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.
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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] |