Stone Work at our new project
Wow, what a transformation! Clive and Carlene Roberts, with the help of our new partner family, the Bretons work on stone steps at our Maple Sq. house . Clive and Carlene are members of the Belmont Baptist Church. Clive is an excavator by trade. The work looks great! See it here.
Plymouth State University Distinguished Alumni Service Award
The Distinguished Alumni Service Award was presented to Lakes Region Habitat Board Member Laura Brusseau Plymouth State University 2011 Alumni Association awardees were honored at a September 24 ceremony in Heritage Commons. The award recognizes a graduate who through unselfish devotion and loyalty has served Plymouth State University and/or The Plymouth State University Alumni Association (PSUAA). Read about it here.
15 Maple Square, Franklin NH - Fall 2011
Over the winter LRHFH board members discussed several designs for the reuse of the porch area on this home and decided on a plan that made the best use of the space. Board member Wayne Hackett, who agreed to supervise construction, met with the Franklin building inspector on site in April to understand what requirements needed to be met to turn the space into living quarters. LRHFH then secured building permits that listed construction objectives and initiated Saturday work sessions.
Skilled volunteers reinforced the porch floor joists, shimmed and leveled the floor, installed underlayment material, and framed ceilings, walls and doorways. In June LRHFH received a huge boost in progress (and energy!) from the folks at RP Johnson of Andover, NH who spent a “We Build it Forward” Saturday removing a huge tree overhanging the home, building a sorely needed retaining wall and donating needed windows, doors and lumber. We’re indebted to the Johnson volunteers and to the Franklin Congregational Christian Church who led RP Johnson to us after the church renewed its covenant with LRHFH.
Currently a combination of skilled and unskilled volunteers (including our new partner family members!) has installed all the drywall and are working on surface finishing. They’ve installed a new front stoop with roof cover and have resumed vinyl siding work. A new rear egress deck and stairway remain to be completed as well as painting and floor coverings. Our partner family is eager to occupy the home and we’re doing everything we can to finish by Thanksgiving. If you would like to help, please watch the work day postings here or on our facebook page. You can email us at volunteer@lrhabitat.org or leave us a message at 603-279-4820.
Belmont Family Approved for Habitat House
Belmont, NH. The Board of Directors of Lakes Region Habitat for Humanity has approved Don and Missy Breton of Belmont to purchase the next house available from Habitat. The Bretons began the process last November by attending an orientation meeting at the Tilton-Northfield United Methodist Church. “We learned at that meeting what was required and we filled out an application, which started the process”, says Don Breton.
The house which the Bretons will be purchasing is currently being reconstructed in Franklin, NH. Habitat homeowners are required to pay a down payment and participate in the construction by putting in 500 sweat equity hours working on their future house. Future “Partner Families” are also required to attend first time home buyer and financial fitness classes to prepare them for home ownership. The Bretons have completed their classes and have set up Individual Deposit Accounts (IDA) to save for their down payment. IDA accounts are provided by Laconia Area Community Land Trust. It provides matching funds for every dollar saved by future homeowners to purchase a home.
Pictured on the right' Marilyn Deschenes, President of Lakes Region Habitat for Humanity, congratulates Don and Missy Breton, who have been chosen as the latest “Partner Family” to receive a Habitat house.
Habitat Partner Families are chosen based on their need for housing, their willingness to partner with Habitat and also their ability to afford the subsequent mortgage on their own. “The mortgage is at no interest, but principal, taxes and insurance must be affordable for the family” says Benny Popek, Treasurer of Lakes Region Habitat. “Habitat houses are priced according to the actual cost incurred building (or rebuilding) the house. We have a volunteer team of mortgage experts who work for local banks. They help us determine that the families chosen are actually able to afford the house and the associated expenses”.
“The house was acquired by Habitat last fall”, says Wayne Hackett, Habitat’s construction project manager. “The house needed considerable work and we have added a bedroom and a bath. The house has upgraded plumbing and all new electrical, as well as a completely rebuilt heating system”. Don and Missy have been working on the house building their sweat equity. Other volunteers have also been at work on the house and
many of those have donated their hours towards the Breton’s sweat equity requirement. “People who would like to help out with the work on this project can go to our website to find out when we will be working on the house and what we will be doing on any given workday,” says Hackett. “We hope to have the house complete by Thanksgiving and we can use all the help we can get to make that happen. The more volunteer hours we can get into the house, the lower the final cost of the home for the Partner Family.”
“The Bretons will have a safe, secure and totally rebuilt home in which to raise their young and growing family”, according to Marilyn Deschenes, President of Lakes Region Habitat. “The Bretons are a wonderful, loving family and have worked very hard to qualify for this house.” Don and Missy have four children and are expecting their first boy in October. “It’s a wonderful experience seeing your home come together with all the hard work from Habitat and the volunteers. We never expected to be able to own a home of our own, with a yard for the children to play,” says Missy.
Don is employed by Vutek in Meredith and Missy works for Heavenly Sonshine Preschool in Belmont. The family attends the First Baptist Church in Belmont.
Lakes Region Habitat for Humanity is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International and has been providing decent, affordable housing in the Lakes Region since 1982. The organization has completed 30 homes during that time. The current project is the house reconstruction in Franklin which will be their 31st home. For more information, to donate or to get involved call 279-4820 or email info@lrhabitat.org
Plymouth State Students Help with Habitat Build
On Saturday, August 20, six Plymouth State University students
and two faculty advisors participated in the rehabilitation of the
house at 15 Maple Square, in Franklin, which is the latest Lakes
Region Habitat for Humanity project. “We are very pleased to have
these energetic young workers helping to get this house ready for a
family”, says Marilyn Deschenes, President of Lakes Region Habitat
for Humanity. The students and their advisors were part of the
Community Service Orientation Program at Plymouth State. “This
group is spending a whole week giving back to the community and
learning what a great feeling it is to help others in need”,
according to Jetta Morrison, a member of the PSU faculty working
alongside the students. “We think Habitat does so much good in the
community that we wanted to students to gain an appreciation of the
organization and the great work it does”.
Students who worked on Saturday were Nicolas Garofalo, Jenna Howe, Kelly Amato, Haley Bassett, David Lewis, and Katie Watts. The Student Advisor, Christine Schultz and a member of the faculty, Jetta Morrison arranged the workday and were working alongside the students.
Lakes Region Habitat for Humanity is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International and has been providing decent, affordable housing in the Lakes Region since 1982 and has completed 30 homes during that time. The current project is the rehab of a house in Franklin which will be their 31st home. For more information, to donate or to get involved call 279-4820 or email info@lrhabitat.org
Constance Morrison and Laura Brusseau Join Habitat Board
Dr. Constance A. (“Jetta”) Morrison, Esq., FAANP, has joined the Board of Directors of the Lakes Region Habitat for Humanity. A native of Worcester, MA, she currently lives in the Plymouth area. Jetta, as she is known to her friends, has many significant accomplishments in the fields of medicine and law. She also has a deep involvement
with her community and does humanitarian work with the military and
veterans. She is currently an adjunct professor at Plymouth State
University and owns her own consulting practice specializing in health
care and trial law.Dr. Morrison was recently honored by the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains as a “Champion” who has “made significant contributions through her work, philanthropy, and community service.” These champions have broken through gender barriers in their fields of endeavor, moved forward with out of the box ideas, served as powerful, positive role models for girls, and walked the talk of the Girl Scout mission.
In addition, Jetta is also involved with Pemi Bridge House, the Pemi Choral Society, the Squam Lakes Science Center and many other area humanitarian organizations. She is also a member of the Rotary Club in Plymouth.
Dr. Morrison holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice; a Juris Doctorate; a Post Masters, Nurse Psychotherapist/Nurse Practioner; a Post-Masters Graduate Certificate, Teaching and Nursing Education; an MBA; and several other degrees in Nursing. She served in the US Army Reserve Nurse Corps as a Captain. She was appointed by Tom Ridge as a founding member of the Department of Homeland Security.
Previous Habitat experience includes working on a Habitat build in Rumney, NH and working in the Pemi Valley Habitat ReStore. “I truly learned the love and passion and a variety of skills through the Chief Supervising Builder on the Rumney Habitat house, Paul Turley. He was a giant of a man in my eyes and who role modeled the Christian Values of the Habitat mission – teaching our students from PSU, working side by side with all of us while building a family’s dream,” says Morrison . “I believe that compassion is the ultimate value in life. Service is the ultimate action.”
Laura Brusseau has also joined the Board of Directors. She is originally from Wood River JCT, Rhode Island. Laura graduated with a social science education degree with a focus on political science from Plymouth State
University.
Laura currently works at Inter-Lakes High School in Meredith, NH as the
9th grade social studies teacher and class of 2012 advisor. Laura
has been involved with service since she was a young girl, always
volunteering when she and her family had the opportunity. While at
Plymouth State University, Laura was involved in numerous service
programs and co-founded the Hunger and Homelessness Week on
campus. Laura has just finished her term serving on the board of directors for Plymouth State Alumni Association. She is on the board of directors for New Beginnings Crisis Center in Laconia, co-founder and President of the Faith, Hope, and Love Foundation, and volunteers with Girl Scouts of America. In 2009, Laura was honored by the Union Leader as one of the “40 under 40 in the State of NH”. In 2010, Habitat for Humanity International choose Laura to be one of fifteen teachers nation wide to be selected as a "teachers fellow" where she spent one week in Tacoma, Washington volunteering with the local Habitat affiliate, and in the evenings learning about the history of Habitat for Humanity. In 2011, Laura was chosen for the Plymouth State University Distinguished Alumni Award.
Laura has participated in two alternative spring break trips with Habitat while in college, and has chaperoned two trips. In 2002, Laura was an Americorp Volunteer in Americus, GA and helped lay the framework for the Habitat for Humanity Global Village Project. While in Americus, Laura had the opportunity to meet Habitat founders Linda and Millard Fuller as well as Habitat Volunteer and Past President Jimmy Carter. In 2006, Laura took Laconia High School students to build along side Habitat in Jacksonville, Florida, and last spring she took students from Inter-Lakes High School to Denver, CO to work with the local Habitat affiliate. “I am excited to work with this amazing organization, whose mission is to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action” says Laura. “I look forward to helping organize blitz build projects and getting younger youth and adults involved in the mission of Habitat.”
In her free time Laura enjoys hiking, hanging out with friends and her American Staffordshire Terrier, Calli.
Marilyn Deschenes, President of Lakes Region Habitat for Humanity “is extremely pleased that these two highly qualified professionals have agreed to join our Board of Directors. Both Laura and Jetta have already volunteered with Lakes Region Habitat, working on our current project in Franklin. Having Board Members of this caliber and with their level of previous Habitat experience helps ensure that our mission to provide low-cost, affordable housing to the Lakes Region will be achieved”.
Lakes Region Habitat for Humanity is an non-profit ecumenical Christian organization that has been providing decent, affordable housing in the Lakes Region since 1982 and has completed 30 homes during that time. They are currently working on their 31st home, which is the rehab of a house in Franklin. To get involved and for more email us at info.lrhabitat.org or call 279-4820.
Ed Merrill of Franklin Donates House to Habitat
“We are very pleased to accept this extremely generous donation of the two-family house at 82 School Street in Franklin”, says Marilyn Deschenes, President of Lakes Region Habitat for Humanity. The house, owned by Ed Merrill of Franklin, has been donated to Habitat. “My wife, Fukiko, who recently passed away, and I wanted to do
something significant to give back to the community where we have
lived most of our lives” says Merrill.
In photo at left,
Ed Merrill, of Franklin, NH turns over the keys to
the house he has donated to Marilyn
Deschenes, President of Lakes Region Habitat For HumanityAccording to Marilyn, Deschenes, there are several possibilities for the house. The house is currently a two-family rental property. While Habitat does not have rentals as part of its charter, the property could be turned into 2 condominiums, providing housing for two families through the Habitat for Humanity building program. The second possibility is that the house could be razed, keeping only the foundation and a new single-family home built upon that foundation for a family. The property could also be sold, and the money used to fund other on-going Lakes Region Habitat projects. “The decision about what will be done with Mr. Merrill’s generous donation will be made by the Lakes Region Habitat Board of Directors after careful consideration of all options. Whatever the decision, Mr. Merrill’s gift will go a long way in helping Habitat fulfill its mission of providing decent, safe, and affordable housing. Especially in these economic times, Mr. Merrill’s gift will make one of more families’ dream of an affordable home of their own possible”, says Deschenes.
Lakes Region Habitat for Humanity is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International and has been providing decent, affordable housing in the Lakes Region since 1982 and has completed 30 homes during that time. They are currently working on a rehab of a house in Franklin which will be their 31st home. For more information call 279-4820.
LINKS TO MORE INFORMATION:
Habitat information and resources on activities surrounding its Haiti response are accumulating quickly. Here are some links we think you will find interesting or useful:
(Special thanks to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles and Hollywood for Habitat for Humanity for coordinating Ricky Martin’s work with Habitat, as well as that of other celebrities involved with Habitat’s Haiti response. The affiliate also is soliciting funds for the work in Haiti. You can access the affiliate’s website here.
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