Home for the Holidays

The Habitat community gathered for the dedication of the 2018 Building on Faith home, sponsored by Thrivent on Saturday afternoon. New homeowners, Ruben and Maria, were among the first to arrive with their children.

Eight year old Vanessa, dressed in her Sunday best, was beaming as she took in her completed house. She shyly asked if she could go upstairs, eager to see her new room.

Soon the house was bursting with people – family, friends, neighbors, Habitat volunteers and staff.

Pastor Paul Zeigler of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, who also volunteered building Ruben’s home, opened the dedication with a blessing.

Gomer Roseman, Director of Site Development and Construction, followed sharing about the home and noting its unique features: the energy efficient heat pump water heater and the garage, a first for a Habitat home. Then Christina Rupp, Director of Homeowner Services shared about the family, drawing attention to the joy Ruben and Maria brought to every meeting throughout the process.

But the star of the day was little Vanessa. When it was time for the family to share some words, Vanessa stepped forward, pulled a folded note out of her pocket and began to read.

“Dear Habitat, I appreciate the people that work for Habitat – especially for the house workers. They have worked together to build me and my family a house and we appreciate them. I also appreciate all the people that helped us in the process. Me, my mom and my brother appreciate my dad because he worked very hard to build our house. Thank you, Habitat.”

Her father echoed Vanessa’s sentiments, saying “Thank you to everyone that helped with the house. Thank you very much.”

CEO Maureen Fife closed the ceremony by saying, “Thank you, Ruben. There’s nothing better than a home you can call your own and one you can afford and better yet, one you helped build yourself. You worked hard for this house. You earned it. You are a great partner. Welcome to the Tillicum community.”

Habitat is a hometown miracle and none of what we do would be possible without incredible volunteers, partners, donors and sponsors. Thanks to you for helping us bring this family home for the holidays.