Habitat set to dedicate its 11th Libby area home

For almost 20 years the Kootenai Valley Partners chapter of Habitat for Humanity has been working to help local residents obtain their own homes. At 6 p.m. Friday evening, July 31, the group will celebrate the completion of their 11th home in the Libby area.

The newest home, located at 517 West First Street, will be turned over to Jennifer Holm and her four-year-old daughter Jazmine. The family currently lives in a small apartment off Farm to Market Road, and is looking forward to having a home of their own.

“I’m just super-exicted,” Holm said. “I can’t wait to get in. Jazmine is excited too, she asks everyday if today is the day we can move into our new house.”

Construction on the home began April 3 of this year, with volunteers shouldering the workload. Pete Pemberton, a paid employee of Habitat for Humanity in Las Cruces, N.M., has been volunteering his time on this project since May, as temperatures are too hot for safe work in Las Cruces.

Dyana Todd also made the trip up from Las Cruces. Todd coordinates a group of Habitat for Humanity volunteers known as the Care-A-Vanners. The group is comprised mostly of retired people who travel the country donating time to Habitat projects.

“Some are snowbirds who work all season long and some make stops along their vacation routes to help with projects,” she said.

Todd first came to Libby on a Habitat project four years ago and said this is her favorite place to travel for volunteering on projects.

“I love Libby,” she said. “It’s a great affiliate with a very dedicated group. It just amazes me that a community the size of Libby can accomplish what they’ve been able to. There are not many 100 percent volunteers affiliates out there.”

Organizer Susie Rice said finding volunteers has never really been an issue.

“People are really on board,” she said. “I instill in the volunteers that the people that make the cookies for the event are just as important as the people pounding the nails. I’m so lucky as an organizer that these people are so faithful.”

Kootenai Valley Partners’ primary source of funding is the annual Scenic Tour of the Kootenai River, or STOKR, bike ride. The two-day event brings hundreds of riders to Libby to cruise either a 98 or 45-mile loop. Many of the riders stick around and assist in the construction of the home, as well.

Holm said she is very grateful for the generosity and dedication of the community.

“I want to give a big huge thank you to the community and everyone who helped,” she said. “We are so appreciative of all the people who helped make this happen.”

The dedication ceremony for the Holms’ new home will begin at 6 p.m. Friday. The brief ceremony will be followed by a tour of the new home and light refreshments will be served.