Habitat families to celebrate milestones

• Homeowner

Julie Ollman, Habitat partner family, is excited to become a homeowner. Her home will be built in five days during the National Home Builders Blitz the first week of June. (Contributed photo)
• Thrivent volunteer

Larry Gebhardt, Thrivent Lutheran relationship consultant, and Ted Haar (not pictured), Thrivent Financial associate, acted as volunteers on the Thrivent Builds home. (Contributed photo)

Talk about it

May has been a very busy month for Habitat for Humanity of Douglas County (HFHDC).

It began with celebration – the dedication of the Braford family home, the annual Hard Hat Breakfast, the Blessing of the Build and the beginning of construction on the Magnuson family home – and will end in celebration with milestones for three families.

The community is invited to join in these celebrations on Thursday, May 31. The first will be the dedication of the Magnuson family home at 820 Thomas Drive NE in Alexandria at 4 p.m. The affiliate is honored to have Brad Hewitt, president and CEO of Thrivent Financial, as well as local and regional Thrivent leaders in attendance at this event.

The Magnuson home is the eighth home that Thrivent has helped to fund, bringing their investment locally to around $700,000 since 2005. Nationally, Habitat for Humanity’s relationship with Thrivent Financial brings the financial, volunteer and advocacy resources of Thrivent Financial together with the affordable housing construction leadership of hundreds of local Habitat for Humanity affiliates.

To date, more than 480,000 volunteers have donated more than three million hours to construct 1,600 homes in the U.S. The 2012 commitment will fund the construction and rehabilitation of 142 Habitat for Humanity homes in 32 U.S. states, including the home built by HFHDC in Alexandria.

“We are honored to have Brad and our local Thrivent leaders take part in this special occasion for the Magnuson family,” said Lori Anderson, HFHDC executive director. “It will be nice for Thrivent to see first-hand the impact that they have had on helping our affiliate grow to serve more families.”

Locally, Thrivent has had a significant impact – helping to grow the affiliate organizationally and helping to engage more volunteers, donors and congregations in mission, Anderson added.

Eric Magnuson and his children are looking forward to their new home, which will be completed mid-June. He has completed his 200 hours of sweat equity and has been working on his home alongside the volunteers.

The celebrating continues at 5:30 p.m. with the Blessing of the Build for the Holloway and Ollman families at 1011 and 1013 Darling Avenue East in Alexandria. Homeownership for these two families has taken the fast-track. Both have been busy getting in their sweat equity in, as their homes will be built in five days (this June 4-8), through a partnership with the Vikingland Builders Association and the National Home Builders Blitz.

Several local contractors and subcontractors are joining the affiliate to build these homes during the first week of June. The goal is to have both homes go from a concrete slab on day one to a completed home by day five.

There have been commitments for materials and labor for the project from both local and national partners. There is still an opportunity for involvement and interested individuals and suppliers should contact HFHDC at (320) 762-4255 for more information on how to get involved.

“This is an exciting first for us,” said Anderson. “We have been blessed by our local builders and suppliers in helping to make this happen. Their involvement will change the lives of these two families and is helping us to grow to serve more families in the future. It means a great deal to see these new partners step forward to make a difference in these families’ lives and in our community.”

Although the Home Builders Blitz will only take one week, the planning leading up to it has taken a little longer. A committee involving Brian Berg, Tim Cullen, Brian Johnson, Paul Klimek, Steve Minnerath, Larry Okerlund, Greg Pouliot, Larry Puls, Roger Rosengren, Paula Shelander, Lynn Timm and Dick Welder have been making plans and preparing for this project since the fall.

Anna Holloway and her three children and Julie Ollman and her two children are excited not only to be homeowners, but to be working alongside these professionals and volunteers who will be helping to build their homes. The affiliate is excited to be moving into its 15th year celebrating longtime partners and engaging new partners in mission as they help families who are in need of a safe, decent and affordable home.

“These moments are so rewarding for everyone involved in the process,” said Anderson. “Seeing the joy and the celebration as families achieve their dream of homeownership is so meaningful. Being able to celebrate this with our community partners is so special – it shows the homeowners they are a part of a community that cares and a community that wants them to succeed and thrive.”

For more information on these events and on the affiliates building, visit them at www.hfhdouglascounty.org or call (320) 762-4255.

Tags: local news, news, habitat, housing, thrivent