Hometown Habitat News

Plans Revealed for Disaster Recovery Training Program

Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter is branching out with a new, extensive disaster response training program to begin mid-2016 that will benefit Lake and Sumter counties, and the Central Florida region.

“I am most excited that this will prepare local volunteers with the skills to mobilize in the event of a disaster here in our local area,” said Habitat of Lake-Sumter CEO, Kent Adcock, who will serve as the president of Habitat Disaster Relief.

We will focus on locals and others across the country who come in for training and certification, then we will offer actual work camp experiences for those who want to work in an actual disaster response opportunity,” he said.

The local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International has been around 25 years, and has provided affordable housing to more than 220 deserving families in Lake and Sumter counties, so the disaster training project is unique for the local organization.

“I am not aware that this is a focus of any other Habitat affiliate,” Adcock said, adding Habitat’s house-building and rehab work remains strong.

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Homeowners get fixer-upper help from Habitat

Volunteers yanked down overgrown plants, power-washed away years of dirt and replaced rotted trim boards before they slapped on a new coat of paint at a home in Paisley.

Robert “Sonny” and Beverly McKay were among homeowners on the receiving end of Habitat for Humanity of Lake Sumter’s newest mission — community engagement — aimed at helping low-income seniors, veterans and disabled residents throughout Lake and Sumter County who are unable to maintain their homes.

A handful of volunteers were at the McKay home Wednesday providing some fixer-upper help.

“Mr. McKay is just a super nice guy. He has been a hardworking man his whole life and he just can’t get up on ladders and do what it takes to make a house look nice,” said Ernie Burley, site supervisor.

The McKays were thrilled to have their house painted a cream color with dark brown trim and to get new landscaping.

“They have done just a marvelous job and I’m just really impressed,” Sonny said. “I’m pleased with the way that they have done it and really appreciate it.”

His wife of 52 years is thankful, too.

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Wells Fargo Team Members Help Build Home

check-and-donor-sign

On Sept. 19, 14 employees from various branches of Wells Fargo Bank throughout the county rolled up their sleeves and started work on a new Habitat home for a family in Fruitland Park. Soon to be homeowners, Lovely and Jethro came out to greet and thank the volunteers as well as work alongside them.

To kick off the work day, Lake-Sumter District Manager of Wells Fargo Bryan Cornell presented a check for $10,000 on behalf of the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation to assist in funding the home.

“We couldn’t be more excited to have Wells Fargo as a sponsor of this home. Without committed volunteers and community partners such as Wells we wouldn’t be able to achieve our mission of providing affordable housing,” said Kent Adcock, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, Florida.

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Habitat of Lake-Sumter receives a Mobile Response Unit in Partnership with Habitat International and Nissan

Habitat for Humanity van

Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter wants to do more than build and restore homes — it wants to rebuild communities.

When it opened on Bay Street in 2013, the local Habitat’s Domestic Global Village was touted as a place where up to 100 “voluntourists” or college students could stay if they agreed to volunteer part of their vacations to work on a local Habitat project.

The 14,000 square-foot facility is furnished with bunk beds, a fully-equipped kitchen, bathhouses and even a 50-seat media center. But the facility has a dual role as a training site for disaster preparation and for housing volunteers should a catastrophe occur.

“It’s very rare and unique,” Danielle Stroud, associate director of development with the local Habitat, said of the only such facility in the nation.

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