Habitat Celebrates Completion Of Home, Another On The Way
March 27, 2017 at 4:21 p.m.
By Dan [email protected]
More importantly, the two friends are closer to having permanent homes their families can call their own.
Both women were all smiles Saturday afternoon as they participated in a house blessing for Wagner and her son, Connor, who will soon be moving into a new home constructed by Habitat For Humanity at 417 Godman St., Warsaw.
The two women have grown to be friends through attendance at New Life Christian Church and as both maneuvered through a four-year process to secure the chance to have a new home.
Gina and her husband, Lee, have three children and their home, just to the south of Wagner’s, is slated to be finished early this summer. Lee suffered debilitating injuries in an accident years ago.
Seeing Andrea’s hopes and dreams come together and knowing they will be experiencing the same joys in just a few months has been a “surreal” experience, Gina Ratliff said.
“It’s kind of an odd thing for us to know that we’re now neighbors,” she said. “We’ve known each other for seven or eight years, so this process has brought us even closer.”
The Wagners will be moving into the two-bedroom home within weeks, even though a sidewalk and driveway still need to be finished and yard is waiting to be seeded.
As is the case with all Habitat recipients, both families are required to put in hundreds of hours of sweat equity and will start making monthly payments once they settle into the home.
Their approval process was more extended and slightly more complicated because of changes in leadership with the Kosciusko County branch of Habitat, they said.
“It’s been an experience,” Wagner said. “Four years in the making.”
Several dozen people attended the house blessing led by Josh Weiland, vice chairman of the local Habitat’s board of directors. Prayers were led by Scott Niveen, pastor of Warsaw Community Church, and Mike Mueller, pastor at Redeemer Lutheran Church.
Habitat is a Christian-based organization that relies heavily on church involvement. On Saturday, the pastors paid hommage to the role Christianity played in the projects.
During the ceremony, Wagner received a key to the house and she was surprised to find an assortment of house-warming gifts, including two quilts, a fern and a collection of other necessities such as toiletry items.
Wagner has struggled in the past with a divorce, a bout with cancer and the need to accommodate her son, who is autistic. She works two jobs – at Lowes and Warsaw Christian Church.
While Habitat provided an immense amount of volunteer support, she said she can point with pride to the fact she helped with construction – even installing shingles on the roof.
The amount of support and even the gifts made the day nearly overwhelming for her, she said.
Owning a home has been a childhood dream, but one that for years seemed to be out of reach.
“I just didn’t think it was possible without being married and all that,” Wagner told the crowd. “From the very deepest part of my heart, please understand that I am so grateful for every single person standing here.”
The Wagner home project was led by Construction Manager David Kaufman. His wife, Mickey Kaufman, is the executive director, but did not attend the house blessing because she’s recovering from a surgery.
Churches and groups that helped with donations and volunteers include Redeemer Lutheran Church, St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Celebration United Methodist Church, Leesburg Grace Brethren Church, Dutchtown Brethren Church, Warsaw Community Church, Syracuse Ministerial Association, Grace College Accounting Department and Trinity School of Natural Health.
More importantly, the two friends are closer to having permanent homes their families can call their own.
Both women were all smiles Saturday afternoon as they participated in a house blessing for Wagner and her son, Connor, who will soon be moving into a new home constructed by Habitat For Humanity at 417 Godman St., Warsaw.
The two women have grown to be friends through attendance at New Life Christian Church and as both maneuvered through a four-year process to secure the chance to have a new home.
Gina and her husband, Lee, have three children and their home, just to the south of Wagner’s, is slated to be finished early this summer. Lee suffered debilitating injuries in an accident years ago.
Seeing Andrea’s hopes and dreams come together and knowing they will be experiencing the same joys in just a few months has been a “surreal” experience, Gina Ratliff said.
“It’s kind of an odd thing for us to know that we’re now neighbors,” she said. “We’ve known each other for seven or eight years, so this process has brought us even closer.”
The Wagners will be moving into the two-bedroom home within weeks, even though a sidewalk and driveway still need to be finished and yard is waiting to be seeded.
As is the case with all Habitat recipients, both families are required to put in hundreds of hours of sweat equity and will start making monthly payments once they settle into the home.
Their approval process was more extended and slightly more complicated because of changes in leadership with the Kosciusko County branch of Habitat, they said.
“It’s been an experience,” Wagner said. “Four years in the making.”
Several dozen people attended the house blessing led by Josh Weiland, vice chairman of the local Habitat’s board of directors. Prayers were led by Scott Niveen, pastor of Warsaw Community Church, and Mike Mueller, pastor at Redeemer Lutheran Church.
Habitat is a Christian-based organization that relies heavily on church involvement. On Saturday, the pastors paid hommage to the role Christianity played in the projects.
During the ceremony, Wagner received a key to the house and she was surprised to find an assortment of house-warming gifts, including two quilts, a fern and a collection of other necessities such as toiletry items.
Wagner has struggled in the past with a divorce, a bout with cancer and the need to accommodate her son, who is autistic. She works two jobs – at Lowes and Warsaw Christian Church.
While Habitat provided an immense amount of volunteer support, she said she can point with pride to the fact she helped with construction – even installing shingles on the roof.
The amount of support and even the gifts made the day nearly overwhelming for her, she said.
Owning a home has been a childhood dream, but one that for years seemed to be out of reach.
“I just didn’t think it was possible without being married and all that,” Wagner told the crowd. “From the very deepest part of my heart, please understand that I am so grateful for every single person standing here.”
The Wagner home project was led by Construction Manager David Kaufman. His wife, Mickey Kaufman, is the executive director, but did not attend the house blessing because she’s recovering from a surgery.
Churches and groups that helped with donations and volunteers include Redeemer Lutheran Church, St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Celebration United Methodist Church, Leesburg Grace Brethren Church, Dutchtown Brethren Church, Warsaw Community Church, Syracuse Ministerial Association, Grace College Accounting Department and Trinity School of Natural Health.
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