Habitat Holds September 11th Day of Service and Remembrance

Last Saturday, Habitat North Central Georgia held September 11th Day of Service and Remembrance event on Lyndee Lane in Woodstock.  The guest speaker at the event was Georgia State Representative, Michael Caldwell. Also in attendance was Woodstock City Council Member, Bud Leonard, as well as several members of the local Police and Fire Departments, and area military veterans.  The ceremony started with the presentation of colors by a local Boy Scout Troop.  There were several speakers, including Representative Michael Caldwell who talked about the importance of paying tribute to the heroes and to those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 and to honor the day as one of service and remembrance.  Throughout the ceremony and build day, there were also moments of silence at the times the planes went down on September 11th.  It was an emotional ceremony and many were brought to tears as they honored the heroes of that day.

Throughout the U.S., Habitat for Humanity affiliates are joining hundreds of other organizations for the Sept. 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance. The organizations will pay tribute to those who lost their lives that day, and those who rose in service afterward through community-based service projects. “While more than a decade has passed since the tragic events of September 11, the deep desire to help those in need continues to grow stronger,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “We urge everyone to participate in the National Day of Service and Remembrance to honor those who were affected by the tragedy.”

Sept. 11 was designated a national day of service by the 2009 Kennedy Serve America Act. The Corporation for National and Community Service leads the annual event, working with MyGoodDeed and hundreds of nonprofit groups, faith-based organizations, and schools and businesses nationwide.

Habitat for Humanity- North Central Georgia culminated their Day of Service and Remembrance ceremony with a First Nail celebration for Melanie Palffy and her family as they begin the journey of fulfilling the American dream and started construction on their new home. Many of the veterans who attended the event volunteered for the day to help build the Palffy home.  Melanie is a single mother of two children; Heaven (10) and Holden (5).  Melanie has worked as a medical assistant at a local healthcare facility for four years and is pursuing a degree from the Chattahoochee Technical College. 

Habitat relies on the generosity of local companies and organizations as house sponsors who not only provide the funds but also the volunteer labor for completing the home. The sponsors for the Palffy home include; the Cherokee Association of Realtors, Verizon Wireless, Schoen Insulation Services,  Windsong Properties, Complete Roofing Solutions, Country Carpets, AccuAir Heating & Cooling, the Eyl Family, Haas Properties, Hartman-Ibriale, LLP, and McCalla Raymer, LLC .  The following fundraising teams helped to raise donations with the Cherokee Association of Realtors; Becky Babcock, ERA Sunrise Realty, Susan West, ERA Sunrise Realty and Michael Pennington, Century 21 Results.

Habitat for Humanity – North Central Georgia is a non-profit, Christian housing ministry that builds simple, decent homes for purchase by low income families who demonstrate a capacity for responsible homeownership. Since its inception in 1995, 244 homes have been completed and over 850 family members have been served in North Fulton, Cherokee and Forsyth/Dawson counties. Each family is required to attend 10 educational classes and perform 300 sweat equity hours. Families earn between 25% and 60% of the Atlanta area median income and purchase their homes from Habitat which provides them with a 25-year, no-interest loan.  Family members work side by side with the volunteers, sponsors, and Habitat staff to build their homes. These families not only get to experience the pride of homeownership but they also know that their lives will be changed forever. For more information on Habitat for Humanity – North Central Georgia, please visit www.habitat-ncg.org.