MONTGOMERY - As they embark on their third home build together, the Lycoming County chapters of Thrivent Financial and Habitat for Humanity can think of no better holiday gift for Jean Myers than the satisfaction of homeownership.
In its sixth year, Thrivent Builds is a partnership between Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Habitat for Humanity to build homes around the world.
Although the need for housing continues to grow, the program, such as many others, finds its funding dwindling.
The local chapter of Thrivent especially is grateful this year to receive funding for Myers' home as many other chapters were not granted funding, Keith Wood and Becca Eisenman, local representatives of the company, said.
"Only the strongest chapters were able to secure funding," Eisenman said.
In six months, a now-vacant lot on Penn Street, near Christ Lutheran Church, will become home to Myers, her 27-year-old daughter and 15-month-old granddaughter.
Myers manages the Kitchen Collection at the Lycoming Mall and was overwhelmed by the show of support from Thrivent and Habitat volunteers during Saturday afternoon's groundbreaking.
"Thank-you everybody for volunteering and giving me a chance to own my own home," she said. "This is a great opportunity I'm very happy."
Though construction on the three-bedroom ranch will not officially begin until after Memorial Day, Myers said she already is excited about the decorating possibilities the new home offers and looks forward to working side-by-side with volunteers.
Habitat homeowners are required to put in at least 250 hours of "sweat equity" into their homes. Myers will be no different.
"I'm going to try and do as much as I can," she said, adding she's looking forward to helping with the painting and drywalling.
She also is looking forward to serving her first Christmas dinner in the house, especially poignant because her son, who serves in the military, and his family will be in the area this year for the holidays.
Prior to the groundbreaking, about 15 volunteers participated in a Faith Walk, a Habitat for Humanity tradition. Typically, volunteers walk from the last completed house to the site of the next project.
The last project, at 833 Park Ave. in Williamsport, is about 12 miles from the Montgomery site, but it is not a pedestrian friendly journey. Habitat, therefore, modified the tradition by walking five miles to Riverfront Park and, courtesy of River Valley Transit, riding a trolley for the remainder of the trip.
Larry Keisner, construction manager, said the Montgomery site helps open the organization to another part of the county, noting that it has been more than a decade since Habitat has worked in this area.
"Being in a different part of the county gives us new opportunities to expand," he said.
The last two Thrivent Builds homes were two-story units. Keisner hopes the one-story ranch planned this time will be more volunteer friendly, adding many volunteers get skittish about working on the upper floors during construction.
Volunteers always are needed, said Geneva Peck, of Habitat for Humanity.
"We need workers, we need people to give financially and we need a lot of love and support from the community," Peck said, noting that anyone interested in volunteering or learning more about the local chapter of Habitat, including how to apply for a home, should visit www.lycominghabitat.org.
