VALDOSTA —
Valdosta-Lowndes County Habitat for Humanity is kicking off its Third Annual Freedom Build at 8 a.m. today on the foundation poured at 402 N. Troup St.
Following opening remarks, volunteers will begin construction and work throughout the day, stopping at six different intervals in observance of the times of impact of the four planes that went down on Sept. 11, 2001 and the falling of each of the Twin Towers.
The work will continue until 4 p.m. then begin again Saturday.
Construction will halt through the week, then commence Sept. 21, 22 and 29.
Four generations will live in the four-bedroom, two-bath house — a great-grandmother, her daughter, the mother’s daughter and her 12-year-old girl.
The Freedom Build is done in remembrance of the Sept. 11 attacks, and is geared toward gaining military volunteers. While the volunteer opportunity is open to the public, many of the builders at the event come from Moody Air Force Base, said Volunteer Coordinator Molly Roan.
Out of about 250 volunteers committed to build on all days combined, more than 200 are military, Roan said.
“We like to have events for our builds,” Roan said. “It creates more of a community, creates more awareness and gets more volunteers involved.”
In the past, the Freedom Build was held throughout the week to more closely associate it with 9/11, but Roan has found that more volunteers attend on weekends.
“During the week, we don’t get as many volunteers,” Roan said. “We spread it out to give more people an opportunity to come out and build with us.”
Habitat has helped families in need of low-cost housing in Valdosta for about 25 years, building a total of 190 houses, Roan said. The charity used to build an average of seven houses per year, but that rate has slowed to about one house per year due to limited funding, Roan said. The last Habitat house was completed in March.
Funding for the Troup Street project comes from grant money through Habitat International, Roan said. Habitat receives donations from the Valdosta community, grants from corporations and gifts-in-kind, Roan said.
Local News
Related Photos
-
Habitat for Humanity intern Kenysha Thompson, left, and Volunteer Coordinator Molly Roan decorate the 2012 Freedom Build site at 402 N. Troup St. The build begins at 8 a.m. today. Jason Schaefer
-
One House (Some Assembly Required): Pallets of lumber lay stacked at the ready beside a foundation surrounded by scaffolding at 402 N. Troup St. Jason Schaefer
Discussion
Habitat volunteers construct house to help family, remember 9/11
- Local News
-
-
VDT Weekend Update
News Reporter Caitlin Barker speaks to Bernard Bulemu and Eric Mathis, representatives from the South Georgia Regional Library about their summer programs for kids, teens and adults during the month of June, as well as lists fun summer camps taking place in the Valdosta area.
-
Troopers prepare for Memorial Day traffic
Georgia State troopers are preparing for patrols during the peak travel times this coming holiday weekend.
-
Blaze damages cars, blocks I-75
A tractor-trailer transporting automobiles northbound on Interstate 75 Thursday morning caught fire just north of exit 5 in Lake Park.
-
VECA recognized at VSU
Rising juniors from the Valdosta Early College Academy (VECA) were recognized at Valdosta State University Wednesday night as the first group of students to begin earning college credit while still in high school.
-
Businesses raise funds for Oklahoma disaster
By now, we’ve all heard about the tragedy in Moore, Okla., a mile-wide, F5 tornado with winds of more than 200 miles per hour carved through 17 miles over a span of 50 minutes on Monday afternoon.
-
Southwestern State Hospital to close
One of Thomas County’s largest employers — at more than 700 people — and a longtime regional state mental hospital will close Dec. 31.
-
Search for survivors continues
Helmeted rescue workers raced Tuesday to complete the search for survivors and the dead in the Oklahoma City suburb where a mammoth tornado destroyed countless homes, cleared lots down to bare red earth and claimed 24 lives, including those of nine children.
-
Curator offers arts a helping hand
If you’ve been to the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts in the past four years, you have seen the quiet art of Bill Shenton.
-
Albino gators visit Wild Adventures
Two rare albino American alligators have joined the other gators at Wild Adventures for the summer.
-
Officers wound man in shootout
A Lanier County man was wounded Saturday during an exchange of gunfire with lawmen, according to a Lanier County Sheriff’s Office press release.
- More Local News Headlines
-
