Published: June 03, 2008 12:53 pm         

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY: Community helps raise funds for house No. 12

Support from the community — both physically and financially — makes Habitat for Humanity building projects in Orleans County possible, says President Dave Miller.

As the 2008 house nears groundbreaking, a number of local businesses and organizations are working hard to ensure there is enough money for supplies and equipment.

“We always start a house without enough money to finish,” Miller said. “It is always an act of faith that the community will come through.”

So far — 11 houses have been erected since the county chapter launched in 1992 — Habitat has never had to stop a project due to lack of funds, he said. By today’s construction bids, each single-story home costs approximately $60,000 to build — nearly 30 percent less than what it would have cost wholesale, thanks to volunteer labor.

One of the county’s largest funding contributors comes from an annual raffle held at Valu Home Centers, 11270 Maple Ridge Road, Medina. Because Habitat for Humanity is the company’s not-for-profit organization of choice, Valu is able to host a summer-long raffle, with $1,000 gift card drawings each week.

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The Medina store’s tickets are $1 each from June 22 to Aug. 2, said store manager Jeff Osgood. The final grand prize drawing is a 2008 Ford Focus.

“One hundred percent of that money goes directly to the local Habitat for Humanity,” Osgood said.

To supplement fundraising, the store also traditionally raffles off items donated by local businesses. Last year, Valu raised additional money from a restaurant gift certificate raffle.

Until the fundraiser begins, the store will have an informational booth at the front of the store, with pictures and volunteer application forms, he said.

Valu has participated in the raffle sweepstakes for 15 years now. In that time, Osgood said more than 40 stores in the Western New York, Central New York and Western Pennsylvania areas have raised $2.1 million for the cause.

“They do a tremendous job for the resources they have,” Osgood said. “It is pretty neat.”

The annual Barden Homes playhouse raffle also has been a big money raiser — $2,500 on average, Miller said. The miniature house this year was built by a crew of volunteers with the help of Barden experts. It appeared in the Medina Memorial Day parade and is now on display at the Telegraph Road/Route 31 home of board member Lynn Creasey.

The winner of the playhouse will have the option of taking the structure home or receiving $500 cash.

Tickets for the playhouse will be available for purchase at the Medina Yard Sale, the July 4 bash in Lyndonville and the Orleans County 4-H Fair, as well as any of the following locations:

• Jerome Pawlak’s Save-A-Lot, 320 West Ave., Albion

• E-Z Shop, 10 West Ave., Lyndonville

• Garlock Office Products, 417 Main St., Medina

• The Book Shoppe, 519 Main St., Medina

• The Shirt Factory Cafe, 115 West Center St., Medina

• Champs Mini Mart, 11279 Route 104, Ridgeway

The newest fundraising effort is a quilt raffle. The piece was created and donated anonymously, said volunteer coordinator Maureen Hungerford.

“It is all hand-done,” she said.

Tickets for the raffle are available at the same locations as the playhouse; donors can even buy a combination of playhouse and quilt tickets.

Those interested in supporting the next Habitat house can also make financial gifts, memorial donations or online donations, Hungerford said. Site laborers, construction experts and individuals to provide Saturday volunteers with lunch are always welcome.

Also needed are volunteers with non-construction skills for myriad Habitat tasks. These include help with the newsletter, fundraising letters, finances or speaking engagements as a Habitat advocate.

“We struggle to find site supervisors, we struggle to find expert general contractors,” Miller said.

For more information on the Habitat project, visit www.orleanshfh.org or call 798-0953.

Contact reporter Nicole Colemanat 798-1400, ext. 8227.