Women turn out for Habitat initiative in Cleveland, TN

Volunteers associated with Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland's Women Build 2015 program raise a wall of a new home in the Southgate Hills subdivision, located near South Lee Highway.
Volunteers associated with Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland's Women Build 2015 program raise a wall of a new home in the Southgate Hills subdivision, located near South Lee Highway.

CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Teams of women, hammers in hand, have started construction of a new home as part of Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland's new initiative, Women Build.

On Saturday, walls began to rise with the temperature as women from Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church and Santek Waste Services took on four-hour shifts at the build site, located in the Southgate Hills subdivision.

Hard hats and heels

* What: Women Build kickoff and fundraising event* When: March 7, 6:30-10 p.m.* Where: Toyota of Cleveland, located near Exit 20 on Interstate 75* Tickets: $35 general admission; $280 for table (seats eight)* Highlights: Joe Collins of The Collins Brothers, Hard Hat Fashion Show, silent auction For tickets and more information, visit Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland online at http://habitatofcleveland.org.

"We just wanted to do something together as a group that was a service project for somebody else," said Bernadette Douglas, a Habitat board member and leader of the church team.

The Women Build program received praise from David Clark, construction director.

"It gets women out on the job site to build houses with us and partner with the families," he said. "They do a good job, they have a good time and maybe they can learn a little something along the way."

The first day of Women Build 2015 construction efforts went well, even getting a little ahead of expected progress, Clark said.

Women Build seeks to engage women "who want to build homes, build friendships, strengthen communities and also learn construction skills," said Desireé Coln, marketing and special events coordinator for Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland.

As part of that initiative, 40 teams of 10 women each will build two Habitat family homes between now and May 30, Habitat officials said.

Saturday's Women Build teams concentrated on the future home of Michael and Christy Baker and their four children: Kaylin, Skyler, Alyssia and Seth.

On March 14, the next Women Build date, teams from Farm Bureau Insurance and Arnold Elementary will work on the future home of Vicki Walker and her two daughters, Timyrah and Joy.

Both families expressed enthusiasm for Habitat for Humanity's home ownership program, which offers zero-percent mortgages and requires home ownership classes and volunteer hours of "sweat equity."

"You feel good about working toward something for your family," said Christy Baker, adding the Habitat program "makes you feel more appreciative for everything you have."

Walker said she was thankful for the opportunity she and her family had received through Habitat for Humanity.

"We consider our hard work on our house as an investment," she said.

Women Build 2015 is something of a record-breaker for volunteer numbers, Josiah Vacheresse, development manager for Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland, said in a news release.

"We have never before had this many volunteers on the job site over a 12-week period to build two homes," he said.

It is "even more amazing and exciting" that the home constructions are powered by 400 women, Vacheresse said.

Toyota of Cleveland will host Hard Hats and Heels, a fundraising and kickoff event for the Women Build 2015 homes, on Saturday.

Paul Leach is based in Cleveland. Email him at paul.leach.press@gmail.com.

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