Thank You

Dear Crew Leaders,

On Sunday, we experienced the rewards for our efforts. We celebrated the completion of both the Women Build house and the traditional build house. For those of you who weren't there, it was a wonderful day. The weather was perfect and the houses were on display and showing off the contributions of so many generous hours of work. It was moving to walk around, recognizing a bit of our own work, here and there, that became a part of a house that WE built! The ceremonies were moving, with words of support, congratulation and thanks from elected officials, our Habitat team and, most important, new home owners.

To all of you, for your contributions to this magnificent achievement, thank you!!! And we hope to see you all next year. Through this effort, you have become experienced builders ....with wisdom to share.

Thank you,

Pat Baer
Crew Leader Coordinator & Board Member

August 9th Recap

How lucky! Sunshine and mild weather all day for Traditional and Women Build volunteers to work side-by-side!

Almost sixty volunteers arrived at the building site on Mill Street in Hudson bright and early and ready to go to work. Groups from Thrivent Lutheran, the Bank of Kinderhook, Chatham School District, Questar and the Register Star, among others, along with homeowner, Stacey Coons, her family and friends, and their crew leaders, hung sheetrock and siding at the Traditional Build site with their crew leaders. Groups from COARC (their third consecutive year) and Key Bank, along with homeowner Mussarraf Kahn, painted and trimmed windows at the Women Build site with their crew leaders.

Both projects remain pretty much on schedule despite the many rainy days and enthusiasm continues to be sky high!

Columbia County Habitat for Humanity and the volunteers wish to thank Dunkin Donuts on Route 66 and 9H for donating breakfast, the Stewart’s Shop on Fairview Avenue for donating water and ice, and D and D Deli for donating lunch. Other site amenities were provided through a generous donation by Key Bank.

And, again, many, many thanks to the sponsors, donors, volunteers, crew leaders, and Habitat staff, Board and Committee members for their contributions to the Habitat mission of eliminating poverty housing in Columbia County.

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Build Calendar & Info for Volunteers

Interested in finding out when we're building? Click here to view our calendar. Coming to join us and build? Please be sure to bring sunscreen and a hat - wear shorts when it is hot, you'll be more comfortable. Choose comfortable footware (sneakers or boots are recommended - no sandals please!) Coffee breaks, lunch and water are provided each day.

You're in good hands!

I can't tell you how wonderful it is that Women Build is moving forward. Last night I attended the first ever orientation session for crew leaders. Debra and Pat organized this evening and Debra led the group through crew leader roles and responsibilities, expectations, etc. She handed out training manuals which included terms, how to , etc. She led with humor, warmth and obviously much knowledge through her past experiences.

Over 25 women attended this meeting. What amazed me was the enthusiasm and building skills of this group; indeed in addition to the women who have renovated and built their own kitchens and barns, there were professional contractors who will be our crew leaders. Most exciting, for me, is the diversity of this group of women.... a psychoanalyst, former physical therapist, nurse, etc. Common theme is the strong desire to do good, build a house and have fun.

Our volunteers, who have signed up in droves, will be in good hands.

Joyce LaPenn

Thoughts from the First Training Session...

Now that the first Habitat Women Build training session is under my belt, my "tool belt" feels a bit better prepared to hold hammers and nails. Surprisingly to me (though not to our illustrious leader, Debra) hammering in a nail straight was the most difficult part! Those scary electric saws were really not so bad nor so intimidating once you understood how to turn them on and safely operate them. But hammering in a 12D nail is no easy task, especially when you're doing it upside-down on an angle. Laurie Quinn and I failed miserably the first try, and thankfully Wendy Carroll of Chatham helped straighten us out, literally. I was able to hammer in a few of them with no problem, and got a great sense of accomplishment from those successes. But I'll need to spend the next few months building my arm strength so I can do it with a few swift swings, like my classmate Leslye Alexander. My advice: practice, practice, practice!!!

Taitia Shelow, Chatham, Steering Committee

Practice! Practice! Practice!

Everyone keeps asking me how they can prepare for the Women Build. Other than attending the training classes, there is one huge way that you can prepare if you are going to be building on site this spring.
I am very serious when I tell you this: get yourself some scrap lumber, a hammer, and some 12D nails. (You can ask your local lumber yard about that, ladies. Or, you could find out if your husband knows what a 12D nail is) Once you get this equipment together, start to practice hammering those nails into your scrap wood. This is the number one skill that will help us to stay on schedule. This assignment is easy, the cost is inexpensive, and everyone can do it.
Trust me when I tell you that if you don't practice this skill, and you are constantly bending nails over or your nail won't even go in, you are either going to have to pull them back out, or be embarrassed because it is going to feel like everyone is watching. This is NOT fun, and you are going to be sooooo mad at yourself that you did not do this. So, good luck, and get started!

Debra Gestwicki

Volunteering - We Need Crew Leaders!

As you can imagine, we need many volunteers for the Women Build project to succeed. We need at least 15 workers on site every day of the build, plus people to provide food and drink for the volunteers. No previous skills or training are required to be a volunteer! If you do have some experience and some skills, and are willing to commit to at least three days on the build, please think about becoming a Crew Leader. Crew leaders oversee small groups of volunteers and ensure the work proceeds smoothly and safely. Volunteer training for crew leaders will be offered. Do you have what it takes to be a crew leader? Click here to find out!

How-to Clinics will be held monthly prior to the Women Build, on the following topics:

• How to safely use hand and power tools, basics of painting
• How to frame walls and roof
• How to install windows, doors and trim, flooring
• How to install siding

To be a Women Build volunteer, please click here to sign up or contact Pat Baer at 518-325-5145 or by email