|
Sign up for Newsletter
Home Center
We are Now
Accepting On-Line Donations!
|
In the News
Habitat Open House Tour Set for April 11
VERO BEACH: If you’ve ever wondered what Indian River Habitat for Humanity is all about, here’s a great chance to find out. On Sunday, April 11, 2-5 p.m., all available properties will be open to the public for viewing. You will be able to freely tour each of Habitat’s house styles, from those under construction to recently purchased and remodeled pre-owned homes.
Information on how to purchase a Habitat home or how to become involved in this exciting ministry will be available at 1345 20th Court SW. Also at this address, refreshments will be served and a drawing for a Habitat Home Center gift certificate will take place.
On April 1, a complete listing of all Open House locations will be available on this website.
For further information, please contact Lindsey Goodall at 772.562.9860 X211 or e-mail lgoodall@irchabitat.org.
Habitat Wins Affiliate of Year - for 3rd Time!!
For the third time in four years, Indian River Habitat for Humanity has been lauded as ‘Affiliate of the Year’ by Habitat for Humanity International.
Your local affiliate was chosen from a field of nominees from across the U.S. based on its service in a community with a population between 50,000 and 250,000. Indian River Habitat for Humanity was recognized through the “Pioneers in Excellence” award program, which honors affiliates who demonstrate creativity, innovation, and productivity in their efforts to eliminate substandard housing.
“Habitat for Humanity was able to help a record number of families in need of homes this year,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “That was due, in large part, to the unwavering commitment of affiliates to continue their work in communities. “The ‘Pioneers in Excellence awards allow us to recognize extraordinary levels of determination and achievement and to thank those who so faithfully carry out our mission. ”
“We are honored to receive this award on behalf of all of our Habitat supporters in Indian River County,” said IRHFH Executive Director Andy Bowler. “With the help of volunteers, donors, sponsors and a dedicated staff, we are making a difference in the lives of families in need of decent, affordable housing.”
Since 1991, Indian River Habitat for Humanity has helped to make homeownership possible for more than 225 families. A top contender for the award due to its rehabilitation efforts and consistent commitment to tithing,Indian River Habitat for Humanity has built 38 houses in partnership with families in need in FY 08/09.
The award is based on affiliate size and the number of homes built in the US and overseas, via our tithe. (It should be noted that the average cost of an overseas house is $4,500.) Additional points are given if this affiliate shows an upside trend in house production over the past three years.
Habitat Bids Farewell to Two Dear Friends
Dr. Marion Jones
Indian River Habitat recently said good bye to a very dear friend of this affiliate and of Habitat in general, Dr. Marion Jones, who passed away Dec. 21, 2009, after a short illness.
Marion came to Vero 11 years ago after retiring as chairman of the biology department at Albany State University.
He was a participant in several Jimmy Carter Work Projects and was an outstanding and faithful volunteer with our affiliate, to the point of being named “2008 - Construction Volunteer of the Year”. (See the January picture in the 2010 IRHFH calendar).
Marion was also an active member of St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church in Sebastian. He was a good friend to our homeowners, his fellow volunteers and our staff, and he will be sorely missed.
Conn Kuhlman
Conn Kuhlman passed away Jan. 14, 2010. Here, we reprint Susan Reaves' introduction of Conn when he was presented with the President’s Call to Service /Life Time Achievement Award at our Volunteer Banquet in 2009.
Remember the advertisement back in the 1960’s for Life Cereal? The one that stated “give it to Mikey he’ll eat anything”? Well IR Habitat has it’s own version of Mikey but instead of cereal, it’s any kind of work we can come up with.
8 ½ years ago, when I first started, there were lots of “regular” volunteers that had been around for awhile, but one in particular took me under his wing and taught me lots of things. Besides giving me friendship and showing lots of patience, he taught me the true meaning of volunteerism. Volunteering is not something you just do, it is a way of life. As I worked with this gentle man
(and I don’t just mean gentleman, but gentle man) I learned small bits and pieces of his life’s experiences. He was happily married and had daughters, was a pharmacist, retired early to a paradise island, rebuilt an old home while there, enjoyed the life of leisure, became bored, returned to Florida, helped to start a Habitat affiliate, encountered NYBYism at its worst, didn’t give up, moved to Vero, volunteered at our small but growing affiliate, taught me to lay floor tile and dig foundations at exactly 18 inches deep, lost his life partner, but gained a life time of friendship, taught new volunteers, taught homeowners the meaning of giving, sharing and caring.
Thousands of hours have been volunteered by this man. More than we were able to verify (he didn’t always sign in but we always knew where to fine him). He started with us in 1999 on house #19 (we’re currently working on house # 222). Dozens of shed trusses and headers have his mark upon them, I would say about 1/3 of the houses we have built had floor tile laid by him, Phase 2 of Grace Grove had the counter tiles placed by him and thousands of other volunteers have encountered his smile, head nod, hand shake and the words “come with me”.
Finally this evening, to the man “who would do anything” Habitat would like to recognize one of the most devoted volunteers of our community (and personally I think any community) with the President’s Call to Service /Life Time Achievement Award for his commitment of well over 4,000 hours to Habitat’s ministry in Indian River County. Please join me in honoring Conway Kuhlman with this award.
Todd Heckman Takes IR Habitat Board Reins
Todd Heckman, the new Indian River Habitat for Humanity Board Chairman, has been a supporter of affordable housing for years, having served on the Board of the Coalition for Attainable Homes before joining Indian River Habitat for Humanity as a member of the Board of Advisors in 2004. He was named to the Habitat Board of Directors in the winter of 2007.
Heckman and his family: wife, Teresa, and sons, Tyler, Brad and Kevin, moved to Vero Beach from New Jersey in 1998. He runs his own financial consulting company, Northeast Financial, which is aligned with Felton and Associates. The family attends First Presbyterian Church. Heckman is committed to “guiding our affiliate in its fulfillment of our mission – to provide simple, decent homes for qualified families in need,” and sees Indian River Habitat for Humanity as not only a builder of homes but as “a builder of homeowners.”
Heckman takes the place of outgoing Board Chairman Rene Donars, who has served Habitat for many years. As a volunteer, Donars edited the quarterly newsletter and other publications, then advanced to the board, where he served as Vice-Chairman and then as Chairman. In his leadership capacity, Donars had a hand in many of the decisions that have made the local affiliate one of the most honored and respected in the world. Now active in several church, charitable and non-profit organizations, Donars retired from Porter Cable as Vice-President of Sales and Marketing shortly after moving to Vero Beach. He and wife Alice attend Holy Cross Catholic Church.
Notre Dame Falcon Corps students give us a week
The 11-student Falcon Corps from Notre Dame College in S. Euclid, Ohio, arrived at Indian River Habitat for Humanity, ready for a week of volunteer labor. The group started out at the Home Center, and will also put time in at the current Habitat construction site in the Oslo Park area.
 Shown as they put up shelving in the Home Center’s House of Lights section, front row from left: Rebecca Alexander, Andrea Levine, Erin McGrath and Patty Stefanski; middle row, Chariya-Marie Curd, Mackenzie Brown, Maria Lopez; back row, David Chadowski, Anshawn M. Ivery, C.J. Sheehe and Bobby Devenny.
|
Read about our Global Village trip to the Dominican Republic!
.
|
