Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Thanks to Pastor Cluney for posting the pictures of the finished home and dedication service. While the blog is in my name, he is actually responsible for much of the content. As he noted, we did have 100 volunteers sign waivers to work at the site this year. As a group, they totaled over 1,650 hours of volunteer service. This doesn't include the "sweat equity" required of Isabel and her family/friends. The project could not have gotten done so quickly without the countless volunteers. We also could not have done it without the leadership of Pastor Cluney, who served as Site Supervisor, or Terry Miller, who was General Contractor. Both of these men volunteered about 400 hours each to get Isabel's home built. Richard Gilmore and his wife, Dr. Robin Plattenberger, were instrumental as the family's "advocates". In addition to volunteers at the site, we had volunteers preparing meals and businesses who donated supplies and labor. We hope to get a list of donors compiled soon so these business can be recognized publicly. We also wish to acknowledge the Builder's Club donors who contributed $3,775 to this home. Wow! What a blessing you have all been and we cannot say Thank You! enough. We pray that Isabel and her family will be blessed by the contibutions of the community and her family will thrive in their new home. May God bless you all.
Lynette Sievers

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Dedication Day October 03, 2009 Part 5





More pictures...

Dedication Day October 03, 2009 Part 4






More pictures...

Dedication Day October 03, 2009 Part 3






More pictures...

Dedication Day October 03, 2009 Part 2






More pictures...

Dedication Day October 03, 2009






Well, after many setbacks and delays, we finally got to have the Dedication Service for our 2009 Habitat Build! Attendance was great considering the rainy day, it being a Saturday afternoon, and the fact that the Iowa Hawkeyes were playing at home. There were about 60 people in attendance.

We began with Pastor Jim Cluney sharing from Exodus chapter 12 talking about the Passover Lamb in which the people were to mark their doorposts with the blood of a sacrificial lamb. When the Death Angel passed over the homes seeking to take the firstborn children and animals, it would spare all those whom applied the blood of the lamb upon their homes. Symbolically, we anointed the doors and the windows of Isabel's new home seeking God's blessings and protection upon all who enter her new home. Isabel's priest, Father Appel, offered a prayer and a blessing upon the home and Isabel's family. We then prayed over her and her children.

Pastor Jim Cluney presented Isabel with a Bible in behalf of Habitat for Humanity. After touring the house we made our way over to First Assembly of God Church to have ice cream and desert while we watched the pictures from the house build. Many memories from the many days of working together were had by all. It is really hard to believe we started the build on July 6th and we are celebrating the dedication on October the 3rd.

Many of our fantastic volunteers were there to share in the day of celebration.

If you were not able to be there for this special day, we have captured most of it in pictures. We are offering a DVD with the pictures provided for the presentation which consists of about 350 pictures, or you can get the DVD that has all the pictures from each day we worked which has about 785 pictures on it. If you would like either disc they are only $5.00 each. Please contact Jim Cluney at (319) 653-1735 or email him at jcluney52@mchsi.com and place your order.

Enclosed in the next few posts are the highlights of the Dedication Service and the finished house in pictures. We say finished, but the rain has delayed the finish work of the yard and drive way until sometime next week.

Thanks again for all the wonderful people who have made it all happen. There were well over 100 volunteers this year! May God always receive the glory...

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Dedication scheduled

A Christian service of dedication is being planned for the Tapia home at 1641Highland Court on Saturday, October 3 at 2 PM. The service will begin at the home, and then an ice cream social will follow at the Assembly of God church at 1602 E. Washington Street, Washington. Pastor Cluney will share the slides he took during the build at the ice cream social. We hope that volunteers, cooks, businesses, Building Club members, previous Habitat homeowners and the community will join us to celebrate the completion of our 16th home in the Washington area. If you have questions or would like to donate pies or bars to the ice cream social, contact Lynette Sievers at 319-653-6945.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Dedication postponed

At tonight's Board meeting it was determined that there are too many outstanding bills to determine the mortgage amount plus get the closing paperwork completed before the 19th. So, we are pushing back the date for the home dedication and volunteer recognition until the weekend of October 3th/4th. This is also tentative depending on bills and our lawyer having the time to process all the paperwork. Some key Board members were not able to attend tonight's meeting and we need to speak with them before deciding whether Saturday or Sunday will be picked. We are planning a dessert/ice cream social at a nearby church following the dedication. Stay tuned to this blogspot for final details. Volunteers who signed in at the site should also receive a note in the mail prior to the dedication ceremony. Thank you for your patience! We need to make sure this part of the housing process is done according to the letter of the law
In His service,
Lynette

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

As things wind down at the building site, we want volunteers to know about the upcoming dedication service. It is tentatively planned for the late afternoon of Saturday, Sept.19th. Before that can happen, bills need to be in -and paid- so that the amount of the mortgage can be determined and the paperwork for the closing needs to be completed with the lawyer. So, while it may look like things have stalled out, very important things are being done behind the scenes to make sure everything is done correctly in time for Isabel to close on her family's new home. We hope many, many of the volunteers will come to the dedication ceremony. Over 100 volunteers signed waivers to work on the house this year. We may not have a big bus to move (like on Extreme Home Makeovers), but our services are very moving and we give the glory to God and ask for his blessings on this home and the family. We plan to have a meal after the dedication and give out some awards to volunteers and watch the slide show of the 600+ pictures that were taken during this year's build. So, watch this site for details, and watch your mail. We hope you can all join in with the celebration.

In His Service,
Lynette

Thursday, August 20, 2009

August 20, 2009

Just to give an update on the progress of this house build...

Bruty's Carpet Corner finished installing all the floor coverings today.

The electrical is 99% complete and we are waiting for the ground to dry out for Alliant to be able to bury the power and gas lines.

Tomorrow we hope to have the kitchen counter tops come in so we can install them. Saturday we plan to finish up the base trim where the vinyl flooring was installed. We hope to finish hanging towel racks and the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. We have the window blinds ready to install.

We will then be waiting for the plumber to finish up the bathroom stool, sinks, etc.

Once the ground dries up we can pour the sidewalk and install the finished steps and handrails. Then there is some more landscaping that will add the finishing touches to the yard.

Once again, if you have a couple hours, give Jim Cluney a call and schedule some time to help finish up the last minute things that need to be accomplished.

We will be letting everyone know the exact date and time for the dedication ceremony for the house as soon as we finalize a few more things.

Please plan to come and be a part of that fantastic day.

Just a reminder, we will have available a DVD with over 350 pictures that highlight this year's Habitat build for a minimal fee of $3.00. If you are interested in one of these DVDs email Jim Cluney at jcluney52@mchsi.com and put your order in. We will be showing a presentation highlighting each day of the build process at our dedication ceremony.

Keep checking back with this Blogsite and stay up on the latest news....

Saturday, August 15, 2009

August 15, 2009






Today's work crew was smaller in numbers, but mighty in work accomplished. Leo Vittetoe, Nick Evanovich,Norman Brooks, Richard Gilmore, Isabel Tapia, Andrew Buendia, Jim Cluney, and Terry Miller made up the crew today.

We finished putting on the base trim and door casing, except for where the vinyl flooring goes down. We hung most of the ceiling fans and a few more light fixtures. Most of the towel bars and bathroom accessories were installed.

While most of us were busy inside, Terry Miller was busy outside moving the mountain of dirt around the yard and leveling the terrain.

Isabel, Izzy as we have learned to call her, and her friend Andrew helped clean up all the wood chips and sawdust and paper from all the work that was done over the last two days. They even managed to get some paint on the closet shelf supports and some on themselves.

We made a shorter day of it today since it was part of the weekend.

Next week we will have Bruty's Carpet Corner installing the carpet and vinyl floor covering.

We were one kitchen cabinet short and should get it in along with the counter tops by the end of the week. This will let us finish up the plumbing.

Alliant Energy will try to get our gas and electric run to the house hopefully by this week also.

We look forward to the storm doors coming in this week also. Then, if the rain doesn't mess us up, we will continue to work on the dirt, or mud, around the house.

We are heading closer to completion, but there is still a lot of little things that still need to be finished up.

There is always more opportunity for anyone to help that wants to.

Please give Jim Cluney a call at (319) 653-1735 if you want to help.

Thanks again to everyone who has helped!!!!!

Friday, August 14, 2009

August 14, 2009 - Part One






What a work crew we had today! Thank you, Nick Evanovich, Charlie Thompson, Charlie Phelps, Tom Hunt, Richard Gilmore, Norman Brooks, Leo Vittetoe, and Gary Scheeler for your help today.

The kitchen cabinets came in today and most of them were installed. The interior doors and base trim came in and mostly installed. Closet shelves and coat rack poles were installed.

It is really looking like a finished house now!

Tomorrow the rest of the trim and cabinets will be finished up. We will be hanging the ceiling fans and smoke detectors as well. The bathroom fixtures and towel racks will be hung.

If you want to help we will be starting at 8:00 in the morning. As we have said before, if you can't get here at 8:00, come when you can.

We want to thank Carolyn Guenther for providing the meal today.

Enjoy these pictures from today's build.....

August 14, 2009 - Part Two



Here are a few more pictures from today's build, enjoy...

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

August 12, 2009




We had another great work day today. Thank you, Dave Birney for bringing in your equipment and filling in the low spots in the yard and along the foundation. Over the course of the next few days the yard is going to look a lot different. Tom Hunt helped Jim Cluney put in most of the light fixtures today.

Yesterday Ed Kielenstyne and Jim Cluney finished installing the sewer line in the back yard.

Now guess what! We have the kitchen cabinets, interior doors, and trim all coming in by Friday! This is an absolute miracle since we were not suppose to get them for at least another week. God is so good!

The schedule for work will go like this....

Friday we can use anyone who will be able to help us hang interior doors, put down the base trim, install the kitchen cabinets, and install the shelves in the closets.

We will plan to work Saturday to finish up what we might not get done Friday.

By Tuesday or Wednesday we will have the carpet and vinyl installed.

Counter tops will be here in about a week and then we can finish up the plumbing.

Once the dirt has time to settle we will put in concrete for side walks and step platforms. The steps will then be ready to construct.

We typically work from 8:00 in the morning until 4:30 in the afternoon. If you want to help and can only be there for an hour or two that is great.

Please call ahead and let us know which days you can work so we can figure the number of people we need to feed at lunch time.

Call Jim Cluney at (319) 653-1735

It is amazing how fast things come together when everyone works together to accomplish a common goal. Thanks again....

Monday, August 10, 2009

August 10, 2009

Latest update on Habitat build schedule....

As you might have read, we had a minor setback in our building schedule due to the wrong doors and trim being delivered.

We should have the correct materials in by this Thursday with plans to start installing both doors and trim on Friday and Saturday.

If you want to help install light fixtures, closet shelving, and a few other minor things this Wednesday, call Jim Cluney at (319) 653-1735.

We will be back on schedule before you know it.....

Thanks for all the volunteer help.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Jim, Your blogs are coming in loud and clear. Love the pictures! Thanks for all your hard work. The house looks awesome. Lynette

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

August 04, 2009




We were able to get the water line in today thanks to Ed Kielenstyne from Circle K Plumbing and Jon Ballou who trenched for us.

Bad News....

Somehow there was a mix up on the order for the trim and interior doors and they won't be here for tomorrow's workday. Oh well, that means we will get a few days to rest up and hit it again in a few days while we wait for the right materials to come in.

We will have a few small jobs to do on Friday that will consist of putting the shelves in the closets. We might be able to help the electrician some. Then there might be a few other jobs by then.

Call Jim Cluney if you would like to help at (319)653-1735.

P.S.

Please Blog us back if you would. We don't know if very many people are getting this Blog or not. I guess we will assume you did not get this if we don't here from you.

Monday, August 3, 2009

August 03, 2009 Part Three






Here are some more pictures from today's workday. Enjoy!

August 03, 2009 Part Two






Here are some more pictures from today's workday. Enjoy!