A home for the holidays, thanks to Habitat efforts
Published Tuesday December 16th, 2008
Great gift | New house is the best Christmas present local family could hope for
Cramped - that's how Deanne Boudreau describes the house her family of six called home last Christmas.
"There was no room at all. If we all wanted to sit at the kitchen table, we couldn't open the back door or get into our living room," she said.
Things won't be that way this year, when Boudreau, her children - Michael, 17, Allysha, 14, Samantha, 10, and Anastasia, four months - and her husband Andre sit down to celebrate their first Christmas in their own home.
They took possession of a new home Monday from Habitat for Humanity. The house was built thanks to the support of Exit Realty.
"I can't wait to have my kitchen table in my own house," Boudreau said.
"And I don't have to tape the door up here to keep the heat in here."
But most importantly, her family - which has had to move an average of once every year since 2004 - has a place to call home.
"This Christmas will be the best one we ever had," Boudreau said as she fought back tears.
"Three months ago, we could never have dreamed of owning a home ... It means we have a place to live and we don't have to worry that we're going to have to find another place in six months or a year."
A new home was beyond what they could have expected, she said.
"For the past three months, every day has been Christmas for us," she said.
Christine Ireborg, who co-ordinates Exit Realty's involvement with Habitat for Humanity, said the real-estate company's association with the charity is a natural fit.
"They share our core values of giving back to the community," she said.
"We support the opportunity they give individuals in sharing in the dream of having a place to call home."
The company has so far provided more than $1.5 million in funding to build 10 homes in Canada and the United States.
This is the sixth home for Habitat for Humanity Fredericton Area Inc.
It's the third one built in Fredericton.
The organization has also built a home in Minto and two in Carleton County.
Marie-Reine Doucet, chairwoman of the building committee for the local group, said it was inspiring to know that hundreds of volunteers were involved in helping the family.
"To have the community come out and give them their time in gifts as a gift, especially at this time of year, is just amazing," she said.
Traci Fulton is also on the organizing committee. She said it's amazing to see what has been done since September.
"It's been crazy, but the most rewarding thing is that it is done," she said.
Habitat for Humanity recipients need to put 500 hours of labour into building the home.
The family also needs to be working, because it doesn't get the house for free.
They have to commit to making mortgage payments and show they have the drive to ensure the mortgage gets paid.
Don Connolly, of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, said the gesture is an important one.
"Those of us who have never lacked these advantages sometimes take them for granted."
Samantha Boudreau won't be taking anything for granted.
She has always wanted a spot on a wall where she could grab a pencil and chart the growth of her three siblings.
It's a small wish, but until Monday, it was something she never thought she would be able to do.
You can't do those kinds of things in a house you don't own, she said.
But as the family took possession of their new house, Samantha was already planning.
"I thought I'd measure her as she gets older," she said as she looked to four-month-old Anastasia.
Samantha was busy scoping out possible locations for the chart Monday.
"I think I'm going to put it in the laundry room downstairs," she said.
It's a discrete spot.
But she just wants to leave her mark on a place she and her family can finally call their own.
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