We just got some great bikes in at the ReStore. Nothing better
than riding a bike around Athens in the warm weather!
Come check them out!
The ReStore is located at 532 Barber Street. Mention this post
and receive 10% off!
3/30/10
UGA Habitat's ACT!SPEAK!BUILD! Week is this week!
We invite you to come out to all of the wonderful activities we have planned.
The activities include:
• Monday- Friday: Tabling at Tate Plaza from 10AM to 3 PM
• Tuesday: POVERTY BANQUET! Tate Room 142 at 8 PM
• Wednesday: HABIFEST SHANTYTOWN BUILD/ GENERAL MEETING Tate Plaza 7PM to 6AM
• Thursday: FACES OF HOMELESSNESS PANEL MLC room 268 at 7PM
• Friday: LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN Tate Plaza 10AM to 3PM
• Monday- Friday: Tabling at Tate Plaza from 10AM to 3 PM
• Tuesday: POVERTY BANQUET! Tate Room 142 at 8 PM
• Wednesday: HABIFEST SHANTYTOWN BUILD/ GENERAL MEETING Tate Plaza 7PM to 6AM
• Thursday: FACES OF HOMELESSNESS PANEL MLC room 268 at 7PM
• Friday: LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN Tate Plaza 10AM to 3PM
3/29/10
Jon's Blog:
Hello Habitat family, I am so happy to be back! It's good to spend time with everyone I haven't seen in a while and reconnect with all the Habitat supporters.
It's my first full week back in the office and I have to say I am so thankful for our dedicated Habitat interns. I've never had interns before and they have been so great to help me settle in.
I can't wait to work alongside the volunteers again! I've missed the hardworking volunteers I had on my job sites in the past and look forward to meeting all the newbies.
Thanks to RuChDaWings for fueling our volunteers with fabulous wings and sandwiches! Everyone I met from RuChDa was excited about helping out and so supportive of our mission. I am looking forward to supporting them when they move to Athens!
--Jon
3/26/10
Pre-Registration for the Silver & Archibald Run/Walk for Home 5K ends TOMORROW!
Register today for only $15! Click here to register online.
Registration is $15 per person if postmarked by 3/27, $20 after and on race day. Family rate $45 (pre-registration, by mail only). Register by mailing flyer (make checks payable to Athens Area Habitat for Humanity) or online at www.active.com.
Register today for only $15! Click here to register online.
Registration is $15 per person if postmarked by 3/27, $20 after and on race day. Family rate $45 (pre-registration, by mail only). Register by mailing flyer (make checks payable to Athens Area Habitat for Humanity) or online at www.active.com.
3/25/10
3/24/10
Catch Homer around town and be sure to grab a registration form for
the upcoming Run/Walk for Home 5k!
The 19th annual Run/Walk for Home 5K will start at the Classic Center on
Saturday April 3rd @ 8am.
Registration is only $15 until March 27th! Click here to register online
3/23/10
Welcome (back) Jon Casey!
Some of you may recognize Jon from the construction
team a while back, but now he's here in the office.
Jon is our new volunteer coordinator!
Jon will be taking care of our volunteers from this day
forward, so don't be confused when you hear from him.
But don't worry, Laura is sill here to take care of you as well!
3/22/10
Athens Area Habitat would like to extend a sincere thank you to the organizations that made our two Collegiate Challenge weeks a success!
Thank you to the Collegiate Challenge groups who spent their spring break helping our community: High Point University- Alpha Phi Omega, Wake Forest College, and Keene State College
Thank you to Milledge Avenue Baptist Church for hosting the students. Milledge Ave went above and beyond their hosting duties - each volunteer said that everyone at the church made them feel engaged and at home. Athens Area Habitat cannot thank you enough for your support!
Thank you to Athens YMCA for offering your facilities to the students. They commented that you were more than accommodating and were grateful for your partnership.
Thank you to all of the wonderful local businesses who sponsored lunch for the students:
Thank you to all the other great businesses who lent a hand: Athens Banner Herald, Old Guard Graphics, Weaver D's
3/18/10
3/17/10
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, his religious feast day and the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this day as a religious holiday for over a thousand years. On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would traditionally attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat were waived and people would dance, drink and feast—on the traditional meal of Irish bacon and cabbage.
Today, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated by people of all backgrounds in the United States, Canada and Australia. Although North America is home to the largest productions, St. Patrick's Day has been celebrated in other locations far from Ireland, including Japan, Singapore and Russia.
In modern-day Ireland, St. Patrick's Day has traditionally been a religious occasion. In fact, up until the 1970s, Irish laws mandated that pubs be closed on March 17. Beginning in 1995, however, the Irish government began a national campaign to use St. Patrick's Day as an opportunity to drive tourism and showcase Ireland to the rest of the world. Last year, close to one million people took part in Ireland 's St. Patrick's Festival in Dublin, a multi-day celebration featuring parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions and fireworks shows.
3/16/10
Athens Area Habitat for Humanity and the Athens Area Homeless Shelter are proud to present the 19th annual Run/Walk for Home 5K on Saturday April 3rd!
The enthusiastic participation of the community has made the Run/Walk for Home 5K a successful fundraising and awareness event to benefit initiatives for the less fortunate in the Athens Area for many years. Races have attracted more than 500 runners and raised thousands of dollars for the beneficiary organizations.
Help spread the word about the Run/Walk and win prizes!
Join our Facebook event (and mark attending) or follow us on Twitter (re-tweet about the Run/Walk) to be entered in a weekly drawing for a free registration, t-shirt, and tote bag (as well as other mystery prizes)!
3/15/10
Athens Area Habitat is honored to welcome our Collegiate Challenge group Keene State College!
Athens Area Habitat is entering the second week of hosting Collegiate Challenge, an alternative break program that offers groups of students the opportunity to visit one of the 250 host affiliates throughout the United States. Students spend one week working in partnership with the local affiliate, the local community and partner families to help eliminate poverty housing in the area.
This week, students will work with Habitat to start a deconstruction project in Oconee County as well as jump in to continue revitalization efforts at the ReNew Athens apartment complex.
This week, students will work with Habitat to start a deconstruction project in Oconee County as well as jump in to continue revitalization efforts at the ReNew Athens apartment complex.
A special thank you to the following sponsors for providing lunch to the hardworking crew:
Raising Canes, Chick-Fil-A, Arby's, Stevie B's Pizza, and Covenant Presbyterian Church.
3/12/10
Collegiate Challenge Week 1: Wake Forest College & High Point University- Alpha Phi Omega
Athens Area Habitat is a little sad to send this dynamic group of 19 volunteers off but we couldn't convince them to stay any longer! The rain couldn't slow them down and the groups spent the week hard at work revitalizing areas of Athens to create affordable housing options.
Thanks again to our lunch sponsors for week 1!
3/11/10
3/10/10
'Give a Day, Get a Disney Day' Reaches Goal - 1 Million People Inspired to Volunteer in 2010 through the Disney Parks Program
"Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" – a first-of-its-kind program of Disney Parks – reached its goal of inspiring 1 million people in 2010 to give back to their communities through volunteer service in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada.
Since the program started just 10 weeks ago, on Jan. 1, a million people already have volunteered or have committed to volunteer in their communities, according to Disney Parks and HandsOn Network, the nation's largest volunteer network and a facilitator of "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day."
To celebrate the good deeds of these individuals, Disney Parks offered each volunteer who completed an eligible project a free one-day admission to one theme park in Walt Disney World Resort in Florida or Disneyland Resort in California. Although registration is now closed and the program has ended, those who volunteered have until Dec. 15, 2010, to redeem their free park ticket (certain block-out dates apply).
"By any measure, the 'Give a Day, Get a Disney Day' program exceeded our expectations," said Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. "These one million volunteers touched their communities with their hearts and hands. Their commitment to service is truly worth celebrating, and there's no better place to celebrate than at Disney Parks."
"Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" – a first-of-its-kind program of Disney Parks – reached its goal of inspiring 1 million people in 2010 to give back to their communities through volunteer service in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada.
Since the program started just 10 weeks ago, on Jan. 1, a million people already have volunteered or have committed to volunteer in their communities, according to Disney Parks and HandsOn Network, the nation's largest volunteer network and a facilitator of "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day."
To celebrate the good deeds of these individuals, Disney Parks offered each volunteer who completed an eligible project a free one-day admission to one theme park in Walt Disney World Resort in Florida or Disneyland Resort in California. Although registration is now closed and the program has ended, those who volunteered have until Dec. 15, 2010, to redeem their free park ticket (certain block-out dates apply).
"By any measure, the 'Give a Day, Get a Disney Day' program exceeded our expectations," said Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. "These one million volunteers touched their communities with their hearts and hands. Their commitment to service is truly worth celebrating, and there's no better place to celebrate than at Disney Parks."
(Disney Parks Press Release via)
Athens Area Habitat for Humanity recruited 110 new volunteers by participating in the Disney Parks Program.
3/9/10
Some students skip the party, spend break cleaning up around Athens
Ransbottom and a dozen other college students came to Athens through the Collegiate Challenge, the community service arm of Habitat for Humanity International, to spend the week cleaning and fixing the apartments near the corner of East Broad and Peter streets to house low-income residents. The local nonprofit ReNew Athens partnered with Athens Area Habitat for Humanity to buy and renovate the apartment building using a $302,000 federal grant.
“We want to make this a stable, decent place where people can live and raise their children,” said Spencer Frye, Habitat’s executive director, who spent part of the day supervising the student volunteer group and speaking to local residents about the project.
A group of 19 college students will stay in Athens all week to work on the rundown apartment building and repair a home in Garnett Ridge. A new group will arrive next week to pick up where they left off.
Throughout the day Monday, students removed trash and painted worn-out walls — tasks that will need to be completed before workers can begin to install new appliances, wiring and heating, and air-conditioning units to upgrade the facility.
Leslie Touassi, a sophomore from High Point University in High Point, N.C., started her first day of spring break painting the inside of an apartment, then worked to remove overgrown brush and broken glass in areas not too far away from where children play.
“I would definitely take this over your stereotypical college spring break,” Touassi said “I just feel like we’re actually accomplishing something. Hopefully, by the time we leave here, it will be suitable for kids and families so they can live and play in a safer environment.” Volunteers removed nearly two trailers full of trash and debris Monday, said Beau Harvey, a construction manager for Habitat. “I certainly want to get these tires out of here, these bottles and this glass out of here,” Harvey said. “After we do that, this place is going to start to really look spiffy.”
Out on the north side of Athens, another team of college students set out to make repairs to a once-dilapidated home off Garnett Ridge Drive that soon may be used as transitional housing to help others get back on their feet, according to Laura Dempsey, a public outreach director for Athens Habitat.
This is the seventh consecutive year the Athens nonprofit has benefited from a group of dedicated college students who’ve given up their spring breaks to complete service projects, Dempsey said. “It’s really wonderful to know that there are so many students that want to do that,” she said. “It really speeds up whatever project it is that we’re working on.”
This year, 3,396 high school and college students from across the country will spend spring break working on projects in 160 different communities, according to Habitat for Humanity International.
Published Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Sisters Michelle, left, and Marianne Gendy, both students at Wake Forest University, empty a trash can full of debris as they help revitalize an East Athens apartment building Monday. (Richard Hamm)
Perry Ransbottom could have gone on a cruise with his friends and spent this week hopping around the sandy beaches of the Caribbean.
Instead of kicking back in paradise, the Wake Forest University sophomore chose to leave Winston-Salem, N.C., to spend his spring break cleaning up an old, neglected apartment complex in East Athens to improve living conditions for some of the city’s working poor.
“Definitely, I thought it’s kind of a draw to go to the beach,” Ransbottom said Monday as he unloaded buckets of empty beer bottles and other trash. “But this is really a rewarding experience. I’m glad I chose to come here.”
Perry Ransbottom could have gone on a cruise with his friends and spent this week hopping around the sandy beaches of the Caribbean.
Instead of kicking back in paradise, the Wake Forest University sophomore chose to leave Winston-Salem, N.C., to spend his spring break cleaning up an old, neglected apartment complex in East Athens to improve living conditions for some of the city’s working poor.
“Definitely, I thought it’s kind of a draw to go to the beach,” Ransbottom said Monday as he unloaded buckets of empty beer bottles and other trash. “But this is really a rewarding experience. I’m glad I chose to come here.”
Ransbottom and a dozen other college students came to Athens through the Collegiate Challenge, the community service arm of Habitat for Humanity International, to spend the week cleaning and fixing the apartments near the corner of East Broad and Peter streets to house low-income residents. The local nonprofit ReNew Athens partnered with Athens Area Habitat for Humanity to buy and renovate the apartment building using a $302,000 federal grant.
“We want to make this a stable, decent place where people can live and raise their children,” said Spencer Frye, Habitat’s executive director, who spent part of the day supervising the student volunteer group and speaking to local residents about the project.
A group of 19 college students will stay in Athens all week to work on the rundown apartment building and repair a home in Garnett Ridge. A new group will arrive next week to pick up where they left off.
Throughout the day Monday, students removed trash and painted worn-out walls — tasks that will need to be completed before workers can begin to install new appliances, wiring and heating, and air-conditioning units to upgrade the facility.
Leslie Touassi, a sophomore from High Point University in High Point, N.C., started her first day of spring break painting the inside of an apartment, then worked to remove overgrown brush and broken glass in areas not too far away from where children play.
“I would definitely take this over your stereotypical college spring break,” Touassi said “I just feel like we’re actually accomplishing something. Hopefully, by the time we leave here, it will be suitable for kids and families so they can live and play in a safer environment.” Volunteers removed nearly two trailers full of trash and debris Monday, said Beau Harvey, a construction manager for Habitat. “I certainly want to get these tires out of here, these bottles and this glass out of here,” Harvey said. “After we do that, this place is going to start to really look spiffy.”
Out on the north side of Athens, another team of college students set out to make repairs to a once-dilapidated home off Garnett Ridge Drive that soon may be used as transitional housing to help others get back on their feet, according to Laura Dempsey, a public outreach director for Athens Habitat.
This is the seventh consecutive year the Athens nonprofit has benefited from a group of dedicated college students who’ve given up their spring breaks to complete service projects, Dempsey said. “It’s really wonderful to know that there are so many students that want to do that,” she said. “It really speeds up whatever project it is that we’re working on.”
This year, 3,396 high school and college students from across the country will spend spring break working on projects in 160 different communities, according to Habitat for Humanity International.
3/8/10
Athens Area Habitat is honored to welcome our Collegiate Challenge groups from
High Point University- Alpha Phi Omega and Wake Forest College!
Collegiate Challenge is an alternative break program that offers groups of students the opportunity to visit one of the 250 host affiliates throughout the United States. Students spend one week working in partnership with the local affiliate, the local community and partner families to help eliminate poverty housing in the area.
This week, students will work with Habitat to revitalize the ReNew Athens apartment complex as well as build handicap ramps for the EHARP program.
This week, students will work with Habitat to revitalize the ReNew Athens apartment complex as well as build handicap ramps for the EHARP program.
A special thank you to the following sponsors for providing lunch to the hardworking crew:
Today is International Women's Day!
International Women's Day is a major day of global celebration of women. In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women's economic, political and social achievements.
Athens Area Habitat is proud to host Women Build, a program designed to empower women to work alongside Habitat staff and partner families to build a simple, decent, affordable home in our community.
Women Build has completed their year of fundraising and is now preparing to build a home in the community. Through this process, countless numbers of women and girls will learn valuable skills in home construction and repair, as well as become deeply involved in the affordable housing mission.
3/3/10
3/2/10
A View From The Builder: Tom's Blog
--Tom
3/1/10
Athens Area Habitat takes the trophy at the
Home & Garden Show Chili Cookoff on Sunday!
The Habitat Team won over Brad Stephens
(AAHBA) Team by just a few votes! Congrats to
both teams for whipping up some absolutely delicious
chili.
Special thanks to The Home & Garden show for putting
together such a great event, as well as Athens Refrigeration
& Appliance, Electrolux, The Rolling Pin and ProGranite for
sponsoring the cooking competition.
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