The Huntsville Item, Huntsville, TX

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January 27, 2008

Habitat for Humanity looks to the future

By Nanette Craig





The Walker County Habitat for Humanity chapter celebrated its past and looked forward to its future yesterday with a stirring musical program at the First Baptist Church of Huntsville.

Habitat’s 11th annual concert was a fundraiser to help the organization put deserving families into homes of their own.

Performances were given by various talented performers and the Progressive Choir, under the direction of Rev. Keith Williams, gave a riveting performance with concertgoers clapping and moving to the music.

Habitat construction manager Al Sailer recognized past board members who started the chapter many years ago, some of who were in attendance. Sailer put together a presentation of the houses the chapter has built as well as the house currently under construction.

“I know that Elsie Johnson is very anxious to get into this (her home) because she keeps asking when we are going to be finished,” said Sailer.

Elsie Johnson and her twin children, Kendall and Kendra, will be the 13th family to move into their own Habitat home.

The Johnsons, who were at the concert, aren’t just going to move in, they must also put in “sweat equity” in order to take possession. The family has been at the homesite on weekends, pitching in where they are needed and watching their new home take shape.

In the sixteen years Walker County Habitat for Humanity has been in existence, it has provided 13 new homes for adults and 37 children.

Mattie Austin, the first recipient of a local Habitat home, recently paid off her mortgage.

“We look at her house as an example of what we would like all our Habitat homeowners to look at and emulate,” said chapter president William Powell.

Powell said more land is needed in order to continue building homes in Walker County.

“We would be building houses left and right if we had the property to build on,” said Powell, who stressed the need for anyone with property to consider donating it to Habitat for construction of future homes.

“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give,” said Powell.

Powell thanked all the musicians, some of which have been performing at the concert for many years, for their continued support.

Board member Marge Rex spoke to the audience about Habitat for Humanity and the ongoing efforts of the organization to provide affordable, decent housing to families worldwide and locally.

“There is a need to partner with groups in the community,” said Rex.

Previously the chapter has partnered with Entergy and is expanding partnerships in the community with other local organizations.

“This year, we’re partnering with Sam Houston State University’s family and consumer sciences department with the help of Harriet Griggs to put on a community-wide fashion show,” said Rex. Griggs is part of SHSU’s Family and Consumer Sciences Department faculty.

Griggs and her students this semester are helping to organize the fashion show scheduled Saturday, March 1, at the Old Town Theatre.

Rex said all participants will come from within the community with all cultures and ethnicities represented.

“I had no idea we had so many clothing stores in town until recently,” said Rex.

All clothes for the fashion show will be from local stores.

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