Sunday, May 1st was one of the nicest days we had this spring and not just because of the weather. Forty Habitat volunteers, well-wishers, family and friends met in the vacant lot at the corner of Welle and Wheatland that will soon be the Keller family home. Aaron Couch, pastor at Real Life Ministries, offered the prayer and blessing. Uniontown Councilman Len Zeoli welcomed the Keller family. Palouse Habitat Board President Brent Bradberry thanked the volunteers, and Construction Supervisor Ken Hall outlined the home design and construction schedule. Finally, Sarah Keller shared her own thoughts and appreciation. When the shovels were passed, out two-year-old Kaden beat everyone to the punch, turning the first two shovels of dirt. The crowd cheered and the build was officially begun. Many thanks to the Family Support Committee for putting together an enjoyable beginning to the Keller build! You can help make the Keller home possible! Contact the Palouse Habitat office at 208-883-8502 or email [email protected]. KELLER FAMILY GROUNDBREAKING The March 2011 Palouse Habitat build in Guatemala was a tremendous success! A nine member team spent their spring break in Jocotan, a remote village in Chiquimula, a hot, arid, region near the Honduran border. They worked alongside the Habitat partner family, Erminda Perez-Vasquez, her son Jaime, and her mother Maria, and several local Guatemalan Habitat workers. Starting from the ground (literally), they were able to complete more than half of the cinderblock .home. . All the work was done by hand: digging sand to mix the concrete, cutting and transporting blocks and tying re-bar. Guatemala Team Builds Home and Friendships Continued on page 2 Palouse Summer 2011 Newsletter PO Box 3054 | 1036 West "A"Street Moscow, Idaho 83843 | 208.883.8502 www.palousehabitat.org
Transcript
Sunday, May 1st was one of the nicest days we had this spring and not just because of the weather. Forty Habitat volunteers, well-wishers, family and friends met in the vacant lot at the corner of Welle and Wheatland that will soon be the Keller family home. Aaron Couch, pastor at Real Life Ministries, offered the prayer and blessing. Uniontown Councilman Len Zeoli welcomed the Keller family. Palouse
Habitat Board President Brent Bradberry thanked
the volunteers, and Construction Supervisor Ken Hall outlined the home design and construction schedule. Finally, Sarah Keller shared her own thoughts and appreciation. When the shovels were passed, out two-year-old Kaden beat everyone to the punch, turning the first two shovels of dirt. The crowd cheered and the build was officially begun. Many thanks to the Family Support Committee for
putting together an enjoyable beginning to the Keller build! You can help make the Keller home possible! Contact the Palouse Habitat office at 208-883-8502 or email
The March 2011 Palouse Habitat build in Guatemala was a tremendous success! A nine member team spent their spring break in Jocotan, a remote village in Chiquimula, a hot, arid, region near the Honduran border. They worked alongside the Habitat partner family, Erminda Perez-Vasquez, her son Jaime, and her mother Maria, and several local Guatemalan Habitat workers. Starting from the ground (literally), they were able to complete more than half of the cinderblock .home. . All the work was done by hand: digging sand to mix the concrete, cutting and transporting blocks and tying re-bar.
Guatemala Team Builds Home and Friendships
Continued on page 2
Palouse
Summer 2011Newsletter
PO Box 3054 | 1036 West "A"StreetMoscow, Idaho 83843 | 208.883.8502
Saturdays are traditionally the busiest days on Habitat construction sites since many volunteers have week-day commitments. However, there are also many locals who are retired or have flexible schedules, so recently we added a midweek work day. The response was great and since then PHfH has had a crew working almost every Thursday during a build. Some Thursday volunteers are on site every week, others have commitments that require less regular participation. Some work a full day (usually about six hours), while others come only for a few hours. Volunteers of any skill level, age, or gender are welcome. We often include university and high school students, however on any given Thursday the majority of the crew will be men of a certain maturity. Some of us favored the more dynamic sounding nickname “Retired Rangers” or even “Geezer Gang”, but the moniker “Codger Crew” has won out. Whether you are a “codger” or not, if you are interested in volunteering on Thursdays, contact Brent Bradberry: [email protected] or (208) 882-2830. No special skills are required, since our Construction Supervisor, Ken Hall, is an outstanding instructor with the patience of Job. Thanks to a donation from Avista, PHfH has a reliable work truck with room for six. Contact Brent if you would like a ride on Thursdays from the Moscow/Pullman area to the build in Uniontown.
But the team built more than a home -- they built friendships. Working side by side with their Guatemalan counterparts, in 90 degree heat, and taking turns reading and playing with local children who came to see the oddity of Americans working .in. .their. .village. . After working hard from 7 AM until 3 PM for five days, the team spent a day in Antigua, one of the most scenic and historic cities in Guatemala, and a day at Copan, a world famous Mayan ruin site just across the border in Honduras. All in all, the event was such a success we hope to make similar trips an annual spring break event. own expenses and also donated towards the cost of the .house. . The team members included Brent and Donna Bradberry, volunteers with Palouse Habitat; Kate Handler, Bonnie Bangert, Hung Minh Le, Sam Smith, Meagan Houck and Jayme Estep from WSU; and Shaylee Martling from U of I. Team members paid all their own expenses and also donated towards the cost of the house.
From Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary (found between codfish and Codiaeum): codger....a peculiar person; usually preceded by old
President Brent Bradberry
Vice President Leonard Johnson
Secretary Bob Ritter
Treasurer Andrea Beckett
2011 Palouse Habitat for Humanity Board Members
Board Members Jim Boudreau, Doug Arlt, Peg Gunderson, Kristin Prieur, Sue Ritter, Mick Nazerali
Mission: To serve our neighbors in need by helping to eliminate
WATCH FOR US!!August 19-20 Lentil Festival Pullman
September 8-11 Palouse Empire Fair Colfax
September 15-18 Latah County Fair Moscow
Third Annual Beans ‘n Jeans Raises $18,000
Habitat builds simple, affordable homes thanks to all our wonderful volunteers. But we couldn’t build without funds to purchase the lumber, concrete and other building materials and the property. The construction cost of Keller family home is projected to be $75,000. . That’s what makes Beans ‘n Jeans so important, and why we are pleased to report that, thanks to the generous support of the record attendance crowd we raised $18,000 at Beans n Jeans this year! The barbeque dinner and auction was held April 16th. The live auction included a living room set, cabin get-a-ways, a weekend in Seattle, and a Ford F150 4x4. The silent auction was an excellent sampling of Palouse
area businesses and artists. . Bluegrass music by Forgotten Freight set the mood and MC Bruce Bradberry of NWPR kept it fun. Volunteer auctioneer Pete Klaiber (NW Pea and Lentil Council) got the bidders bidding, especially on the 2x4s decorated by artists at the Dahmen Barn, which went for between $120 and $200 each. They will be used at the Keller home so Sarah can continue to enjoy the creative. .artwork.
. Thank you to everyone who helped put the event together, the businesses and individuals who donated items for the auction, and to those who came to support Palouse Habitat for Humanity!
PO Box 3054 | 1036 West "A"StreetMoscow, Idaho 83843 | 208.883.8502
www.palousehabitat.org
Keller Family pose with the studs to go in their home.
Palouse Habitat partner and Genesee High School Senior Tallah Revord organized a benefit concert for Habitat as her Senior Project. Tallah recruited two bands, Chitlin Circuit and The Tom Drake Band, and the Moscow Eagles Lodge donated the space. Tallah's project raised $102 for Habitat! Thank you Tallah and good luck next year at the University of Idaho!
You can help us build the Keller Family Home!-Cornerstone: Pledge to give a set amount for each home built.-Memorial Gift: Make a donation in memory of someone. -Donation: Any amount to support Palouse Habitat’s home building ministry.
Make check payable to Palouse Habitat for Humanity or use PayPal at www.palousehabitat.org.
Write your intention in the memo line of your check: Cornerstone commitment, memorial gift, or donation dedicated to the current build or for general purposes to support Habitat’s mission.
**Note that Palouse Habitat sends 10% to Habitat International to build homes in Guatemala unless the funds are specifically designated for use locally.
