Women Build Project Recap

So you ask, "What's happened to Women Build?" Well, we've been busy finishing up the house ensuring it is picture perfect for the Khan family. And, indeed it is now ready for furniture and curtains. Much like many construction jobs, this house took longer than we expected. What was to be a 23 day build in fact took more days than we had planned. But all for the better. Never once would we not want to ensure the highest quality of building that we all expect.

We learned many things from our first ever Women Build in Columbia County. We always knew that when women put their minds and hands together nothing can stop them. Fundraising for some was thought to be a challenge, but we learned that it is quite doable. We definitely learned that the Columbia, Berkshire and Greene counties were extraordinarily generous; and that women enjoy working together. Many new friendships were started through Women Build.

Our Steering Committee of 31 women from throughout the county raised $84,000 since it initiated the planning of this project in November of 2007 through a variety of events like a Chinese Banquet, brunch at the Blue Plate, Garden Luncheon at Columbia Golf and Country club, fashion show in Hudson organized by Second Show, (a Cinco de Mayo night organized with TSL, and a cooking class at Bezalel Gables Fine Catering & Events in20Chatham. And, we received many, many financial donations to help surpass the goal we had orignial set. In fact we received over 550 donations!!!!!!!

Columbia County Habitat for Humanity will celebrate the completion of two new houses with a dedication ceremony on Sunday, October 26 at 2 p.m., at the Mill Street, Hudson, site where the homes were built. We will dedicate our Women Build House to the Khan family and our Traditional Build House to the Coons family.

Everyone is is invited to the dedication, which will feature a fall harvest theme, to wish the families well. Refreshments will be served and local dignitaries will attend including the Mayor of Hudson, Rich Scalera and our Congresswoman, Kirsten Gillibrand.

The local affiliate of the international non-profit Habitat for Humanity completed an unprecedented effort of building two homes at the same time, thanks to the assistance of hundreds of volunteers from all over Columbia County who worked on the sites and provided food for the workers.

Debra Gestwicki, executive director of the Columbia County Habitat, proposed the Women Build and the idea of constructing two homes at once, not knowing what the reaction would be. “I was very impressed with the Women Build from the first meeting of the Steering Committee to the last day of the build. It was a nice surprise to find out how many skilled women there are in Columbia County, not only in the construction end of it, but also in the design work for our advertising, fund raising, and our amenities commit tee,” she said. “They outdid themselves when it came to getting food for our volunteers. The Traditional Build also benefited from these ladies’ efforts. I’ve worked for Habitat for a long time now, and I have never had the luxury of having an amenities committee. I think we all felt spoiled. The local food businesses and churches were extremely generous, and I am sure I am not the only one who gained weight this season!"

Looking forward to moving into their new homes are Mussarraf Khan and his wife, Naznin, their children, Sifath and Neshath, and Naznin’s mother, Anuara Bezum. Mussarraf and Naznin came to America 10 years ago. They hoped, like many before them, to find opportunities here that were unavailable to them in Bangladesh. Both hold factory jobs and the children attend public school. The family enjoys fishing in the Hudson River or Lake Taghkanic. Naznin takes pride in their garden and Neshath likes playing with her dolls. Sifath enjoys remote control cars and riding his scooter. The couple and other family members put in hundreds of hours of sweat equity on their Women Build home, with Naznin frequently wearing a wide smile as she worked.

Stacy Coons, a young mother of three, also spent many hours working on her new home with the help of family members, friends and strangers who quickly became friends. Coons was born and raised in Hudson. She works with the developmentally disabled at the John L. Edwards Elementary School and is also employed at the Big Lots store on Fairview Ave. The family has been living with her parents since she and the children’s father, James Servider, separated two years ago. Coons’ daughters, Antanette and Gianna Servider, and son, James Servider, look forward to each having their own bedroom. Antanette plans to leave her room’s walls white because that will make a good background for hanging pictures and other things. Gianna will paint hers pink and James thinks camouflage is the way to go. Coons expects that the family’s new living arrangement will help them draw closer. Coons sincerely appreciates the work of all the volunteers. She found especially humbling the fact that staff and teachers from John L. Edwards School pitched in to provide sweat equity. The children’s father also volunteered sweat equity.

JOIN US on OCTOBER 26 at 2:00 PM at our Mill Street site...........reconnect with women and see the result of your hard work!!!!!!!