Marquita's Home is Dedicated
On Saturday, May 6, 2017 Marquita, Sakia, and Xavier celebrated along with over 50 members of the community as their home in Dillwyn was dedicated. Prayer, blessings, and glory to God were offered by three local pastors, the Reverends Mike Khol, Herbert Jones, and Billy Swan. Beautiful music was led by The Sunny Sides, including their changing the lyrics to a popular folk song to reflect the local Dillwyn home build. Special recognition was given to Chris Yates (chair of the Buckingham Build committee), Bill and Judy Kemp (longtime Habitat champions and volunteers), and Ralph Dunnavant (site supervisor in charge of the house construction). The ceremony ended with Marquita and her children cutting the ribbon across their front door and then inviting all to tour their new home and enjoy refreshments. The dedication program included an insert thanking over 120 individuals and organizations who played a role in this home, from donating financially to volunteering time, food, and materials. This speaks to the heart of Habitat, a community coming together to work alongside the family in helping them realize their dream. As the saying goes, "Habitat is not a hand-out, but a hand-up!"
Congratulations to Marquita! She and her family worked well over 150 hours on their home, attended homeowner education classes, and stayed patiently joyful throughout the journey.
This is home #33 in the 26 year history of the Farmville Area Habitat for Humanity (27 new builds, 5 rehabs, 1 repair).
This story was originally written in May, 2017.
