Thanksgiving. It is the holiday which is a favorite for so many of us - we usually feel blessed about family and friends, our homes, jobs and security. This Thanksgiving there are many economic insecurities for many of us, but when we say thanks we always feel better. So here goes what will probably be a series of thank you’s to many who supported and participated in Women Build 2008. It is exactly one year ago that a group of women got together to plan for this special project. The Women Build project has had many, many friends and supporters to thank - the volunteers who tirelessly gave their days to ensure another family would have a home for the holidays and beyond; countless hours with countless women who are to be thanked individually - volunteers put in hundreds of hours with weeks of work. Also stay tuned on our website for what we are planning to do in 2009 - some exciting training programs for women!!!!!!
So, while we have used our newspapers and notes to thank on an ongoing way, we plan to use the next few weeks to publicly thank through our blog many of our supporters:
For our Garden Luncheon at Columbia Golf and Country Club:
Suzy Bales, garden writer, who spoke to a group of interested friends and supporters of Habitat at a wonderful luncheon at Columbia Golf and Country Club and helped us all to understand more about our gardens. Germantown and Greenport Garden Clubs for providing wonderful centerpieces for our luncheon; auction items by local artists: Gail Giles, Anna Cinquemani, Patricia Nolan and secured by Katy Nichols.
Foofsique quilters, Annie Quinn and Sandy Parker who worked alongside Steering Committee member, Melissa Sarris in the preparing of the marvelous signature quilt for the Khan family.
Chatham Middle School supervisor, Nancy Barth, who understands the meaning of service and imparts this to our youngsters.
Taconic Hills National Honor Society for not only providing a generous financial contribution, but participating in building under the hot, hot sun.
If I Had a Hammer Cocktail Party hosted by the Toll family. They graciously opened up their home and provided wonderful food and drink to raise over $8,000 for Women Build.
The Second Show for sponsoring Working Girls Fashion Show and Jason’s Upstairs and all the wonderful folks who were outstanding models and all of the marvelous vendors who provided such outstanding auction items- what an incredible success and such enormous fun!
Hudson’s Red Dot and Le Gamin, outstanding restaurants that supported us throughout the build by encouraging patrons to support us !!!!!
Our fabulous graphic designer, Elizabeth DiPalma, who ensured that we had the most tastefully and gorgeous posters and invitations.
Our webmasters - Laurie Quinn for bringing us to the internet and Pat Baer for ensuring stuff got posted.
- Joyce Lapenn
Showing posts with label volunteer spotlight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label volunteer spotlight. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
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
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
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
August 23rd Recap
There was much activity and buzz clearly demonstrating a strong sense of community commitment on August 23rd. We were fortunate to have 50 people working on our Traditional Build and our Women Build homes. Yes, there was high energy, and excitement as we advanced the progress of our two homes! And how blessed we felt to have terrific weather, outstanding cooperation and, of course, a fabulous lunch donated by Hudson’s Cascade.First Niagara Bank, under the leadership of Margaret Barry and Betsy Braley, recruited a group of 15 strong who worked together under the banner of their Bank. Bank volunteers came from as far off as Amsterdam and Clifton Park because the corporate motto is to ensure investment in the community. This team raked freshly laid soil as if for their own lawns, laid seed, and covered all with hay. In addition they sheet rocked and more.
Hudson Financial’s, Jim Armstrong, brought a team of his colleagues and their spouses, who took on some real challenging work ensuring that sheet rocking and finishing up our Women Build porch took place. And, Donna Karpinski, Executive Director of Community Hospice of Columbia and Greene Counties brought her team...once again... to contribute their passion for their neighbors to the day’s work plus, as always, there many, many volunteers from the community who wanted to contribute their time and energies and, as on so many days volunteers from John L. Edwards School joined in the day's work.
You can well imagine that much was accomplished with this level of effort: Women Build's cutting and laying of trim, under the direction and supervision of Pat Baer and Babette Ryder-Card, our superb crew leaders was almost complete and..... this house is almost finished!!!! The Khan's were working alongside of the volunteers and you can tell how eager they are to be moving in soon. Our Traditional Build has more to do and we hope more volunteers will call to schedule some time with us to ensure this house ge ts finished soon. Our future homeowner, Tracy Coons is also eager and almost ready to start buying her curtains!!!
What an amazing spring and summer we have experienced with an amazing Columbia County Habitat for Humanity. So many folks get to our site with a little apprehension in the morning and leave in afternoon exhausted but with a real sense of accomplishment and pride. THANKS neighbors.........
| www.flickr.com |
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
August 16th - Volunteer Spotlights
Contributed by Sue Ihlenberg (volunteer)
All of us in Columbia County are aware that two Habitat for Humanity houses are nearing completion on Mill Street in Hudson. One is a Traditional Build with men and women participating, and the other is Columbia County's first Women Build using only women volunteers with some professional men for certain aspects of the build. Both builds are being led by our Executive Director and Project Manager Debra Gestwicki, who has worked for Habitat for seven years. She is working closely with volunteers. According to her, this entire experience has been most enjoyable, with the volunteers being very enthusiastic and willing to learn new skills. The resulting quality of work has been outstanding. She is looking forward to completion with a celebration being planned to mark the new homeowners taking possession.
One important volunteer always found at the site, is Diana Coughlin, who is now in her third year as President of Columbia County Habitat. She is on site doing spackling as well as running out for donuts, and keeping the workers going with coffee. She said “I am absolutely overwhelmed with the support of the local community volunteers, corporate sponsors, and individual contributors in completing our Mill Street projects.”
Another volunteer for Women Build is Pat Wiswell, who retired this past May after thirty–four years as Professor of Economics, thirty of which were at Columbia Greene Community College. Having worked all of her life in a career where she felt she could make a difference she had a need to continue doing so. Last year, in preparation for retirement, she had gone online and found the website for Columbia County Habitat. A walk-a-thon was being done as a fundraiser, so Pat collected donations from her colleagues, did the walk-a-thon and went on to sign up to work on the build. She had such a positive experience gaining new skills and confidence in her abilities that she continued increasing her involvement by joining the Women Build steering committee and she is now a crew leader with a growing collection of her own tools.
Also on site is Katy Nichols of Kinderhook who works at the Coldwater Creek store in Colonie. She read an article in the paper which prompted her to call her nineteen-year old daughter at college to see if she would also be interested in helping. She signed them both up and has come eight or nine times during the build. "If I didn't have a real job I'd come during the week. When I walked into the house today and saw the rooms I felt like I was going to cry. First it was just a slab, and now to see it almost finished - it's like "our house". The feeling of ownership is a good feeling made all the more special because Chelsea and I got to share it. It was a great mother and daughter bonding experience." She was working with crew leader Babette on window trim this time and has done framing, hanging windows, siding, and sheet rocking. She acquired a new set of skills and thinks it's neat to know she can do these things. She wants tools for Christmas. Another neatest thing was developing new friendships. Coincidentally her daughter Chelsea was a student of Pat Wiswell.
The Women Build is the third Habitat build for Linda Paul who has had her own business as a cabinet maker for more than twenty years in Chatham. Linda always thought she would get involved with Habitat once her children were out of the house so this was perfect timing. Linda lent her skills to installing the kitchen cabinets. She said "It's been fun meeting other women experienced in building. I didn't know there were so many around. I also liked that the volunteers were excited to learn and liked learning non-traditional skills from another woman." The proud owners of the Women Build house are Musharruf Husain Khan and his wife Naz Nin Khan. They and their children are looking forward to moving in very soon. With the help of their family and friends they must put in four hundred hours of work. Musharruf has worked on framing, siding, painting, and was working on the porch this Saturday. These were all new experiences for him. He plans to use his newly acquired skills on the next Habitat build.
Next door at the Traditional Build, Karen and Scott Lisson from Manhattan are helping hang sheet rock. Karen biked cross country three years ago to raise funds for Habitat. As there are not many builds going on in Manhattan, they went online, found this build and have come up by train five times this summer. Also there is a group from Taconic of Germantown. Because of its generosity, Taconic is a partner of Columbia County Habitat. Denise Navins and Dave Lester organized volunteers for two days of work. Nancy Moore, one of those volunteers who considers herself a low skill person, was amazed at the skill level of some of her coworkers, learning alot from and about her coworkers.
Stacy Coons and her three children will be the very proud owners of the Traditional Build home. Stacy has done work at every stage of the construction of her new home. Her excitement has built right along with it. She is planning ahead to the landscaping, flower garden, color schemes, and everything connected with home ownership. She came in as a novice but has learned so much that she plans to help with next year's builds.
All of us in Columbia County are aware that two Habitat for Humanity houses are nearing completion on Mill Street in Hudson. One is a Traditional Build with men and women participating, and the other is Columbia County's first Women Build using only women volunteers with some professional men for certain aspects of the build. Both builds are being led by our Executive Director and Project Manager Debra Gestwicki, who has worked for Habitat for seven years. She is working closely with volunteers. According to her, this entire experience has been most enjoyable, with the volunteers being very enthusiastic and willing to learn new skills. The resulting quality of work has been outstanding. She is looking forward to completion with a celebration being planned to mark the new homeowners taking possession.
One important volunteer always found at the site, is Diana Coughlin, who is now in her third year as President of Columbia County Habitat. She is on site doing spackling as well as running out for donuts, and keeping the workers going with coffee. She said “I am absolutely overwhelmed with the support of the local community volunteers, corporate sponsors, and individual contributors in completing our Mill Street projects.”
Another volunteer for Women Build is Pat Wiswell, who retired this past May after thirty–four years as Professor of Economics, thirty of which were at Columbia Greene Community College. Having worked all of her life in a career where she felt she could make a difference she had a need to continue doing so. Last year, in preparation for retirement, she had gone online and found the website for Columbia County Habitat. A walk-a-thon was being done as a fundraiser, so Pat collected donations from her colleagues, did the walk-a-thon and went on to sign up to work on the build. She had such a positive experience gaining new skills and confidence in her abilities that she continued increasing her involvement by joining the Women Build steering committee and she is now a crew leader with a growing collection of her own tools.
Also on site is Katy Nichols of Kinderhook who works at the Coldwater Creek store in Colonie. She read an article in the paper which prompted her to call her nineteen-year old daughter at college to see if she would also be interested in helping. She signed them both up and has come eight or nine times during the build. "If I didn't have a real job I'd come during the week. When I walked into the house today and saw the rooms I felt like I was going to cry. First it was just a slab, and now to see it almost finished - it's like "our house". The feeling of ownership is a good feeling made all the more special because Chelsea and I got to share it. It was a great mother and daughter bonding experience." She was working with crew leader Babette on window trim this time and has done framing, hanging windows, siding, and sheet rocking. She acquired a new set of skills and thinks it's neat to know she can do these things. She wants tools for Christmas. Another neatest thing was developing new friendships. Coincidentally her daughter Chelsea was a student of Pat Wiswell.
The Women Build is the third Habitat build for Linda Paul who has had her own business as a cabinet maker for more than twenty years in Chatham. Linda always thought she would get involved with Habitat once her children were out of the house so this was perfect timing. Linda lent her skills to installing the kitchen cabinets. She said "It's been fun meeting other women experienced in building. I didn't know there were so many around. I also liked that the volunteers were excited to learn and liked learning non-traditional skills from another woman." The proud owners of the Women Build house are Musharruf Husain Khan and his wife Naz Nin Khan. They and their children are looking forward to moving in very soon. With the help of their family and friends they must put in four hundred hours of work. Musharruf has worked on framing, siding, painting, and was working on the porch this Saturday. These were all new experiences for him. He plans to use his newly acquired skills on the next Habitat build.
Next door at the Traditional Build, Karen and Scott Lisson from Manhattan are helping hang sheet rock. Karen biked cross country three years ago to raise funds for Habitat. As there are not many builds going on in Manhattan, they went online, found this build and have come up by train five times this summer. Also there is a group from Taconic of Germantown. Because of its generosity, Taconic is a partner of Columbia County Habitat. Denise Navins and Dave Lester organized volunteers for two days of work. Nancy Moore, one of those volunteers who considers herself a low skill person, was amazed at the skill level of some of her coworkers, learning alot from and about her coworkers.
Stacy Coons and her three children will be the very proud owners of the Traditional Build home. Stacy has done work at every stage of the construction of her new home. Her excitement has built right along with it. She is planning ahead to the landscaping, flower garden, color schemes, and everything connected with home ownership. She came in as a novice but has learned so much that she plans to help with next year's builds.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Chatham Middle School Steps Up
Our Saturday, July 19 Women Build was another scorcher, with highs in the 90s, a relentless sun and very little shade. But a team of 22 volunteers from Chatham Middle School plugged away nonetheless, with nary a complaint. Female faculty and staff unloaded 80+ sheets of sheetrock before grabbing hammers and drills to apply them to walls and ceilings. CMS principal Gordon Fitting and assistant principal Larry Burud secured donations for our morning break and lunch, and served everyone with smiles. CMS teacher Deborah Roth, a Women Build steering committee member, took on VIC (volunteer in charge) duties, assisted by steering committee member Taitia Shelow and Meghan Connelly, a Chatham Middle School teacher who is 8 months pregnant (she helped at the beginning of the day). Elizabeth DiPalma (in photo), another steering committee member, grabbed a drill and proved she is just as adept at construction as she is at designing all the wonderful posters and programs she made for Women Build.
The middle school staff began its partnership with Habitat’s Women Build at a work party and fund-raiser in February. At the school’s annual open house in March, students began their own fundraising. Soon after, Joanne Del Rossi, Women Build co-chair, addressed the student body, which had many questions for her. Habitat board members Diana Coughlin and Georgene Gardner returned to the middle school on Wellness Day to further educate middle school students.
Special thanks to the many generous donations of Price Chopper, Bagel Thyme, Dunkin Donuts and CVS in Hudson; and Hannaford in Valatie.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
"Chef for a Day" Fundraiser
Bezalel Gables Fine Catering & Events invites gourmands, would-be chefs or anyone interested in learning a few kitchen secrets from the experts to spend a day cooking with their chefs for a fundraising event to benefit Habitat for Humanity's Women Build.
Bezalel Gables Fine Catering & Events is Columbia County’s premiere party and event planner, specializing in creating customized menus of handcrafted food. Bezalel Gables operates out of a beautifully restored 1873 Victorian home on County Route 9 in Chatham, and creates events on-site or off.
Chef/owner David Robinson started as a passionate home cook and later trained at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, where he was a High-Impact Leader Scholar and Dean’s List student. He also studied catering at the Institute for Culinary Education in New York City. Chef Robinson has created events for an Oscar-winning actor, two U.S. Senators, a two-time Tony Award winning director, MTV Networks, and Brides Magazine, plus is a columnist for InsideOut Hudson Valley and Culinary Celebrations magazine.
The July 12 fundraiser is limited to 10 participants and runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For a donation of $150, participants will spend the day with Chef Robinson and his sous chef, Kathy Silliman. The chefs will give a hands-on lesson in how to prepare a gourmet lunch, which everyone will then enjoy in Bezalel Gables’ formal dining room.
After lunch, chefs Robinson and Silliman will present another hands-on lesson about dessert making. Participants will prepare delectable desserts to take home, with the day wrapping up at 3 p.m.
Payment should be sent to Columbia County Habitat for Humanity, PO Box 102, Chatham, NY 12037-0102. Please designate “Women Build Chef Fundraiser” on check or include with payment.
Bezalel Gables Fine Catering & Events is Columbia County’s premiere party and event planner, specializing in creating customized menus of handcrafted food. Bezalel Gables operates out of a beautifully restored 1873 Victorian home on County Route 9 in Chatham, and creates events on-site or off.
Chef/owner David Robinson started as a passionate home cook and later trained at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, where he was a High-Impact Leader Scholar and Dean’s List student. He also studied catering at the Institute for Culinary Education in New York City. Chef Robinson has created events for an Oscar-winning actor, two U.S. Senators, a two-time Tony Award winning director, MTV Networks, and Brides Magazine, plus is a columnist for InsideOut Hudson Valley and Culinary Celebrations magazine.The July 12 fundraiser is limited to 10 participants and runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For a donation of $150, participants will spend the day with Chef Robinson and his sous chef, Kathy Silliman. The chefs will give a hands-on lesson in how to prepare a gourmet lunch, which everyone will then enjoy in Bezalel Gables’ formal dining room.
After lunch, chefs Robinson and Silliman will present another hands-on lesson about dessert making. Participants will prepare delectable desserts to take home, with the day wrapping up at 3 p.m.
Payment should be sent to Columbia County Habitat for Humanity, PO Box 102, Chatham, NY 12037-0102. Please designate “Women Build Chef Fundraiser” on check or include with payment.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Volunteer Spotlight - Columbia Land Conservancy
Joyce Carroll of the Columbia Land Conservancy shares her experience as a volunteer with us.
Volunteer Spotlight - College Friends Reunite
Carolyn Schroth of Spencertown, is one of the Volunteer Coordinators for the Women Build. After discussing the project with her college friends, two of them arranged to take the time off from work and the other one joined us as well. They are Joan McConnel of Armonk, NY (the leader of the pack), Anne Handley from Virginia and Zann Thompson from Barnesville, Maryland. Anne and Zann flew to NYC on Monday, made their way into the city where Joan works and then drove up to Columbia County. So it is a fun reunion for the four women and they are already having a ball.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Volunteer Spotlight - Col Greene Board of Realtors
The gals from the Columbia Greene Board of Realtors showing off their hard hats and "bejeweled" safety glasses. They're ready to come and help build!
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