times, it seems like small books are being written as death notices. At other times, there are very brief one sentence notices, indicating perhaps that the funds just weren’t there to be wordy.
I’ve also noticed that it is quite fashionable to give the person’s nickname instead of their given name. Some are quite amusing and others are descriptive of the deceased’s personality or vocation.
So remember, if your nickname happens to be “Lumpy” or “Sweetpea,” you might want to let your family know your public name preference now! It has also become common to tell a bit about the person’s life, indicating what they enjoyed or how they gave of their time and talent.
When it’s all said and done, this small box might be the only information total strangers will see or know about you. On the other hand, while we are all still here, I urge you to consider that you are more than a 2 x 4 box of information to be glanced over by people in mid life crisis. . . even if your name is Lumpy of Murph!!!
What you do, who you are, what you love, what you support is important, not only in your life, but also in the lives of others. Your very being, and the ability to share what you have with others, makes life itself truly joyful.”
As I reflected on Ms. Scott’s comments, it seemed good to share her thought in our Newsletter. And as we share, we are asking that you share in “our 2 x 4’s”, the kind that builds houses in Middlesex.
YEAR END SUMMARY
As we come toward the close of another calendar year, it has been a long year for our Affiliate. Our energy and time has been spent on our piece of property in Topping which was purchased last year. There have been a number of challenges in developing it into two home sites for the fourth and fifth houses. As we come to the end of the year, we expect to have building permits in hand for these two houses.
The concept for an “Apostles Build Program” has been introduced to our area churches. We believe this program will be helpful in the building of house number five.
Another important part of the work this year has been fund raising for house number four. We are truly grateful for the very generous gift of The Cryer Center from Linda and David. It will make our work much easier in many ways.
At the same time, this gift does not diminish the value of many smaller gifts of both funds and talents that are continually donated. With the purchase of the property we did not have funds to begin a house. Thanks to the response of many of “Middlesex’s Best”, and the hard work of many Board members, we do not have a large surplus of funds, but we do have enough to get things under way on house number four.
DONATE A VEHICLE
Donors simply call the Cars for Homes© toll free number, 1-877-277-4344 or visitwww.carsforhomes.org to donate cars, trucks, boats, RVs, motorcycles, airplanes or other motorized vehicles - running or not! Proceeds from this program are distributed to each Habitat Affiliate in the US.
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