Habitat for Humanity celebrates
16th year with public fund-raiser
By Jenny Jones
Summer
Reporter
Tila Marshall has always wanted a home of her own.
Marshall, who has been living for years in a home
built by Housing and Urban Development, will be one of more than 50,000
people to make this dream a reality with the help of Habitat for Humanity.
"It's always been a dream to own my own house;
especially to build my own," Marshall said.
Habitat for Humanity will be celebrating its 16th
year of building houses in Tippecanoe County with its annual Hike for
Homes. The hike is open to the public and will raise money for the construction
of Marshall's home.
Registration for the hike will begin at 1p.m Sunday
at Riehle Plaza, where the Wabash River meets Main Street. Marshall's
home will be named the "16th Anniversary House" in honor of the celebration.
Participants in the hike will have the option of
walking five miles beginning at Riehle Plaza and passing through a neighborhood
which consists several homes that have been constructed by Habitat for
Humanity, or walking one mile which also begins at Riehle Plaza and
continues through River Walk.
"People can see first hand what our habitat houses
look like," said Doug Taylor, director of Habitat for Humanity.
Marshall said the "16th Anniversary House" will
be a three bedroom home located on Queens St. in Lafayette.
Habitat does not just give the house to the homeowners,
however, Marshall, a single mother of four, will have to spend 250 hours
working on the home herself, while her son will have to work100 hours.
In addition to working on the home Marshall said
she will be able to choose the color of the siding, appliances and carpeting.
"(Habitat for Humanity) makes you feel like it's
your own," Marshall said.
After the home is complete Marshall will pay on
an interest free mortgage, said Taylor.
"Our whole purpose is to build houses for people
who need affordable housing," Taylor said.
The "16th Anniversary House" will also be built
in honor of the Purdue woman's basketball team to make up for the disturbances
that occurred after the Women's Championship game, said Taylor.
"They deserve it," he said.
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