Announcing 2nd Annual “Habitat for the Holidays: 3D Printed Ornament Contest”

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If you missed it last year, now is your chance to enter the second annual “Habitat for the Holidays: 3D Printed Ornament Contest”! 3D printing is all the rage, and here is your chance to dip your toes in the water or, show us your skills if you’ve already got ‘em.

LEARN:

Learn to design in the third dimension!
Spectra3D Technologies has recorded a live webinar and lists other resources on the contest page to get you started in 3D printing. Novices are encouraged to enter!

DESIGN:

Design a holiday ornament using free software available online.

ENTER:

Enter your design into Asheville Habitat ReStore’s 2nd Annual “Habitat for the Holidays: 3D Printed Ornament Contest” via the link below.

WIN:

The winning design will be 3D printed as ornaments and sold to the public at the Habitat ReStore. Proceeds benefit Habitat’s building programs. The winner will receive his or her choice of a ReStore gift card valued at $100 or a 3Doodler 3D Pen, as well as a free 3D print of his or her ornament.

Contest runs now through December 1st. Winner will be announced December 5th at the Asheville Habitat ReStore, where a live 3D printing demo will take place from 10AM to 2PM. The winning 3D printed ornament will be available for sale.

3D-Presented by

 

Couple Bonds Over Volunteerism

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By Jonathan Dermid

At the Asheville Habitat ReStore, no single volunteer is an island unto themselves. They all work together in collaboration to effectively further the cause of Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity, and for some, this team effort extends beyond the store itself. Some are married, as is the case with Lou and Jerry Towson.

“My husband got started first. We’re both very interested in providing affordable housing for people, and I just wanted to do something where I’d be with other people,” Lou said. “I started at the cash register, but every time we had a lull, I’d be back there organizing and trying to ‘stage’ the shelves because I’m an interior designer.”

Both Lou and Jerry have been volunteering with Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity for more than ten years. While Lou has found her niche at the ReStore, Jerry has been primarily involved on the affiliate side of things.

“He works regularly on the construction site, he was on the Board of Directors, and he was on the family selection committee,” Lou said. “He has a background in civil engineering, so he has been able to use that, because he likes to build and that’s a big help on the job site.”

Both share the common values that Habitat was founded upon: community members working together to enable everyone to have a safe, decent and affordable place to live.

“One of my core beliefs is that home ownership helps build family stability,” Jerry said. “A safe haven for parents and children usually reduces the stress of day-to-day living.”

He also sees the process of volunteering as being a positive in his own life, because it allows for an outlet for his energy.

“In my retirement years, by volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, I can use my physical energy to help other families accomplish their goal of homeownership, and it has been pleasure to do that,” he said.

Lou echoes this sentiment, as she sees volunteering as satisfying for a few reasons.

“It makes me feel good because it’s what I like to do, but also because it lets me do a small part to help people who are seeking affordable homes,” she said. “The most satisfying things to me are making the ReStore look attractive and interacting with the other volunteers.”

Their volunteerism has also created a nice bond in their marriage, according to Lou.

“It’s kind of nice for us to volunteer together, because even if we’re not in the same place, we still go to all the functions together and we understand what the other is doing,” she said. “It’s something we’re both very committed to, and it’s nice to have that bond.”

If you would like to explore volunteering with Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity on your own, or with a friend or family member, click here to learn more about opportunities and how to sign up.

 

And the winners are…

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Congratulations to the winners of the 2015 ReStore ReUse Contest!

 

Best in Show – Paul Willard
Willard_tree house_BEST IN SHOWTree house built with recycled materials
“I redesigned and expanded a deck for a family with three young boys. Talk of a tree house was heard and I began stockpiling materials for the tree house. Old deck was harvested and 2×4, 2×6 and 2×2 materials were utilized in the tree house. Trex deck boards were reused, and 1000 sq feet of surplus deconstructed Trex was donated to Habitat. Siding is 1×6 fence boards from old fence torn down on site. Octagonal windows are salvaged. Interior bench was rescued from the dumpster. Columns are old antique table legs. Main deck of tree house surrounds a huge silver maple, and crows nest climbs into a smaller maple next to it.”


 

Homesteading – Ferrin Cole
F Cole_aquaponic system_HOMESTEADINGSymbiotic aquaponic system
“Using scrap plumbing from a job-site, plastic trays I found by a dumpster, an old bakers rack, a $12 pond pump, and an old coca-cola insulated drink bin, I made this. Raised Tilapia in the drink bin, and pumped the water with the nutrient-rich fish fertilizer in it to the top tray on the rack. Then gravity pulls the water from tray to tray, feeding plants until it reaches the tank again. Plants grow quickly in the soil-free pea gravel gathered and rinsed from an old landscaping project. The whole system is portable, able to work indoors, and all you do is feed the fish then eat them and the veggies.”


 

Live and/or Work Space – David and Kim Hostetter
Hostetter_indoor off the grid pool_LIVE WORKIndoor “off the grid” pool house
“I built our “off the grid” pool house in four months using old windows, door and re-purposed wood. The windows and clear roof give it a greenhouse effect, which, with the black painted pool, keeps the water at a nice 80 degrees.”

 

 

 

 


 

Paige_garden bench_FURNITUREFurniture – Paige D.
Garden bench

“I made a bench out of an old bed frame I found on the side of the road, in someone’s trash! I cut the foot board in half and attached each half to either end of the headboard to serve as the armrests. I made a box see out of cheap lumber from Lowe’s and covered the seat part with scraps from the cuts. Lastly, I chose to paint in in old fashioned Milk Paint. Talk about Junk to Jewel!”


People’s Choice – Carla Berlin
Berlin_mobile potting cart_PEOPLES CHOICEMobile Potting Cart
“I purchased an old white bathroom cabinet from the Restore and used this as the base for my project. I used donated pallet wood, tile that was on sale because it was a broken box, paint that was rejected by another person and left on a sale bin, stain that I used on another piece of furniture, the original drawer pull and door knob that I repainted with spray paint that I picked up at an estate sale to match other hooks that I had picked up at Restore and were collecting dust until the right plan came along. One of my friends asked me if I could make a Potting Cart – now I love it so much, I cannot sell it!”

 

 

Click here to view all of the 2015 contest entries.

Two Former Government Employees Find Fulfillment and Fun at the ReStore

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By Jonathan Dermid

If you’ve ever dropped off items on a Wednesday morning, you might never have guessed that two of the men helping you unload your donations are former employees of the US Department of State and the National Security Agency (NSA).

These two men are Bruce Ammerman(R), former foreign services agent for the State Department, and Dick Hipp (L), former technical writer for the NSA. In this photo, they are joking around with staffer Jason Butler (center).

Both men felt compelled to volunteer after retiring to Asheville, for similar reasons.

“I started volunteering because I moved to town, and I had retired, and I didn’t have anything to do with my time,” Bruce said. “I also think that it’s a laudable goal, making housing affordable for people who need it.”

Dick has a similar story of how he came to volunteer at the ReStore. “Pretty much like Bruce, I retired here from Washington D.C. and was looking for something to do that might be helpful to people,” Dick said. “I had a cycling friend that volunteered here and after asking him about it, I looked into it and I was interested. And since I’m not much of a handyman, I figured the loading dock sounded like a good fit.”

Dick worked for the NSA as a technical writer, which usually involved working with engineers and mathematicians and editing technical manuals and documentation.

He points to the social opportunities of volunteering here as another motivating factor, re-emphasizing the nature of teamwork that we have highlighted in past volunteer profiles.

“It’s nice to get out and have the opportunity to interact with people and work together with them for a goal; and I can do that here,” Dick noted.

For Bruce, volunteering was a venture that he only became able to do after retiring, and he exhibits a positive spirit in doing so.

“When I was working, I didn’t really do any volunteering because I was busy either with my family or with work, so I just didn’t have time,” Bruce said. “My dad volunteered for Meals on Wheels for decades, though, so I wanted to eventually do something similar in terms of volunteering.”

Bruce also points to a certain spirit of selflessness that permeates the volunteers at the ReStore and is worth honoring – it’s more for the sake of the cause than for individual praise. “I don’t think the people who volunteer here are necessarily interested in recognition,” he said. “Either something is worth doing or it’s not, but if it is a worthwhile endeavor, then it’s worth getting the word out.” In addition to volunteering in the ReStore, Bruce is also on our Outreach Committee so he can sometimes be found out in the community, staffing a Habitat table at a resource fair, for example.

Here at Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity, we pride ourselves on our volunteers; both for their selflessness and for the breadth of past and present life experiences that unite under the common goals of Habitat for Humanity.

A big thanks to Dick, Bruce and all the volunteers who fuel our organization!

If you want to join our volunteer team, click here to read about opportunities or sign up for an orientation.

On Sale Day and Every Day, Volunteers Contribute to ReStore Success

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by Jonathan Dermid

Last Saturday, September 12th, we celebrated the ongoing support of our wonderful community with the annual Fall Customer Appreciation Sale at the ReStore. The celebration was an all-day affair, with everything from a live remote by 98.1 The River and a free hot dog lunch, to a special Silent Auction with items donated by the Grove Park Inn. These things, in addition to the 25% discount, were just a few ways for us to say thank you to the generous community who supports Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity by shopping, donating and volunteering at the ReStore.

Speaking of volunteering…In order for this event to come together seamlessly, 38 caring volunteers donated a combined total of 125 hours between Friday night (preparation) and Saturday (sale day)! This effort included everything from setting up merchandise to be sold (well into the evening on Friday) and answering customer questions, to diligently running the registers and helping load much of the large merchandise that was sold on Saturday.

ReStore volunteer coordinator Carrie Burgin pointed out, “This effort is not unique to Sale days. Our fantastic volunteers are the backbone of the ReStore, and their service keeps us running to support the affordable housing cause every day. But, the combined initiative that was shown last weekend displayed the essence of what we all take pride in here at Habitat: a kind of selfless giving of time and energy for the betterment of our community that not only made the Fall Sale a success, but continuously makes the Asheville Habitat ReStore a positive place to be.”

From all of us at Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity, a big thanks to you – our community – for allowing us to serve you. And of course, Thank You to all the volunteers who worked so hard last weekend (and every day). We appreciate you!

If you’d like to learn more about volunteering at the ReStore or in another department, please click here.

Another Successful Day of Caring

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by Jonathan Dermid

Today, September 10th, United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County celebrated their 24th annual Day of Caring through their Hands On volunteer program. The Day of Caring is a volunteer program run through United Way that connects companies, organizations and individuals with United Way partner agencies and provides them with a hands-on opportunity to make a difference in their community.

It equips and mobilizes workforce volunteers and other volunteer groups to strengthen our community by matching these groups with service projects to benefit Asheville and Buncombe County nonprofits, schools and public entities.

Today, at the Habitat Asheville ReStore, we had the privilege of hosting volunteers from Biltmore Farms Hotels who assisted with repairs, cleaning, and preparation of items to be sold in the ReStore during this Saturday’s BIG SALE. They helped out immensely and the ReStore is grateful for their service!

Two teams from Southeastern Container partnered with us too and assisted with both home repair and construction. At the Edwards’ home in West Asheville, our Habitat supervisors Lawrence Lippard and Joel Johnson led a group in building a ramp for the family. In our Hudson Hills neighborhood, another group laid six pallets of sod, and painted the porch and interior of our Business Bungalow House.

We are grateful for the participation of these volunteer teams and applaud the United Way for organizing yet another successful day-long community-wide volunteer initiative.

A big THANK YOU to Fairfield Inn & Suites South/Biltmore Square and Southeastern Container employees for all of your hard work today! We hope you had a good time while doing good work!

Strong Response Provides Launching Pad for Business Bungalow #2

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Local businesses are deeply concerned about the lack of affordable housing in Asheville, and they’re doing something about it. The response to our first ever Business Bungalow was so great that the house is fully funded and we have seed money to start a second Business Bungalow House!

#23_BizBungalow_8.26.15 (3)Thanks to an anonymous donation through the Community Foundation of WNC, Asheville Area Habitat launched it first-ever “Business Bungalow” House this past summer. All donations to the house by local businesses, were matched (up to $25,000) by that caring donor. This house (pictured left) is nearing completion and will soon be home to the Booth family.

Affordable housing is one of the most pressing unmet needs in our region. A recently released report* indicated that the combination of a lack of affordable units, a critically low vacancy rate and a significant projected population growth will make housing availability in our area, especially affordable housing, a rare commodity. Numerous articles about the topic have been written in Mountain Xpress and the Asheville Citizen-Times, to name a few.

We are grateful to all the sponsors (listed below) who supported our first-ever Business Bungalow and we hope their support will inspire you to get involved with Business Bungalow #2.

How to get involved:
Donate
Donations of all sizes are welcome and appreciated. All donors will receive a special window cling (decal), be recognized in AAHH’s annual report (printed and online) and be included in a printed program at the dedication of the house. Click the green button to donate and select Business Bungalow under Area of Support.

Businesses that give $250 will be recognized as Housing Champions and will also receive the following benefits: the option to schedule one on-site volunteer workday, and a listing on AAHH’s website for the duration of the build (approximately six months).

Sponsorship opportunities ($1,000 and up) are also available. To learn more, visit http://bit.ly/AAHHsponsorships or contact Betsy Warren, Sponsorship Coordinator, at bwarren@ashevillehabitat.org  or 828.210.9363.

Please click here to learn more.

 

THANK YOU TO OUR BUSINESS BUNGALOW SPONSORS!

$25,000 Challenge Sponsor:
Fidel Duke Fund of the Community Foundation of WNC

Partial House Sponsors:
AvL Technologies ($20,000)
Publix Super Markets Charities ($10,000)

Blueprint Sponsors ($1,000):
Alice D. Hamling Foundation
Alicia Rodriguez DDA PA
Altamont Environmental, Inc.
Anonymous
Asheville Downtown Association
Asheville Fence
Beverly-Hanks & Associates
BlueStar Hospitality Fairfield Inns
Bart and Elaine Boyer
Boys, Arnold & Company
Team Browne – Keller Williams
Brunk Auction
Carlton Architects
Charlie and Pat Clogston
Community Foundation of WNC
Corner Kitchen and Chestnut
Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community
Erie Insurance
Gerry and Nancy Kitch
Mark A. Kleive DDS
Mast General Store, Inc.
New Morning Ltd.
Smokey Park Supper Club
WCQS

Housing Champions ($250):
Allergy Partners of WNC
Ambiance Interiors
Anonymous
Atlanta Bread Company
Bankers Insurance
The Bayshore Company
Builders FirstSource
Clean Environments
Kit and Mark Cramer
Dennison and Kay Crews
Daniels Group
Eaton Corporation
Groce Funeral Home
Harry’s on the Hill
Jeff and Anne Imes
Kilwin’s Chocolates, Fudge & Ice Cream
Leslie and Associates, Inc.
McAbee & Associates, PA
Mediterranean Restaurant
Milkco, Inc
One Who Serves
Parsec Financial
Power Plus Electrical Service, Inc.
Rankin Vault
RealtyPro – Michael White
Silver-Line Plastics
Skyrunner
Twin Hills Structure, PLLC
Hank and Nancy Young

 

*The January 2015 Regional Housing Analysis by Bowen Research Group, commissioned by the City of Asheville.

Reading enthusiast finds volunteer home at Habitat

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By Jonathan Dermid

If the Asheville Habitat ReStore has a hidden gem, it would be the used bookstore. Tucked away in the back of the upper showroom, it may seem to be just another thrifty book corner. But as soon as you enter, you feel how it is different from other used bookstores.

Our bookstore is meticulously organized and operated through the care of several staff members and volunteers, who provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere which can be felt throughout the upper showroom.

One such volunteer is Katie Caron, who has been volunteering with Habitat for five years now. A former English teacher, Katie retired to Asheville and almost immediately found a place within Habitat.

“I went to an orientation at an organization called Land of Sky and they had different representatives from different organizations, and Habitat interested me,” she said. “I really believe in the purpose of the Habitat program and the way that it’s carried out.”

A self-proclaimed “book nut”, Katie gravitated towards the bookstore, where she volunteers on both Tuesdays and Thursdays. She chose to volunteer two days a week because she loves the idea of donating her time to the cause.

“It’s nice to donate your time instead of just writing a check,” she said, “and that time is equally donated by the people you’re helping.” Katie is referring to the Sweat Equity, or volunteer hours, that Habitat homeowners contribute on their path to Habitat homeownership.

She attributes her passion for volunteering to a sort of team mentality. “I like that idea of everyone working together,” she said, “it’s like a team, and that’s what this place is all about.”

As a team player, Katie will jump in when and where she is needed. Early in her tenure as a volunteer she helped our Communications department by cleaning and painting donated windows and doors which now comprise the “Habitat mission wall” in the lower showroom – a display that explains what Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity, and the Asheville Habitat ReStore, is all about.

It’s the teamwork and the end result for the partner families (homeownership) that make volunteering so satisfying for Katie.

“When I see all the people around me that work so hard for this purpose, and when I see a family that we’ve helped, it makes me think ‘wow, that’s why I go in there and do that’,” she said. “It’s very fulfilling for me.”

If you’d like to learn about becoming a Habitat volunteer (in the ReStore or another area of the organization), please click here.

 

Helping People Live Better in the Home They Already Own

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Not everyone needs a new home; some just need help repairing the home they already own.
Meet Abdul Ahmad, one of our Home Repair Clients

Written by Pat Bacon

Abdul Ahmad’s gently creviced face, framed in cropped shiny white hair, is equally as inviting as his bright yellow house where he has resided for the past twenty-two years. “Many people from the Caribbean like bright colors and now I see four other houses in the Shiloh community that people have painted yellow!” Originally from Barbados where life is sophisticated yet casual, warm and friendly, he and his wife, the late Betty Ahmad, were married in New York. When she wanted to move back home to Asheville to help care for her ailing mother, they rented this (now yellow) house and soon thereafter purchased it and made it their permanent home.

Abdul resoundingly endorses life in the Shiloh community and he quickly volunteers that he knows and likes all of his neighbors, and his neighbors know and like him. As he and I greeted each other on his front lawn, neighbors passed by waving their hands and tooting their horns, acknowledging Abdul. He waved and smiled back, the feelings mutual. “Shiloh reminds me of Barbados where days are sun-filled and the nights are balmy. There is nothing like being around friendly, caring folks who greet you and shake your hand and help each other. Shiloh is near almost everything – shops, stores, cleaners, restaurants, everything. There is no better place to live.”

Like the outside, the inside of his house is bright, but it is a subtle brightness. It is also open – open because the living room, dining room and kitchen all easily flow together, reminiscent of gentle island life. It’s obvious that the dining room is the focal point of the house. A round table and comfortable chairs in the middle of the house make it ideal for all kinds of gatherings and the television has been placed high enough on the wall so that all can see the important sporting events. The cream-colored walls and flowing cream-colored curtains encourage the sunlight to stream in and fill the space. There are remnants of Betty’s plants in front of the windows; Abdul readily admits that caring for plants is not his strong suite. A bathroom and two bedrooms complete this cozy, compact home.

Upon arriving in Asheville many years ago and before getting a full-time job, Abdul fondly remembers volunteering on two Habitat houses. Thus it was natural for him to turn to Habitat for help when he learned about the repair program. With his modest retirement income derived from working with the City of Asheville and other private companies along the way, there was no budget for repair work.

Because of Habitat’s affordable home repair program, Abdul now enjoys a much-needed new roof, a walk-in shower, railing for his steps and the fresh bright yellow paint job. Abdul feels safer and he is renewed by the new look of his home. “It feels good to have these things finally done and at such a good price. I tell people about Habitat all the time. I even brought someone to the Habitat Office to pick up an application.”

Abdul has three adult children and two grandchildren who visit him, and he in turn visits them. He celebrates that his house is more inviting now. Thoughts of past gatherings, particularly around Christmas and Thanksgiving, bring a big ready smile to his face. These days it gives Abdul pleasure to help others; he often drives neighbors and friends to assorted destinations. Abdul, an avid reader, enjoys reading about current world events and he admits that he’d really like to write short stories. He’s promised to share them when he does.

If you or someone you know is interested in our Home Repair program, click here to learn more.

 

Volunteering to fix things, for the fun of it

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Spotlight on the ReStore’s Wednesday Small Appliance Repair Crew

By Jonathan Dermid

At the Asheville Habitat ReStore, we take great pride in our staff and volunteers. Not only are they the backbone of the store and its functionality, but their individual characters and personalities provide an energetic and welcoming atmosphere.

In the area of small appliance repair, “the Wednesday crew” is a particularly lively and affable group, who all shared the same notion about their volunteer work. They do it for the fun of the work and for the enjoyment of the company they share as they repair the appliances.

“I really like volunteering here because I get to interact with people that I get along with and have fun with,” Marty Toren said. “The work becomes secondary if you have that.”

Marty (pictured, center) came to Asheville from Salem, Oregon, where he volunteered on Habitat job sites until a back injury made him unable to do so. Upon moving to Asheville, he discovered that he could volunteer in the ReStore instead of having to do a great deal of physical work.

“I had a part-time job, so I had time to volunteer, and I thought I should volunteer for Habitat again,” he said. “I love being able to contribute to the buildings of homes for families who would be otherwise unable to afford them, just by volunteering here in the store.”

One of his team mates in the small appliances area is Bill Kalavorich (pictured, R), a retired physical therapist, who has been volunteering with Asheville Area Habitat for seven years now.

“I was exposed to Habitat through the United Way Day of Caring, Bill said. “Through that experience, I saw what a worthwhile organization Habitat is, and what they care about in their core business; so I wanted to do stuff with them.”

Both Bill and Wally Lee (another small appliance repair volunteer) echo Marty’s sentiment of how much fun volunteering at the ReStore can be.

“I started volunteering in the ReStore while I was still working, so I could only contribute one day a month,” said Wally (pictured, L). “When I retired, I moved to volunteering at the construction site weekly, but kept my position in the ReStore because it’s just so much fun.”

Wally is an Air Force veteran of four and a half years, and with his background in mechanical engineering, he has found a niche at the ReStore doing what he is both skilled at, and loves.

“Ever since I can remember, I’ve loved taking things apart and putting them back together, so that also makes this kind of work really fun for me,” he said. “Plus, Habitat is one of the premier organizations, in my opinion, because they do so much between the ReStore and the building of homes and everything else.  It’s really rewarding to volunteer here every week.”

If you’d like to learn about volunteering in the Asheville Habitat ReStore, click here to learn more and sign up for a volunteer orientation session.