December 5, 2007

Volunteers push to complete Habitat home
Helping organization has two houses under way this year

By CORY ELDRIDGE
of The Chronicle

Melted snow dripped onto Ramon Flores’ blue sweatshirt as he held a board tight while David Neitling pounded in the nails, setting the first piece of siding on the northeast side of Flores’ two-story home.

For Flores, the work is his down payment to Habitat for Humanity, the sweat equity that will give him and his family a home; for Neitling, it’s another chance to give to his community.

As the two hammered in the second piece of siding, Richard Day stood above them on a ladder and worked on a window, while inside the home five other Habitat for Humanity volunteers sawed boards, hammered in planks and installed a door — all hurrying to stay warm and finish the house before its grant’s deadline.

The Dalles’ affiliate of Habitat for Humanity usually builds one home a year for a local family, but this year they are building two, with the help of a grant from Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity, a division of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Thrivent supplied two-thirds of the funding, and the local Lutheran community supplies half the volunteers for the building.

While that means the Flores family, which includes Ramon’s wife Irma and their grown children, Christian and Melissa, will soon live in their own home, the grant stipulates that the home be built by the end of December.

“I don’t think we’re going to make it,” said Walt Notter, an organizer for Habitat for Humanity, noting that the other home will take longer to finish than usual as well.

That doesn’t mean the Flores’ home can’t be finished on time, and Notter and others at Habitat for Humanity believe they can at least get close if more volunteers help out during the next few weeks.

Neitling, a lifelong volunteer and past president of Habitat for Humanity in The Dalles, said his altruism comes from his parents’ example and the desire to help his community.

“I’ve been blessed to receive a lot, so I try to give back,” he said.

Another volunteer, Mike Wilson, said though he had volunteered for other groups, such as the Red Cross, he was drawn to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity because of the nature of the work.

“I wanted to do something that was physical,” he said. “It’s more tangible — you can see it.”

The work is also long lasting.

The two homes are the 13th and 14th built for The Dalles area residents since 1993 and almost all of the families still live in the homes.

Habitat for Humanity only opens the application process for homes a short time every two years and about a dozen families apply. Just two receive homes. The families chosen must be below the county’s median income level.

Though the families chosen are in need — the families must make less than the county’s median income — the homes aren’t given free. A family must work 500 hours on the home and be able to pay a no-interest mortgage.

“These people have the pride of home ownership,” said Corliss Marsh, who runs the group’s office. “People who own their own home are more responsible; they feel more a part of the community.”

Habitat for Humanity has just two more lots to build homes on, Marsh said, underscoring the group’s need for donations as well as volunteers.
If the Flores’ home is not finished by the end of the year, Anne Anderson, the Pacific Northwest grant administrator for Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity, said she didn’t expect any penalties to come down. She said that permitting difficulties caused much of the delay.

“It’s a real good group of people out there,” she said. “People are coming out and getting involved, probably working more than they thought they would be. We’re doing our best to keep on going. All of the Lutherans in the community, all the people in the offices at Habitat are trying.”

Ramon Flores is putting in his time, too, building a home for his family. He and his wife grew up in Tijuana, Mexico, but Christian and Melissa were born in San Diego, where the family lived for 14 years.

They moved to the gorge three years ago, looking for a better place to raise the children, and have grown fond of The Dalles.

“We plan to stay here,” Flores said. “We’re blessed. We’re going to have a home, a future.”

If you would like to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity to help finish either of the homes, you can call their office at 296-8817. You can also go to either site on a work day. Crews work on the Flores’ home, 4675 Lockwood, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, beginning about 9 a.m. and go to about 2 p.m. On Wednesdays or Fridays you can help at 519 East 17th Street, near Colonel Wright Elementary at the same times. Find Walt Notter, and he’ll find you something to do. Individuals and groups are welcome.