By Don Shaw, Jr.
On July 16, on an expertly prepared site ready for volunteers, hammers were in full swing building walls for a brand new Habitat for Humanity house under construction at 259 West Granby Road.
On Habitat site supervisor Stan’s count—”One. Two. Three. LIFT!”— undaunted by the stifling heat and humidity, a volunteer crew of 12 from Granby’s First Congregational and South Congregational churches raised the home’s first wall.
This house is Hartford Habitat’s first rural build. Town leadership is fully supportive. That’s the way it is in Granby.
First Congregational and South Congregational Crew
Just before lunch break, First Church member Ruth Rosebrooks, a retired Granby schoolteacher, whose generous long-time community volunteering includes stints with Habitat, paid the crew a visit to offer her heartfelt encouragement. She hammered home the first wall’s final nails before it was lifted in place.
Ruth Rosebrooks hitting the nail square on the head, as always.
The Habitat house is now in full construction mode. Passersby can see that much work has been accomplished since the wall raising. The homeowners-to-be, a local Granby family, are working faithfully to complete their construction sweat equity. Volunteer construction crews are being scheduled for the rest of the year offering their time and sweat in partnership. By mid-September the house is expected to be buttoned-up with the windows, doors and siding in place so that during the fall and early winter, interior work can be accomplished unhindered by the weather. Completion is targeted for late December – early January.
Building affordable housing is not a heavy lift when a community lifts together.
“One. Two. Three. LIFT!”
Building affordable housing is not a heavy lift when a community lifts together.
“One. Two. Three. LIFT!”