CLEARLAKE — Habitat for Humanity broke ground on its 16th home in Lake County on Thursday.
New homeowner Aurora Brown and her two daughters, Clair, 18, and Camilla, 9, are excited to be building on a new chapter in their lives.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held at the site of the new home on Fourth Street in Clearlake Park. Richard Birk, Habitat for Humanity Lake County president, welcomed guests to the event prior to offering a blessing over the construction site. “May God bless our efforts to obtain better living conditions for those in need,” he said. “We pray for a safe and successful building of the Brown home. We bless the property that will he home of children of God.”
Brown is a single mother who works at St. Helena Clear Lake”s Family Health Center in the pediatrics department. She said she is overwhelmed with gratitude for the opportunity to own her own home as well as for all those making it possible.
“I”m very excited about this opportunity because it”s a huge opportunity for someone like me to own her own home,” she said. “I”m amazed and impressed with all the volunteers who give up their time to help out. My girls and I are so grateful.”
Brown continued, “I”m very impressed with all the area businesses that support the Habitat program, like the restaurants that donate the lunches for all the volunteers.”
Brown said she also appreciative of the opportunity to contribute to the building of her own home as well as to the building of others in the program.
Brown”s youngest daughter is an elementary school student while her eldest child is preparing for college in the fall.
“It”s a good way to start off my next school year,” Clair said, adding that she will be commuting to Sonoma State in the fall and will appreciate a quiet place to study.
Habitat for Humanity is the sixth-largest home builder in the United States, according to Birk. He said the local organization has been building homes in Lake County for the past 11 years. “I”m always a dreamer,” he said. “Because the need is great, we will keep going.”
