Cumberland County Habitat for Humanity (CCHFH) celebrated the blessing of the 73rd new construction, signifying the “drying-in” of the home built in partnership with Yvonne Roberts and Habitat for Humanity volunteers. “A blessing is Habitat’s way of saying that this work you do, this life that you live, it is sacred and important, and you are not alone in it,” said CCHFH Development Director Vanessa Petty. As part of the ceremony, people attending were asked to take a marker and write inspirational notes, biblical verses, or other words of support and encouragement on the bare studs before they are covered with sheetrock.
Employees from Zurich homes of Crossville traded their normal workday for hammers to help with the Roberts home. Partners of Zurich Homes, Stan and Isaac Zuercher, arranged for their employees to frame the Roberts home, saving CCHFH volunteers weeks of time and labor. “What would normally take us two weeks to ‘dry-in’ took Zurich Homes 17 hours. This allows the homebuyer to come in and continue their ‘sweat equity’ hours like putting in insulation and painting. We are all very thankful for Zurich Homes coming out to help frame this home,” said CCHFH Construction Site Supervisor Brian Sohl. Throughout the homeownership program, an individual or family must complete a minimum of 500 hours of sweat equity work on the home and attend self-improvement classes such as budgeting, home maintenance, and good neighbor classes to help with homeownership responsibilities. Zurich homes has a history of helping CCHFH build homes, as they framed one house in 2019 and several others over the years. “We enjoy helping Habitat because the homeownership program is designed to help someone that needs help without just giving it to them. Habitat helps people into homeownership that wouldn’t otherwise have access to it,” said Stan Zuercher.
Pastor George Willis of Cumberland Fellowship prayed blessings and prayers of protection for Yvonne and all that would enter the home. “This structure doesn’t just represent a structure, but people who have their lives inside these walls. Lord, you told about a parable of a house and what it’s built on, whether built on a shaky foundation of sand or solid rock. We know Lord Jesus, you weren’t talking about a physical house or a structure. You were talking about our lives and what we build our lives on. Lord, I’m thankful that Yvonne has built her life on the solid rock of your teaching”.
