Habitat breaks ground for home; the 18th goes to the Senters family

[July 23, 2013]  Amber Senters is a young single mother. She has three children: Anthony, Hayden and Ciara. She works a full-time job at a school for special-needs children in Springfield and rents a home in Lincoln.

Amber does all that she can to provide her family with a good life, and though it may be a struggle sometimes, she gets along. But, there is one thing that she has not been able to give her children -- a home they can call their own -- at least not until this week.

When Habitat for Humanity of Logan County had its 18th groundbreaking ceremony, it was for a home that will become a permanent place for Amber and her kids.

The groundbreaking ceremony was Sunday afternoon at 705 N. Madison. Several friends and family as well as Habitat volunteers came out to help turn the first shovels of dirt on the home and offer a ceremony of blessing on the build.

The event began with a welcome from Mike Irwin, Habitat president, who spoke about the agreement between Senters and Habitat. The Habitat homes are not gifts; the homeowner performs many hours of work for Habitat before the build begins.

There is also a mentor assigned to the homeowner to guide them through understanding the responsibilities of homeownership. When the house is built, the homeowner enters into a purchase plan with Habitat and over the next 20 years makes mortgage payments to the organization.

They also take on the responsibility of paying property tax to the county.

On Sunday, after Irwin spoke, city council members Kathy Horn and David Wilmert, in whose ward the home will be built, offered words of encouragement and congratulations to Senters.

Horn first told Senters that as a single mom herself, she understood fully the work it takes to provide a home, and she is happy and proud that Senters has accomplished this. Horn also noted that homeownership and a newly constructed home are good for the city of Lincoln.

Wilmert also congratulated Senters and talked about having construction for a new home in the city. He went on to mention that one of the many ways Habitat makes this possible is through fundraising efforts, such as the electronics recycling program one Saturday each month at the Habitat warehouse.

Tiffany Worth has and will continue to be Senters' mentor. After Wilmert finished speaking, Worth led the group in the Litany of Purpose. Then Ron Otto, minister of Lincoln Christian Church, offered words of encouragement through the Scripture.

Tom Wachtel will be a leader in the construction of the Senters home. He told the group there were a few plans that Senters would have to choose from, and once that was done, Habitat would be ready to commence construction. He invited everyone in attendance to come out and get involved in the build.

The building of a Habitat home is done by volunteers, which helps keep the construction costs down.

Wachtel also introduced Pastor Mark Evans and Bob Chamberlain, Habitat treasurer. Pastor Evans is with Trinity Episcopal Church in Lincoln. The church has an outreach program and recently decided to donate funds to Habitat. The pastor presented Chamberlain with a check for $1,250.

Next on the program, Karen Sams-Davis of Habitat along with Senters and her three children led the reading of the Litany of Hope. Then Horn and Wilmert led the Litany of Faith.

Then it was time to break ground. The first group up to the shovels consisted of the clergy in attendance, Habitat board members and other program participants. The second scoop of dirt was thrown out by Senters and her children. And then everyone in attendance was invited to come up and also throw out a shovel of dirt, if they wished.

The timeline on completion of the home depends greatly on weather conditions and the manpower available for the build, but it is expected that the house will be ready for Amber and her children to move into later this fall or early winter.

[By NILA SMITH]