In March 2023, Habitat Lake-Sumter kicked off their annual Women Build campaign with the goal of building the very first home in our upcoming 55+ community in Tavares, The Cottages at Heritage Grove.
62 women on 13 teams made extraordinary efforts which resulted in fundraising $79,350!
We celebrated an incredible evening at the Venetian Center in Leesburg on April 27th. A grand total of 341 donors contributed to this great cause. With the help our Purple Hard Hat Sponsor, Sun Kool Air Conditioning, we had fun celebrating all the Women Build participants and honoring the top fundraising team, Chicks with Sticks, who raised $21,963!
Sun Kool Air Conditioning staff members were on hand at the Pre-Build Celebration, including Sun Kool Executive Vice President & CSO Holly Nicholson Tobin, who shared with the attendees the importance of local businesses stepping up to heed the call for affordable housing for our workforce and families in our community. Sun Kool Air Conditioning also graciously donated the HVAC for the new home.
A special highlight of the evening was the induction of new members into the Sisterhood of the Pink Hard Hats! The ladies welcomed 12 new members to the not-so-secret Sisterhood. Members of the Sisterhood individually raised over $1,500 and were inducted into the notorious hard hat society for surpassing their goals. Our event was a hit with Our DJ Rocks! DJ Jennie Smith spinning tunes, 360 & Beyond hosting our 360 photo booth, and Ponder’s Catering offering delicious bites. A special thank you to our vendors and supporting players!
Top Fundraising Team:
Chicks with Sticks raised $21,963 to build the home!
Honorable Mentions:
- The HammerKnockers raised $10,447!
- Golden Triangle Girls raised $8,071!
- Chicks with Bricks raised $6,059!
Top Fundraiser:
Lisa Carter Harsh from Chicks with Sticks raised $10,599! A record-setting achievement!
On May 6th, 2023, teams began actively building the home for Habitat homeowner, Beth Dyhr. The home being built is a 2 bedroom/1 bath cottage-style home in The Cottages at Heritage Grove. The new community is a 23-unit pocket-neighborhood specifically designed to meet the needs of Lake County residents on a fixed income, retired, or who are looking to maintain affordable housing as senior citizens.
Teams will continue to volunteer their time at the site until completion of the home, at which time Habitat Lake-Sumter will host a Home Dedication ceremony to dedicate the home and hand over the keys of this home to it’s new owner.
The opportunity to own an affordable home can remove barriers that might have been part of a family’s life for years, if not generations. Thanks to Women Build, we can offer that opportunity for a family who needs it most.
You can still get involved with Women Build 2023, donate today to help build Beth’s home!
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”35″ gal_title=”Women Build: Pre-Build Celebration 2023″]
