Habitat

Jeff Green | Aug 16, 2007

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Habitat for Humanity:Flinton build gets underway

by JeffGreen

Wendy and Steven Scott are busy people. Not only do they have sons Liam (1) and Jayden (3) to care for, but Wendy is also working at two part-time jobs, while Steven has been working for a road construction company at locations that are scattered throughout Eastern Ontario.

The couple will be a whole lot busier over the next two months, as they will be spending 500 hours putting “sweat equity” into a new home they will be helping to build just outside of Flinton.

About a month ago Wendy and Steven found out they have been chosen as the family who will take ownership of the new home being built by Habitat for Humanity’s Prince Edward Hastings chapter on a piece of land that was donated by Chisholm Lumber of Roslin.

Habitat for Humanity is a worldwide organization that helps provide housing for the so-called working poor in communities around the world. The Flinton house will be built using volunteer labour, and Wendy Reid and Steven Scott will then have the opportunity to purchase the house at market price with an interest free mortgage. Payments will be geared to their income. The money they pay will be used to build a house for another family, helping the program to carry on and grow in the coming years.

Ever since the Flinton build was announced back in the early winter, a dedicated local committee has be working on the project, including a selection committee that chose Wendy and Steven.

“It was originally my mum who told me they were going to do a home here in Flinton,” Wendy Reid told the News in an interview this week, “and she said we should apply. It wasn’t a difficult application, but there was a lot of waiting, for a police check and a credit check. But it was worth it.”

Wendy said that she is able to get babysitting to allow her to put in time at the site. Steven, who is away all week, will be relegated to working on weekends. Habitat’s plan is to have the house completed by the end of October.

The habitat committee is looking for other volunteers to help with the build. Building experience is not required but is always welcome. For information, contact Mary Kelly at 336-6806.