Families finding homes in Sisters

Sisters Habitat for Humanity celebrated a happy doubler-header in the Timber Creek neighborhood with a groundbreaking and a home dedication on a chilly Sunday afternoon.

Jamie Audrain-Glenn and sons Joshua and Jacob broke ground at the site of her new home. All three of them plunged the Habitat golden shovel into what will become the living room of the home.

"We're pretty blessed in this town," said Jamie. Her family partners, Margaret Doke and Kevin and Carol Neary, were nearly as excited as she to see tangible evidence of her efforts. They all gave thanks fo r the support of the team of volunteers who make Habitat homebuilding possible.

Construction manager, Shawn O'Hern, showed a copy of the layout of the new home and said, "Each home has its own character." He expects to begin excavation for the foundation of the house by the end of April.

Sisters Habitat Board of Directors President Jerry Hanford was the master of ceremonies for the afternoon. He said that Jamie will be asking friends and family to write words of encouragement on the studs of her new home before they are covered.

"That way she'll be surrounded by prayers and love," he said.

Immediately following the groundbreaking ceremony, the warmly dressed crowd moved next door, where the Moffett family prepared to cut the ribbons on their new home.

Tim and Marlina Moffett and their three children, Sean, Russell and Courtney, broke ground on their home a year ago, while Marlina was several months pregnant with Russell. It's been an eventful year, with the culmination being the completion of their home.

Sisters Habitat Executive Director Sharlene Weed said, "Every house, to me and I'm sure to you too, is a miracle."

She praised the efforts of the volunteers, donors, other homeowners and supporters of the Habitat Thrift Store and ReStore in generating the dollars necessary to build the home.

O'Hern echoed that, saying, "So many people and so many corporations help us get these homes done."

On this house, Habitat partnered with Tony Cosby's SHS construction and architecture classes. The walls were built at the high school, brought to the site and erected in one day.

Tim Moffett's mother, Katherine Guinasso, gave a heartfelt and emotional blessing of the home. The family has lived with her while the home is being built, and Marlina credited her with encouraging them to apply to become homeowners.

Five golden ribbons stretched across the doorway, and with Sean's help, his parents cut them and invited the crowd into their new home.