Los Angeles, October 17, 2011 – Habitat for Humanity San Fernando/Santa Clarita Valleys’ Board Members gave six new families a chance at a better future on Saturday October 15, 2011 at Habitat’s Key Ceremony.
“My favorite event is the key ceremony,” says Wayne Colmer, Chairman of the Board for the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys. “It’s the culmination of all of your labor. The best thing we do is when we give the homebuyers their homes. There’s nothing more emotional. It’s something very special that’s not there with other homebuyers. It’s their dream they couldn’t have otherwise achieved.”
Colmer adds that his professional expertise has given him an opportunity to help. “Construction has provided a career for me, and there’s very few jobs where you’re building dreams for people. You see lasting effects, long term benefits.”
Habitat Families were ecstatic to find out their new address and to share in the excitement with their new neighbors. Habitat families build their homes side-by-side each other with the help of volunteers and others and do not find out which house is theirs until they have completed 500 hours of sweat equity and the houses are completed.
“I feel like this is a dream—I don’t want to wake up,” Javier Reyes, father of the family that received housing unit #48, says. “I never thought it was going to come true. My kids were so excited. My wife was crying, saying, ‘I never thought we would have a house.’”
Reyes continued, exuberant. “It was something out of a movie. It’s the most beautiful house in the whole neighborhood. I’ve never seen a house like that. I think you guys gave me too much. I don’t deserve that much. Somebody’s watching over us.”
Gilbert, father of the Serrano family, spoke gratefully of the event. “My favorite part aside from the house is the interaction, being involved,” says Gilbert, father of the Serrano family. “I got […] the house I wanted […] I’m excited and happy—they helped, it was too much.”
“It has a lot more space,” piped in his Gilbert’s daughter Edith. “I’m very excited.”
“We’re going to four bedrooms in a good neighborhood. It will make a big difference…” claims Martin, father of the Hernandez family.
“It’s a new chapter in life,” says Martin’s son, Jonathon.
Habitat Board Members were happy to be a part of this exciting accomplishment and the families are ready to start their new lives.
For more information about Habitat for Humanity San Fernando/Santa Clarita Valleys visit www.HumanityCa.org or call 818-884-8808.
Contact: Sarah Steffen
Phone: 818-884-8808
Email: ssteffen@humanityca.org