Habitat for Humanity plans 'Building Blitz'

3/22/2013

By RACHAEL GRAY

rgray@gctelegram.com

Habitat for Humanity's seventh house in Garden City will soon be home to seven lucky little boys and their parents.

Thursday at the Habitat for Humanity home, 502 N. Fifth St., the boys ran around the yard and up and down a pile of sand.

The sons of Veronica and Luis Jimenez, the boys already have designated who gets which rooms.

"We already called dibs. I get the left-bottom corner," said Isaac, 10, the second oldest son.

Luis Jr., 12, will get another room to himself.

Veronica and Luis Jimenez are happy to have more room for their boys.

Currently, the couple and their seven sons live in a small, three-bedroom double wide mobile home on Anderson Road.

"There's a whole lot more space. But there might be more of a mess," Veronica said, and laughed.

She does appreciate the work of the volunteers and the opportunity for her family.

"This is a great opportunity. It's everything I could wish for. My dreams are coming true," she said.

Veronica and Luis' other sons are Ismael, 7, Ezequiel, 6, Israel, 4, Uriel, 2 and Emanuel, 8 months.

The family is excited to see the majority of the structure go up on April 6 during Habitat's "Building Blitz."

This is the seventh house Habitat has built in Garden City. It's appropriate to go to seven boys.

During the blitz, volunteers will dedicate raising the walls in the lucky No. 7 house honor of Dave Sweley, who recently died. Sweley, 70, was one of the founders of Habitat for Humanity in Garden City.

The blitz will begin at 8 a.m.

Carrye Jane Mantilla, Habitat president, said the organization can always use more volunteers — whether it's at the blitz, or on other Saturdays afterwards.

"We are only able to build about one a house a year because of manpower," she said.

In December, volunteers broke ground for the house for the Jimenez family.

The house, located across from Sunnyland Bed and Breakfast, will feature four to five bedrooms with a full basement. The house will be a 1,200 square-foot, bungalow style home.

After the house is built, the organization determines what the cost is, including the lot. Habitat owns the home. Then they write a 30-year mortgage to the family. The family will pay for the house, but the mortgage is interest-free.

Families who apply for the homes also are required to put 400 hours of labor into other Habitat for Humanity homes, as well as their own.

To volunteer labor, either show up at 502 N. Fifth St. on Saturdays or call Habitat for Humanity Volunteer Coordinator Lana Christianson at 275-1169.