Spain family breaks ground on home

David Spain and his children Brock and Marie will be living in a new Sisters Habitat for Humanity home come spring.

The family, along with a couple of dozen Habitat volunteers, braved a chilly morning on Monday to bless the ground at 920 E. Cascade Ave. and sink the blade of a golden shovel into the rocky dirt in the symbolic gesture of groundbreaking.

Family partner Eloise Barry noted that, while groundbreaking "is an important milestone along the way," it is not the beginning for a Habitat for Humanity family. They must apply and be selected for a home, and then they begin putting in "sweat equity" to earn their home - hours and hours of labor on habitat projects.

In David Spain's case, that meant 100 hours of literal sweat this summer, clearing weeds from Habitat properties.

Habitat homeowners are also required to take classes on home maintenance and ownership. Once they move in, they will pay a mortgage on their property.

Family partner Bob Lawton saluted Spain's dedication.

"He's been very aggressive about putting in his sweat-equity hours," he noted.

"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for my kids forcing me to fill out the application for a house," Spain told the assemblage.

Marie and Brock took a turn with the golden shovel, turning up a shovelful of earth.

Neighbor and fellow Habitat homeowner Pete Henninger welcomed the Spains to the neighborhood, which he described as "awesome." He turned to Spain, who was wearing a San Francisco 49ers ball cap and said, "We may have to get you a Seahawks hat though."

The neighborhood is a special one. It is called Hammond Place, in honor of Hort and Julia Hammond, and it forms a small subdivision of Habitat for Humanity homes along East Cascade Avenue.

"This subdivision is super-important to Sisters Habitat for Humanity, because our founders are honored here," said Habitat Executive Director Sharlene Weed.

Habitat construction manager Shawn O'Hern described the plans for the home: three bedrooms, a jack-and-jill bathroom, a large kitchen, dining room, living room and a two-car garage.

He noted that it takes "a lot of helpful hands" of volunteers to bring such a project to reality, including help from materials suppliers.

Jim Wysong offered a prayer for success in crafting the home, and Lynn Jones sang a song of blessing: "Bless us all that we may be/Ever open to joy and love."

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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