Granby women build Habitat homes

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Photos by Rose Vigdal

l-r Ann Wilhelm, Laura Murach, Deb Dupont, Connie Murray, Cathy Watso, Linda Betsch, Diane Smith, Laura Fetzer.

Enthusiastically swinging their hammers, 18 Granby area women teamed up in May to help build affordable housing as part of Hartford Area Habitat for Humanity’s annual month-long Women Build celebration. 

Granby’s First Congregational and South Congregational churches combined forces to field two Granby United Church of Christ (UCC) work crews to help build Habitat homes.

Ten women worked in Bloomfield constructing the framing for a new house, and eight women worked in Hartford rehabilitating a derelict home in support of Hartford’s blighted properties remediation initiative. 

In addition to the hours of volunteer labor contributed, team Granby UCC raised over $5,000 for Hartford Habitat with financial support from families, friends, community members, and First Congregational Church.

Since 1991, Habitat for Humanity has held Women Build events in May where women across the U.S. and around the globe volunteer their talents to raise money and spotlight the need for safe and affordable housing. Women Build highlights the homeownership challenges faced by women, and provides women an opportunity to support other women with a hand-up, not a hand out. Safe and affordable homes create transformational opportunities in which families flourish, and communities thrive. 

Front row, l-r Sally Crapser, Laura Eden, Jill Ford, Laura Fetridge. Back row, l-r Marilyn Tracy, Carol Williams, Beth Lindsay, Coreen Thompson, Kerri Crough, Ashley Thompson.