September 18, 2009
Habitat for Humanity
Volunteers come together for 2009 Catholic Build
Walt Egenmaier, a parishioner at St. John Church in Daylight, cuts wood during the 2009 Catholic Build for Habitat for Humanity. (Message photo by Mary Ann Hughes) Click for a larger version.
By MARY ANN HUGHES (Message staff writer)
It’s a sunny Saturday morning on a tree-filled street near downtown Evansville, and the sound of steady hammering fills the air. The carpenters have arrived at the 2009 Catholic Build for Habitat for Humanity.
They are wearing tool belts and hats, jeans and work boots. Today, their job is to cut some wood and frame the rooms.
Kristie French is the only woman volunteer this morning. She says she’s been involved with Habitat since 2001. “My husband lost his job, and was in a deep state of depression. Hab-itat board members called him and said, ‘Rick, come help. We need your help.’
“It was a life saver for him. He needed something to do. He got me involved, and we’ve been coming ever since.
“What we have gained from this is priceless.”
She’s learned a lot about home construction, and discovered that she enjoys roofing. “We do everything. I like power tools.”
The volunteer experience is “fun,” she said, adding that it’s very rewarding to help people.
The house that is being built on East Oregon Street will soon become the home for Michelle Roach and her two daughters, 13-year-old Glenteria and 10-year-old Giashia. They currently live in a two bedroom apartment.
“I felt like I was ready to call something home,” Michelle said. “I heard about the Habitat program from my aunt about a year ago.”
When Michelle learned that she was approved for a Habitat home, it was “overwhelming,” she said, adding that her daughters are “happy. They can’t wait to have their own bedrooms.”
As part of the program, Mich-elle is required to give 300 hours in sweat equity to Habitat projects. That means “assisting at the site, hammering nails, taking out trash and painting.
“I think it’s a great opportunity. It’s a nice opportunity for low income families. It’s affordable for me.”
Ray Lambert is a parishioner at St. John Church in Daylight. He first volunteered with Habi-tat during the 1992 Blitz, and since 1995 he’s been “working steady” with the organization.
“You meet so many different people,” he said. “Really, God put us on earth to help people, people who are less fortunate than we are.”
Carpentry has been a hobby all his life, so the Habitat work is a natural for him. He speaks with pride when he explains that when a family gets a Habitat home “each child gets their own bedroom. It raises them up. It’s a proven fact that they do better in school.”
Rent in Evansville may run $600 to $700 a month for families, he said. Monthly mortgage payments on a Habitat home may be less than $300. “That’s what Habitat is all about, affordable housing, so people can reach their dreams.”
Benedictine Sister Jane Michele McClure is the development director for Habitat for Human-ity of Evansville. She said that a team of four plumbers from St. Philip Church in Posey County is donating labor for the plumb-ing, They are Tom Hirsch Sr., Tom Hirsch Jr., Steve Sitzman and Matt Hirsch. Fehrenbacher Cabinets is donating the kitchen cabinets.
“This all helps and shows the spirit of community here!”
Representatives from area parishes include:
- Del Welte, St. Benedict Cathedral, Evansville;
- Ray Lambert, St. John Church, Daylight;
- Ginny Cook, Christ the King Church, Evansville;
- Elaine and Don Kuhn, Corpus Christi Church, Evansville;
- Matt Scheessele, Mike Schapker, Good Shepherd Church, Evansville;
- Chris Head, Nativity Church, Evansville;
- Lois Martin, St. Wendel Church, St. Wendel;
- Dave Spaetti, St. Joseph Church, Vanderburgh County;
- Joe Bolatto, Holy Rosary Church, Evansville;
- Jim Schroeder, St. Agnes Church, Evansville;
- Sara Kemmerlin, Anita West, St. Boniface Church, Evansville;
- Bill Niemeier, Sacred Heart Church, Evansville;
- Rock Reed, St. Mary Church, Evansville;
- Elmer Berberich, St. Theresa Church, Evansville;
- Charles Asher, St. John Church, Evansville;
- Susan Weis, St. Philip Church, Posey County.