The volunteers from East Jordan United Methodist Church in Sterling, Ill. took a break from their labors and posed with the Habitat for Humanity board outside the home under construction on Lincoln Street this week. |
Habitat home gets lift from down south June 13, 2009 A small Methodist congregation in northern Illinois gave a big boost to Antigo’s Habitat for Humanity house this week.
Nineteen volunteers from East Jordan United Methodist Church in Sterling, Ill. left for home today after spending a week pounding nails at the Lincoln Street home being constructed by Habitat for the Rick and Tammy Blaise family.
Jonathan Koch of East Jordan explained that the congregation has been sending out a Habitat team for each of the past 20 years, despite the church’s rather modest membership.
“It’s a benefit for us as much as for the Habitat house,” Koch said, explaining that the volunteer project brings the congregation together in very personal and strong ways.
Over the past two decades, the East Jordan congregation has worked with habitat projects throughout the Midwest, venturing to the East Coast on occasion as well as west to Colorado.
They’ve made several trips to Wisconsin in the past, and decided to turn their attention north once again at the suggestion of one of the longtime volunteers, who is also a big Green Bay Packer football fan.
“We talked to the organizers here and it sounded like they had a good project that would fit our needs,” Koch said.
The East Jordan volunteers camped out at All Saints Catholic School and brought their own cook, who made most of the meals in the Parish Center kitchen.
It wasn’t all work by any means. The volunteers were treated to a picnic by the Habitat volunteers at Veteran’s Memorial Park at Jack Lake and a Friday afternoon of rafting along the Wolf River. They also prepared a dinner for the Habitat board.
“This has really been exciting for everyone in the community,” board member Mary Burt said. “The Habitat board certainly feels fortunate that this group chose Antigo as a place where they would like to continue their commitment to Habitat and all the families who are served by each affiliate’s volunteers.”
“We like the program Habitat has set up,” Koch said. “We’ve always stayed with that.”
The house is being built by volunteers from Habitat for Humanity and Thrivent Builds, all committed to the idea of providing affordable housing to families in this area. The Blaise family, including children Jessie, Ashley, Kyle, Tyler, Shant’ea and Leon, are also playing a major role.
|
|
|
