NAWIC women put skills to use on Habitat home

By Nancy Spencer, The Delphos Herald
Published:  Tuesday, May 5, 2009 (9 months, 1 week ago)
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DELPHOS — Move over guys, the women are here and they have hammers.
The Lima-area chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction lent their skills to framing the fourth Habitat for Humanity home on Wayne Street in Delphos Saturday. The women worked alongside members from Trinity United Methodist Church, community volunteers and friends and family of Carla Lantiegne, the future owner of the new home.
NAWIC members Bethany Kimbler, Sheri Lybarger, Kathy Stemen, Jean Kiracofe and Jane Berg helped frame and put up trusses.
The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) originally began as Women in Construction of Fort Worth, Texas. It was founded in 1953 by 16 women working in the construction industry. Knowing that women represented only a small fraction of the construction industry, the founders organized NAWIC to create a support network. Women in Construction of Fort Worth was so successful that it gained its national charter in 1955 and became the National Association of Women in Construction.
The Lima-area chapter was chartered in 2005 and has 14 active members. Started by several women from the Dayton-area chapter,who had moved to the Lima area and found a need for support for women in the construction business. This is the fourth Habitat for Humanity home the area group has worked on.
Immediate Past President Sheri Lybarger said they were excited to be part of the Delphos project.
“This is what we do,” Lybarger said. “We get out and put our knowledge and skills to use. We get to work beside others in the business and exchange ideas and learn. Habitat is a perfect fit for us.”
Lantiegne and her children, Aiden, 4, and Cierra, 11, hope to move into the home in August.
The 3-bedroom, 1,040-square-foot home will give each family member their own bedroom and includes a living/dining area, kitchen and full bath.
Lantiegne had already worked 40 hours on the Harter Habitat home that was built last fall so she was up-to-speed on what was required.
Volunteer coordinator Dave Stemen couldn’t have been more pleased with the turnout Saturday.
“We expected to get the framing done today but with all this great help, we’ll get the trusses up, too,” Stemen said Saturday.
Volunteers of all skill levels are needed and can call Stemen at 419-692-6436 to see how they can help.
More donations are also needed for the home currently under construction. Any amount will be accepted, according to the Rev. David Howell of Trinity United Methodist Church.
Habitat for Humanity was established in Allen County in 1991 to help meet the long-term housing needs of area low-income families. Habitat is a non-profit organization that works with those living in substandard housing to build and own a simple, decent, affordable home. Its target population is people who do not qualify for a conventional bank loan but are able to afford a modest mortgage payment and upkeep on a house.
Families who purchase Habitat homes must contribute at least 350 hours of sweat equity, working with the volunteers and Habitat staff. In addition, they must demonstrate a need and fall within the 30-50 percent median income range for Allen County.
There are already two more plots of land for Habitat Homes to be built in Delphos. Anyone interested can contact Rev. Howell at the church.