HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF GALLATIN VALLEY

Here is your chance to buy a simple, affordable home?

Pre -Applications are now being accepted

To Learn if You Qualify or If You Are Interested In Applying go to

www.habitatbozeman.org to obtain a Pre-Application.

Or call 406-388-8225 and request a Pre-Application

Raffle ticket available now at Texteriors

All proceeds to benefit Habitat for Humanity of Gallatin Valley

406-586-4016

Forty young adults have invaded the job site at 1748- 1766 Buckrake Ave., in Bozeman, MT.  Like a colony of ants, there are scurrying across the cement slab completing theirs tasks in lighting speed.  Monday and Tuesday were spent measuring, cutting, and hammering 2×4s together in what appeared to ramdon disjointed order.  BUT…

On Wednesday morning it all came together when two exterior walls were hosted into place.  A Cheer when up when the final base plate slipped over the last anchor bolt.  A sense of accomplishment was clearly seen on all of the faces…including Tim and Ken, the key adult leaders directing all of the building activities.  (Did they have a moment or two of doubt?)

MISPACK…Network Youth Ministry from Hudson WI has been coming out to work on Habitat of Gallatin Valley homes since 1991.  While most of the members are new each year, a few who have committed themselves for each of these years.

What keeps them coming back?  Emily who is now a leader with this year’s group started when she was in high school.  She state; ” It is fun and a great way of giving back.  Besides I’m learning something each time I come.  Some of the previous leaders are now my friends and together we are teaching these high school seniors something new.”

Matt, a first year volunteer, is a senior at Hudson High School said, “I’m here because this is a great way to volunteer and learn something.”

While Carlton and Lou have their hands full keeping 40 highly energetic  youth engaged in doing what needs to be done, they have been able to find enough for them to do so each is getting something valuable out of their work week here with us.

Some quick background on this group.  Each year these “kids” have to raise money to pay their way to come out to work.  Yes, that’s right.  Not only do they volunteer their time, they have to raise funds to make a financial contribution to HfHGV, plus cover their expenses when they are not on our work site.

Wednesday afternoon is taken as a day of Thanksgiving…they spend that time writing Thank You notes to the folks who helped sponsor them or make a financial contribution so they can get out here to work.

Now once Friday is done and they receive their “Golden Hammer” half the group is splitting into four smaller groups to go back-packing for another week.  The other half end back to Hudson WI with a sense of accomplishment and memories that will bring many back next summer.

Besides saying Thank you to this group, we would also like to Thank  Lee and Dad’s, Rosauers, and Earth Crust for their support in providing meals this week.

JDavid

You are Invited!

When? Saturday June 20th

Time:  2 p.m.

Where:  1726 Buckrake Ave, Bozeman, MT

Why!  To Join In The Celebration and Dedication for the Black-Mostefa Family

Please join us on Saturday June 20th at 2 p.m. to dedicate the new home for the Black-Mostefa Family.  Mom and Dad and their 4 children will be assuming responsibility for their NEW HOME.  After a brief dedication program you can walk through the new home that was built by the community of Bozeman and Gallatin Valley volunteers, Collegiate Students, and volunteers from Park County.

They all joined in to build this four bedroom home.  The Lezlee Black and her husband Luigi Mostefa provided over 5oo hours of sweat equity in their home as well as the other homes that we are currently building.

Truly this is God In Action as volunteers from different faiths put their time energy and effort into helping this family gain the pride, power, and privilege of home-ownership.  Each time we can carry out the words of Jesus of helping those in need, AND to do so with a helping hand-up rather than a hand-out we build a better community for us to live in.

So Join Us on Saturday June 20th at 2 p.m. to celebrate God’s work in our community.

Where:  1726 Buckrake Ave, Bozeman,MT

If you need directions or have any questions, please call me, JDavid at 406-388-8225

Looking forward to seeing you there

JDavid

On behalf of our Partner Families, our Board of Directors, and my staff (and even more important my crew leaders) we want to Thank the following individual for their personal support…time, energy, effort, and passion to help make this year’s Women Build successful.

Befrore I list all of the women who came out to support us, I want to Thank our Corporate supporters.

Corporately we have strong support from Lowe’s - both on a nationa level and locally (Lowe’s is located at 1731 Tschache Lane, Bozeman, MT 406-522-3240) and from Big Sky Western Bank, D.A.Davidson & CO., CTA Architects Engineers, and MY103.5.  Mindy May from Budget Blinds got us started with a half page ad just as we were AWARDED a $5,000 grant from Lowe’s.

A Warm Hug and A Big Thank to:

Ashley Angle, Nancy Barber, Debbie Beauchamp, Rosemary Bourne, Carloyne Calvin, Susan Cole, Sky Cook, Dena Davis, Jillian DeFreest, Kris Desper, Kelly DiBerto, Becky Dusenberry, Michelle Farr, Jane Foster, Diane Fuhrman, Leslie Gilmore, Tara Ginnaty, Brenda Greb, Jenniefer Hettinger, Asher Himcls, Stephaney Hutchings, Lynn Irish, Kim Jewett, Taylor Kent, Chrystal Kirchoff, Tanya Lair, Carrol Leferovich, Kathy Maggard, Holly March, Romana Marotz-Baden, Mindy May, Joyce Miller, Moira Misunas, Jennifer Morrical, Harely Promisco, Paige Reddan, Erica Richard, Stephanie Richardson, Jordan Rose Schwartz, Joyce Seipel, Molly Sharp, Pattie Steinmuller, Christie Strock, Andria Weber, Robin Weinmester, and Jeanie Westnedge.

Thanks too to our Crew Leaders; Fred Opperman and Jerry Hieman from our Wednesday Men Build and Susie Cole, Susie McDonald, and Susan Riedel our regular Friday Women Build Volunteers.  All providing leadership and support to our Women Build Volunteers.

Look for notices when we are getting ready for Women Build 2010  - it will be our 10th year…a year to celebrate Women building affordable house for families here in Gallatin County.

JDavid

Wow! Time flew bye with willing hands, lots of energy, laughter, and some slinging of “mud”.  Taping mud this is. We were able to successfully tape one of our two home during the four days, build headers, and in general move forward on completing another home for our parnter families.

I would like to thank all the women that participated.  We had more than what was originally registered which speaks well for the support that the community gave to build our homes.  Each time we can place a family in a home we build a stronger community, provide for an opportunity for children to be raised in a healthy environment, and each home helps a family stay together leading to a stronger community for all of us to live in.

No small result from a sustainable home to live in.

As we pull all of our figures together next week, I’ll share with you more details about the success of this years Women Build.

Thanks again for ALL of your support.

JDavid

They All Laughed When The Women Said We’ll Prepare The Gravel For Concrete..

But, all the guys stopped when they picker up the shovels, rakes, and starting throwing the stones into the pit at the base of the foundation.

Our Women Build crews accomplished a lot and had fun doing it…even though it rained on them.

This morning the ladies rocked through taping and putting mud on the tape.  They covered nail holes, screw heads, and using ‘Banjos” to cover the gaps between the sheet-rock.

This afternoon’s group took excess gravel out of the base of the new slab which we hope to pour on Friday.

Tomorrow…another crew arrives and we continue to move forward on completing all the small things required on a house…caulking, painting, sanding, cleaning, and the being process of framing the outer walls.

Come on out if you want to…we have room on Friday and Saturday for more Women Build Crews.  Plus, you will be making a donation that will help us purchase more supplies such as nails, plaster tape, windows, cabinets, 2×4s and the like to build a home for a family that is already working.  They just need a helping hand up…not a hand-out.

See you there…

David

Good Morning Gallatin Valley…
Today is the BIG Day..the first day of Women Build 2009.  And, we still have room for you to come on out and help build a home for our Partner Families.

While the weather has been a challenge for all of us here…first being real nice, then hitting us with several inches of snow a couple of mornings in a row, we still have plenty of work that needs to be done.

Join with other women of the valley working along side our Partner Families.  Yes, they too will be there to introduce themselves to you…to work along side of you and to put in their “sweat equity” hours.

Women Build 2009 is sponsored locally by Lowe’s as well at the national level.  This is the reason why our Women Build is three weeks earlier than usual.

What kinds of work will you be doing?  We need help in painting, staining, taping, framing and putting up walls.  You might even have a chance to participate in pouring of concrete.  When this happens, we are producing the slab that the frame will be attached to.  You’ll experience and learn how a house is framed from the ground up.

But, did you know that our annual Women Build is not only a project to bring women of the valley together…it also is one of our major fund raisers. Your $30 is a tax deductible contribution to our Habitat affiliate.  That money goes to support the building of our homes, for supplies, equipment, tools, and the contracted services we have to purchase.

All of our homes are built with volunteers under the direction and leadership of a construction supervisor.  He guides each volunteer through the details of what needs to be done, how it needs to be done, and in the proper sequence.  You walk away knowing that you can do that particular job…and others by yourself.

So you win in two ways.  First you learn how a particular segment of the construction is done.  Second you have the confidence that you can do it.  And, best of all you have given of yourself to help us build a home for a needy family.

We’ll talk more about that next time…

So, come on out and join us.  We have plenty of spots open on Weds, Thursday morning, Friday morning and afternoon, Sat morning and Sat. afternoon.

See ya there!

Hello Gallatin Valley!

With two major events happening within the same week we wanted to launch our new Blog to help get the word out.   Thanks to Sears and the American Dream, Habitat for Humanity of Gallatin Valley has been identified as the Charity of Choice for the winner livning right here in Bozeman.

On Saturday May 2nd Kenyon Noble and the local ABC Affiliate are hosting an auction for Habitat for Humanity at the Oak Street Store.

Come on out and see what they have to offer and help  build a home for a deserving family.  There are many families right here in Gallatin Valley that need affordable housing.  As you know, cost of housing in Bozeman and the surrounding communities runs higher than in the rest of the state.

Your donations are the main source of revenue for us to build homes and stay in operations to tackle this issues of affordable housing -  one house at a time.

BUT, that’s not all.  Our ANNUAL WOMEM BUILD is just around the corner too.

On May 6 thru May 9th we are asking the Women of Gallatin Valley to volunteer their time and make a donation of $ 30.00 to build a home for two of our partner families.

If you join us, you will meet three or four of our Partner Families who are working for their own home.  Each one has had to qualify by having a steady source of income, be able to sustain a home by paying the mortgage, taxes, and their utilities, and currently live in unsustainable housing now.

Learn that Habitat homes are not hand-outs, but a helping hand-up!  And, we need your hands to help to make that happen.

So…come on out and join us on Sat. May 2nd at Kenyon Noble at their Oak Street store, and join us on May 6-9 to frame out a home and complete work on another so that we can move a partner family into a home.

If you would like to register for the Women Build, just go to our web site at www.habitatbozemna.org and download the registration/donation form found at the bottom of the first page.

I hope to see you there…

Dave Magistrelli, Executive Director