August 1, 2011, by MaryannTerry Development Director

The mornings are comparatively cool to the afternoons at the Garden Park construction site these August dazes of summer. Yet the mood of the gals working is one of sweaty laughter learning new skills and helping out fellow sisters in need as they end their day at noon.

Women Build has been steadily working through the construction process for this duplex villa with a small powerful group of ladies since March. It is almost like the construction site has its own built in thermometer. The work and the groups of workers coming out to help have been balancing each other out rather nicely, while functioning in this Florida heat. The favorite drink is Gatorade and water washing down homemade rice crispy treats and banana bread brought by the local Christ United Methodist Church. One of the families already living at Garden Park also brought out fresh hot cinnamon rolls to show her appreciation. Wow!

What a way to spend a Saturday helping out those less fortunate and feeling fortunate yourself for being there. Soon there will be drywall going up, allowing the ladies (and men) to see the inside take shape, bringing more life to the structure. If your enjoy measuring, hammering and working a puzzle sign up for this next phase of the process. There will be a dry wall workshop so check out our website for those details.

You never know who you will meet there and what great treats you might get to share! There is probably three more months to build so darn your shorts and t-shirts and get out here! We need you! We’ll supply the hardware.

Habitat for Humanity Women Build

June 10, 2011 by Veronica Meurs

I am continually amazed by the dedication of all our volunteers and especially the Women Build Volunteers. The heat does not deter them from working!

Donations for Women Build continue to come in daily. We are at almost 93% of our goal, with just the rest of June to go. The John Ryan Roast at Mission Valley Country Club will be held on June 25 at 6 p.m. Please try to attend, help Habitat and have fun doing in!

By Karen Roberts - Co-Chair Women Build

Our first South County Women Build began on March 15th and we are three weeks in and having a great bonding experience with all of our women. We start at 7:30 am and work until 11:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, on Saturdays we have two shifts and work from 7:30 to 3:30.  With leadership from Ruth Ann Dearybury, our House leader we are staying on task and learning new skills everyday. The insulation has been installed along with the furring strips and the windows and doors are framed out. We are ready for the women from PGT to install the windows in both our units this Saturday April 2nd.  PGT kindly donated all the windows to Women Build and are training their women employees on the installation. 
We have had an outstanding success of women volunteers’ everyday at our worksite and are so grateful to all of those who have joined us on our journey. We continue to fundraise so we can reach our goal and raise enough money to build our two homes for the deserving families. Please go to the Habitat website to sign up and join us, we guarantee you’ll build great memories working for a wonderful cause!!

March 20, 2011 by Dick Ayers

On Tuesday March 15th, the excitement surrounding the Women build project came to the work site at Garden Park. When combined with our regular volunteers, the total number of people working to build our Habitat houses was the largest I can remember on a single day. All of the women who are involved in this build are dedicated to the completion of the two newest homes under construction and we're hopeful that their experience will be so meaningful that they will continue with Habitat even after these are done. On a personal note, it was fun seeing all the women using Stanley Black and Decker tools.

March 7, 2011 – by Michelle Hazeltine

What an exciting day for our Women Build Team. This morning our House Leader Ruth Ann Dearybury and our Construction Chair Georgia Miller along with some crew leaders and the help of our ”Normal Construction  Crew" chalked out the walls for our home. This prep work is necessary for the official start to happen a week from today. After that task was completed it was on to the Venice City Council meeting. Where City Council Woman Janette Gates read the Proclamation that The City of Venice has officially proclaimed March 2011 Women Build Month. Judy Wilcox made remarks and thanked the Mayor, City officials and all the citizens for their continued support and invited everyone to come by the site for a tour. She even invited them to pound some nails. The group along with Judy excepting this proclamation was our Habitat President Golda Radefeld, Georgia Miller and myself. So ladies it’s our month. Count down 7 days till we seize the day and the work commences. Please sign up early and ask your friends to join you. We will guarantee you will be rewarded 100 times over when you see what a difference you are making in someone's life.

By Elsie Souza, March 2, 2011

Countdown at 13 days!!!!!!!! The excitement was electric as queen bees Michelle Hazeltine and Karen Roberts held a planning meeting with their Women Build Committee Chairs and Habitat Staff. Busy Bees around the table discussed logistics and left me swarming!!!Electronic signups!!!! Slotting over 300 volunteers!!!! Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:30am to Noon and Saturdays with two shifts from 7:30am to Noon and 12:30pm to 3:00pm!!!!! Oh! The energy. Make sure that everyone gets a Tshirt with logos from our largest sponsors!!!!! We need lots of fuel so let’s reach out for more donations of cereal bars, fruit and good women, men and our faith based friends to bake and serve. Let’s describe this hive of activity with a House Leader, aided by the current volunteers in place so that Habitat continues its tradition of teaching. Assign Crew Leaders, Safety Workers, and Construction workers!!!! Let’s fundraise for the last 60,000 dollars to reach our goal of 200,000……………. We call it 60 Days to raise 60,000 Dollars!!!! We will fly on Facebook and Twitter!!!!!!!!! Okay we have to make announcements to everyone so let’s coordinate the PR. The supplies have been ordered and the last minute details are evolving. HOW SWEET IT IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By Maryann Terry

11/30/10 - What a great way to start off our Women Build initiative last night, with over 100 local women showing up to learn more at our information rally at Venice Regional Hospital!

Kudos’s go out to Judy Wilcox, Michelle Hazeltine and Karen Roberts for leading the charge and a huge thank you to all who came show their support. Starting off this holiday season with a roar of support for our local families and children in need of affordable housing certainly adds firewood to that warm Christmas spirit that’s just starting to glow.

 Remember you can always refresh your spirit by visiting our websites’ Women Build page for updates.

What a beautiful day to have a Ground Breaking Ceremony. We did it!  We officially started this project!!!!  No turning back ladies. We had a great turn out today, a true mix of our community. It shows how far reaching this organization is.

 Thank you to everyone who participated. Thanks to all the steering committee for being there. Susan and Melinda looking forward to what's to come in the future after you put out such a great spread today. Judy L. Thanks for the organization of the event. Veronica you’re a wonderful support to us you make us look real good. 

  I can hardly wait to our rally next Thursday. Looking forward to meeting and working with all those new faces. Most importantly looking forward to the day we can turn over these homes.

Planning has been going on for months on the first South County Habitat Women Build. Finally we have a ground breaking date set for November 18^th at 9:30 a.m.   The construction will begin as early as the following week with the foundation work. It is estimated that we will be able to have our women on site by March 15, 2011. This project has many women in our community fired up and willing to help us with their time, talent and treasures. It is almost overwhelming that this has already generated so much interest and support and we have not even turned a shovel. I am hoping the momentum just continues to build and I pray that we can also raise the funds to build these two homes and house very deserving families

By Maryann Terry

February 2011

Our Sweet Home Habitat (SHH)Event has come of age in this, its fourth year. Growing from our inaugural year at the Venice Community Center , from Plantation Golf and Country Club to our new home at Mission Valley, every year has brought new and old Habitat friends together for the cause that really makes a difference in our community. Building a home from the dirt up through the concrete foundation all the way through to the dirt and doors, SHH has constructed its way into the hearts and wallets of our 300 guests. Our first Garden Park homeowner, Stacey brought tears to everyone’s eyes when she told her story about her life before Habitat. Habitat has changed her attitude, her health and her children’s futures so much that she wants to take her story on the road. Special thanks go out to our Auctioneer Kathy Lehner who hawked her way into Habitat records book, selling windows and walls like they were chocolates. No one could refuse her sweet way of asking for more dough or was that for keeping their dirt under the rug?

A big warm hug goes out to all guests, sponsors and Mission Valley workers for making the night a Sweet Home Success for our Habitat partner families.