Habitat for Humanity Dedication Day

Thanksgiving Day 2006 was a special day for Joe, Sherry, Preston, Austin, Keisha and Dylan Nations as they moved into their new home. On Saturday, November 18th, Habitat for Humanity of Towns/Union Counties dedicated its sixth house. Forty family members, friends and Habitat volunteers attended the dedication on Tombstone Drive in Blairsville.

Teary-eyed, Joe and Sherry were overwhelmed and at a loss for words.

They expressed their thanks and appreciation to all of the churches and volunteers who worked on their new house. They planned to move in gradually during Thanksgiving week. This is a new and wonderful experience said Sherry, as she said she didn’t know where to begin! It was suggested that the kitchen might be a good choice.

The modest 1200 sq. ft. house has four bedrooms, 2 baths, a great room and the front porch includes a ramp for 10-year-old Preston who has muscular dystrophy and needs a wheelchair to get around. The house is designed to be “handicap” friendly.

The children were all excited as they checked out their rooms and Preston discovered that the wheelchair was a “neat ride” down the ramp.

Rev. Glen Eller of North Mount Zion Church of God gave the invocation followed by a Litany of Thanksgiving by several Habitat Board Members.

Doug Triestrom, Jayne Robertiello, Bob Hiler and Denise Ashworth gave thanks to the churches and other sponsors for their vision and commitment to the Habitat project. Our vision is to bring hope to others, noting that a house built on the rock of faith will survive.

J.C. Berrong, volunteer coordinator for this build, said “because of the love first given to us in Christ, we accepted the call to share that love with the Nations family, and in all we do, we hold the love of God as our model for calling.”

Bobbie Tower, Chair of Church Relations, organized the dedication service, program and refreshments. Bobbie also led a Litany of Blessings, which was followed by the presentation of a Bible, keys to the house and a set of quilts for all family members made by the Mountain Presbyterian Quilter’s Group.

The dedication closed with Rev. Eller?s giving a Benediction as everyone present participated by ?touching? the house and praying for God’s blessings on the house and the Nations family.

The Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity acknowledged a special note of appreciation to Solomon and Jason Patrick of Patrick Construction

for taking the lead in this project.

Their expertise and talents

$ made this a rewarding experience for the many volunteers who came out to work on the house.