Oak Ridge Today

First local Habitat for Humanity family celebrates mortgage payoff with mortgage burning

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Habitat for Humanity Mortgage Burning

The first family to pay off its mortgage in the traditional manner through Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County celebrates with a mortgage burning ceremony last week. Pictured from left are homeowners Becky and Ray Seiber and HFHAC Executive Director Jennifer Sheehan.

The first family to pay off its mortgage in the traditional manner through Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County, making monthly mortgage payments, celebrated with a mortgage burning ceremony last week.

Owned by Becky and Ray Seiber, the home just north of Oliver Springs in the Cove community was also the first house built by the then-new Habitat for Humanity chapter in 1992. The Seibers are considered the affiliate’s first family. [Read more…]

Habitat for Humanity celebrates reorganized, cleaned-up store

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Habitat for Humanity ReStore

Local officials and Habitat for Humanity workers and volunteers celebrate with a June ribbon-cutting ceremony at the renamed home store, which has been cleaned up and offers lower prices, officials said.

Local officials and Habitat for Humanity workers and volunteers celebrated the opening of a reorganized, cleaned-up store in Grove Center during a June ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Formerly known as the Home Store, it’s now called ReStore, said Jennifer Sheehan, interim executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County.

Four large shipping containers that had been in front of the store and used for storage have been removed, and trees have been trimmed, creating a better line of sight to the store from the road, Sheehan said.

“We’re working hard to improve curb appeal,” she said. [Read more…]

Letter: Thanks Council for donating city lot to Habitat

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To the Editor:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the Oak Ridge City Council who voted in favor of donating a city-owned lot to Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County (HFHAC). The board of directors, staff, and volunteers of HFHAC are incredibly excited and grateful to have the opportunity to partner with the City of Oak Ridge on our next building project.

We consider this a historic opportunity for community building through a true public-private partnership. As the City of Oak Ridge takes over blighted properties, HFHAC would like to offer our assistance at returning them to a taxable status. In 2011, Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County homeowners combined paid over $115,000 in city and county property taxes, supporting crucial services. [Read more…]

Council rejects funding for sinkhole repairs, tax rate reduction; approves Habitat property transfer

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Oak Ridge High School Soccer Field Sinkhole

The Oak Ridge City Council on Tuesday rejected a request to reimburse the school system about $36,000 for repairs to this 13-foot sinkhole under the Oak Ridge High School soccer field.

The Oak Ridge City Council on Tuesday rejected a request to use red light camera money to reimburse the school system $36,000 for sinkhole repairs made in April at the Oak Ridge High School soccer field.

Council also agreed to transfer a small burned-out lot on Hillside Road to Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County and rejected a proposal to lower the property tax rate by one cent.

Asked about the sinkhole repair reimbursement on Tuesday, Oak Ridge Schools Interim Superintendent Bob Smallridge said the school system, which expects revenues to fall by about $1 million and is cutting 18 positions, has a tight budget. [Read more…]

Women volunteer at construction site for National Women Build Week

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Women Build May 2013

More than 15 women volunteered on a Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County  construction site earlier this month in recognition of National Women Build Week. Now in its sixth year, National Women Build Week challenges women to devote at least one day to help repair or build affordable housing in their local communities.

The volunteers worked to provide weatherization services and exterior repairs to a home owned by a single mother with three children. While new siding was being installed by volunteers, other volunteers worked on landscaping and yard maintenance. [Read more…]

Letter: Donate to honor women during National Women’s Build Week

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To the Editor:

“There are women who make things better… simply by showing up. There are women who make things happen. There are women who make their way. There are women who make a difference. And women who make us smile. There are women of wit and wisdom who—through strength and courage—make it through. There are women who change the world everyday…” -Ashley Rice

Mother. Grandmother. Aunt. Sister. Daughter. Friend.

No matter what name she goes by, she has always been there to support you.

Now you can put all the love she has shown you into the walls of another family’s home. [Read more…]

Volunteers needed during National Women Build Week

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Volunteers are needed for Habitat for Humanity’s sixth annual National Women Build Week.

Locally, Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County will partner with Lowe’s and the Associated Construction Women to repair a woman-owned home on Saturday, May 11. [Read more…]

Vowing to reorganize, Habitat board replaces husband-wife director duo

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Jennifer Sheehan

Jennifer Sheehan

Charlotte Bowers

Charlotte Bowers

Vowing to reorganize, the board of directors of Habitat for Humanity of Anderson County has replaced a husband-wife duo that had served as longtime executive director and operated its home store in Grove Center.

Board members said they agreed last week to replace Susan Burgess-Parrish, who had been executive director for about 12 years, and Rodney Parrish, Habitat Home Store manager for about seven years.

The Parrish couple was told of the decision on Tuesday.

The 11-member board sent out a press release the same day announcing that Jennifer Sheehan, who had been Habitat’s resource development director since October, is now interim executive director. Charlotte Bowers, who had been community development coordinator for two years, is interim manager of the home store.

[Read more…]