Time to Celebrate: 25 Years of Building

In the years since Habitat’s beginning in 1976, more than 100,000 houses have been built, housing more than 500,000 people. Events at the 25th anniversary celebration scheduled for Sept. 8–16 in Indianapolis, Ind., will offer affiliates, volunteers and homeowners a chance to celebrate and to sharpen skills needed to build the next 100,000 houses.

Details and registration information are available online.

Event highlights:

• Aug. 2–Sept. 8: Greater Indianapolis HFH 25-house build in honor of the anniversary.
• Sept. 10–13: Global Leadership Conference.
• Sept. 12–13: Training courses for affiliate personnel.
• Sept. 13: Opening event featuring Jack Kemp, chairman of the “More Than Houses” campaign and former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
• Sept. 14–15: Workshops, plenary sessions and corporate luncheon at the Indiana Convention Center.
• Sept. 15: Evening program featuring former U.S. President Jimmy Carter.

On the Road for Habitat

“RV Care-A-Vanners”— groups of mobile Habitat for Humanity supporters —travel across the United States and Canada in their own recreational vehicles, building houses and friendships with future homeowner families and local affiliates. In the last few years, many affiliates have hosted RV Care-A-Vanner builds as the program has grown.

Participants finance their own expenses during this personal and geographic journey, bringing tools, enthusiasm and hope to work with them each day.

Linda Walden, chapter build coordinator for the Family Motor Coach Association, works with Habitat’s RV Care-A-Vanner program and the Habitat chapter of the FMCA. “It’s not only something wonderful for the homeowner families, but the team members—especially older women—come away with a real sense of accomplishment,” she says.

“It’s much, much more than building houses,” says Lynn Laymon, alternate national director of the FMCA Habitat chapter. “Just the presence of a team there building makes a difference.”

For information, or to register, contact the RV Care-A-Vanner information desk at (800) HABITAT, ext. 2446, e-mail rv_info_desk@hfhi.org, or visit www.habitat.org/gv/rv.html.



Reprinted from Habitat World Magazine, February/March 2001.
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©2001 Habitat for Humanity International