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Locals donate thousands for Habitat homes

Carolyn Pope
Carolyn PopeCheryl Holman, Julie Tauzin and Laureen Hopkins.
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The 9th annual Carpenters Ball, Toolbelts and Tiaras, was last weekend at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek. The sold-out fundraiser raised money for Habitat for Humanity of Eagle and Lake Counties.Not many events can fill the ballroom in Gerald Ford Hall, but its apparent by the number of guests who attended this event, affordable housing is a huge issue that each person there felt strongly about.

The event began with an extensive silent auction along with a new concept, Celebrity toolbelts, which were stuffed full with items that represented each celebrity personality. Celebrities with belts included Tom Harned, who had a toolbelt full of sporting event tickets, Tricia Swenson from TV-8 with a belt full of girl fun, Bobby Hernreich, whose belt included a luxury trip on his jet to attend a Sacramento Kings game, extreme skier Chris Anthony, whose toolbelt included his famous four-day ski clinic, and even I had a belt which included tickets to events, sapphire and diamond earrings and the opportunity to be a guest writer for one of my columns.

Our local Habitat for Humanity had four homes on the slate to be constructed this year. At the opening of the event, retiring Board President Mack Nichols donated $30,000 to pour five home foundations, not four, challenging the guests to ante up to get a fifth house built. Two others at the event matched his $30,000, and with several other generous people pitching in from $1,000 to $20,000, it looks like another family will have a house over their heads by next winter. Adding on a fifth home makes just a small dent in the need; Forty-one applications were turned in for those five houses.



The event was chaired by Stacey Nebbelink, Terry Cohen, Liz Merrick and incoming board president Barbara Scrivens. Habitat for Humanity of Eagle and Lake Counties sees a future for families in need of quality, affordable houses.

To help us publicize your event, e-mail VailCarolyn@comcast.net or call (970) 748-2989.Click on photo galleries at http://www.vailtrail.com to see more photos from this event.


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