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Habitat For Humanity Homes Dedicated

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By GEORGE H. NEWMAN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 28, 2007

PLANT CITY - Two women received their keys this month as Habitat for Humanity dedicated two new homes in Plant City.
Etta James and Melanie Bettis took possession of their Drane Street homes during a ceremony attended by volunteers, city officials, family and friends. Vendors who helped in the construction of the three-bedroom, two-bath homes were given plaques and certificates for their contributions.

Almost 50 vendors, including Kazbor's Sports Grille, which provided lunch after the dedication ceremony, helped in clearing and construction of the properties.

Don Rainard, the outgoing chairman and co-founder of the Plant City Habitat chapter, praised the many volunteers.

More than 150 volunteers worked to prepare the land and build the homes. Included in that effort, with more than 500 hours donated, were the owners of the homes.

"After all this time everything has come together," James said. "Finally I have a home I can call my own. Now I can relax. I didn't sleep at all last night. I was just too excited."

James, a single mother, has two sons, Channing, 17, and Clarence, 16.

"With all this work, I gained a mortgage and more responsibility than I have ever had in my whole life," she said with a laugh. "It comes with a lot of love, a lot of help and a lot of hard work."
Bettis was equally thrilled.

"It feels wonderful. Like in a dream," she said. "I didn't know this day would ever really come. I know this is a blessing God is giving me."

Bettis, 28, is a single mother whose 9-year-old son, Jake, attends the nearby Lincoln Elementary Magnet School for International Studies. As she sat in the noonday sun, staring at her new home, tears welled in her eyes. She held a hand-sown sampler that read: "Where there is love in the home There is joy in the home."

Beth and Don Hickman, volunteers who visit Plant City from Ithaca, N.Y., mailed the sampler to Bettis through Pat Ulin, a Plant City Habitat volunteer coordinator. The Hickmans worked on the home and Bettis plans to have them over for dinner and a tour when they visit Plant City in January.

"That's the thing about Habitat. You don't just build houses; you build relationships," Bettis said.

Former Mayor John Dicks spoke briefly on the history of Habitat For Humanity.

Since its founding in 1976 Habitat has helped provide low-income families with affordable housing, Dicks said. Habitat has built more than 200,000 houses, sheltering more than 1 million people in more than 3,000 communities worldwide, Dicks said.

"In keeping with the goals of the city, Habitat helps families that would otherwise find difficulty in purchasing homes at an affordable price," he said.

City Commissioner Dan Raulerson spoke on behalf of the city. Commissioner Robert Brown, a frequent advocate of the Habitat effort, complimented the latest effort.

The dedication ceremony also consisted of the release of butterflies and a planting, a blessing of the homes, a presentation of household tools, ribbon cutting and key presentations, a closing prayer and a white dove release.

Reporter George H. Newman can be reached at (813) 865-4451 or gnewman@tampatrib.com.

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