A Message from your Chairman

 

August and September were successful months to Habitat for Humanity, Lake City/Columbia County and our fourth house.  We especially want to thank Paul LeClair and Larry Lee's leadership in directing and managing our wonderful volunteers along with Janina Terry, our volunteer chairperson.  A special thanks goes out to the Lake City Chamber of Commerce YEP group and young people of ASCE engineer group for their enthusiasm and interest in our project!  We are always delighted to meet the new students as well as some of the others who have participated in the past. It has been encouraging seeing new faces show up to volunteer at construction site.  We still need more help on Wednesday and Thursday mornings as well as Saturdays!

 

A special thanks to Darlene Hart, Janet Lee and ladies from Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for providing lunch for our construction crew Saturday, September 25.

 

Sheila & I just attended Florida's first annual statewide support organization conference at the Rosen Creek Shingle Resort in Orlando last weekend.  We had outstanding speakers and executive directors from over 45 different Florida affiliates with 300 attendees that we networked with.  The collective of Florida affiliates has successfully provided over 11,000 families with affordable homes in the state of Florida, has contributed to over 6,000 families with affordable housing globally, and continues to lead in the methodologies and innovations that sets the pace for HFH in the U.S.  It was a real honor to have the national Habitat president of Haiti & university professor and HFH Macedonia's Executive Director, Dr. Zoran Kostov & a special guest, Michael Carscaddon, Executive VP of International Field Operations at HFHI (# 2 man).  Whirlpool Corp sponsored dinner one night with a representative who spoke to us.  Whirlpool has contributed more than $63 million since 1999 through product donations or cash & offers volunteer support through their employees.  Everyday was filled with working sessions on how to serve more partner families, fundraising, etc.  Sheila & I wished that we had more of our board members and volunteers in attendance for the training and fellowship.  We never saw so much enthusiasm & passion from people that want to serve individuals that need decent, simple and affordable housing.  The most emotional moment was when we heard from the pioneer and the last living charter member, Sam Emerick, that began this humanitarian idea in 1976 in Koinonia.  He is

95 years old & still determined to spend the rest of his life helping other people that are less fortunate.  He now lives in Charlotte County, FL and continues to actively participate in that affiliate.  We made some fantastic contacts with other like-minded souls that gave us some leads for additional resources and people who have moved into our area that were very active in their previous affiliates.

 

I would like to make a plea to our volunteers to do everything in our power to get Jeremy and his family (our partner family) in their home for Christmas!  Can you help us make that happen?

 

Habitat for Humanity doesn't just build affordable housing for those in need; we build homes,...home where dreams are realized and seeds of optimism are planted.  Our local community is striving to do our part for our partner families.

 

                                                                                                           George L. Burnham, Jr.