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ENLARGE
Don Rogers/drogers@vaildaily.com
Julie Jacoby hands over the keys to the Mendez and Amaya families' new homes at Fox Hollow. That's Rosalia and Emilio Mendez in this photo, with son Emilio.
VAIL VALLEY, Colorado — Carla Amaya stood outside her new Vail Valley home, wiping away tears, while young daughter Brenda beamed.
“Please forgive me,” she said through an interpreter. “I cry a lot.”
These were happy tears. Amaya with her two children and the Mendez family celebrated the opening of their new homes in Edwards Thursday afternoon with the Habitat for Humanity volunteers who helped build them.
These two homes completed the first row of eight at Fox Hollow in Edwards. The next eight will follow in no time, especially if the Mendez family is any example.
The family of six put in their 500 hours of “sweat equity” in two months, far sooner than the typical year it takes to reach that milestone in helping build their own and other Habit homes along with community volunteers.
R.A. Nelson & Associates was the construction partner for this phase. Owner Chupa Nelson joked that his company's onsite project manager, Kyle Hoiland, was quite a taskmaster and he hadn't been, er, tasked quite so diligently in a long time.
Nelson was one of a handful of speakers at the ribbin-cutting ceremony on a chilly afternoon warmed by prayers, some tears and a collection of volunteers who shared in the glow of seeing something good completed.
A representative of quilters at Eagle River Presbytarian Church joked that their gifts to the family were especially timely on this day.Then, with presentation of keys, some group pictures and the ribbon-cutting the party moved inside.
Habitat is an international organization that helps people build and buy homes they otherwise would not be able to afford. The organization has built 1,000 homes in Colorado -- 20 of those now in Eagle County.
Volunteers of all skill levels are needed. For more information about Habitat for Humanity, e-mail elyse@habitateaglelake.org. To volunteer, contact kalie@habitateaglelake.org or 970-376-5284.
“Please forgive me,” she said through an interpreter. “I cry a lot.”
These were happy tears. Amaya with her two children and the Mendez family celebrated the opening of their new homes in Edwards Thursday afternoon with the Habitat for Humanity volunteers who helped build them.
These two homes completed the first row of eight at Fox Hollow in Edwards. The next eight will follow in no time, especially if the Mendez family is any example.
The family of six put in their 500 hours of “sweat equity” in two months, far sooner than the typical year it takes to reach that milestone in helping build their own and other Habit homes along with community volunteers.
R.A. Nelson & Associates was the construction partner for this phase. Owner Chupa Nelson joked that his company's onsite project manager, Kyle Hoiland, was quite a taskmaster and he hadn't been, er, tasked quite so diligently in a long time.
Nelson was one of a handful of speakers at the ribbin-cutting ceremony on a chilly afternoon warmed by prayers, some tears and a collection of volunteers who shared in the glow of seeing something good completed.
A representative of quilters at Eagle River Presbytarian Church joked that their gifts to the family were especially timely on this day.Then, with presentation of keys, some group pictures and the ribbon-cutting the party moved inside.
Habitat is an international organization that helps people build and buy homes they otherwise would not be able to afford. The organization has built 1,000 homes in Colorado -- 20 of those now in Eagle County.
Volunteers of all skill levels are needed. For more information about Habitat for Humanity, e-mail elyse@habitateaglelake.org. To volunteer, contact kalie@habitateaglelake.org or 970-376-5284.
