Lagrange, IN

As the parent of a child with Down Syndrome, this is dear to my heart. Others can be cruel to those with differences. And the key to changing this is helping others understand that the differences aren't what is important. Our local schools are doing a great job of teaching the "typical" kids the challenges faced by others. My daughter visits other classrooms and she has 4th grade "book buddies" who come in and read to the class. It is a learning experience for everyone as they meet new people and develop friendships.

My daughter's class was invited to attend a very special event today and she is really excited about it. When I was at the high school last week for the musical, they had posters up promoting the day. The schools have also held disability awareness days where students learn how it fees to be blind, deaf, or disabled in other ways while trying to perform simple everyday tasks.

This was taken from the Lakeland High School Calendar's description of today's event:

Mark your calendars for March 20th, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., for the 2009 Disabilities Awareness Walk to be held at Lakeland. To our knowledge, this event is the only walk of its kind in the nation. Approximately 200 Functional Skills students from nine schools will team with Relay For Life and The American Cancer Society to have fun, play games, dance, walk, eat lunch, and find 3,000 Easter eggs for prizes. Local police and fire departments will also take part in this special event which is funded through a grant from The LaGrange Community Foundation. Our thanks go out to them, as well as all the people who work very hard to make this happen.

With so much being said about what is wrong with our schools, it is important to recognize what is right!

We had an amazing turnout of volunteers on Saturday in LaGrange! The ages of the workers ranged from local high school students to retirees. And the level of construction experience ranged from those who had never picked up a hammer to local tradesmen who make their living at it. Together, the group united for a common cause, and it was a day of teamwork.

While it was a little cool and windy, it never rained. When we arrived at 8:00, only the foundation was in place. We started building walls and nailing down the flooring. The walls went up, then the roof rafters, and then the exterior sheathing. I snapped this at the lunch break.

In talking with people outside of Habitat, I've found that many believe we build these homes and give them to the families. This is simply not true! While our mission is to provide decent affordable housing to those in need; it is a partnership between Habitat and the family. The partner family is required to spend hundreds of hours in what is called "sweat equity" working on their home and the homes of others. And when the house is complete, they will have a mortgage for the cost of the build. This allows us to fund the next home.

The partner family and their friends were there working with us. They also have family members and friends who help them build their new home. There are two teenagers in the family and there were a lot of young people there. And what a difference a day makes! At 5:00, the roof was on and partially shingled, the windows and doors were in, and the front porch was built.

I have to admit I was exhausted at the end of the day, with aches in muscles I had forgotten I had. But, what a rewarding experience! I'm so excited to be involved in this organization! Next we have the siding, insulation, and interior walls. If you can spare a day, or even a few hours, we'll be there again this Saturday at 8:00. I hope to see you there!

Contact Habitat for Humanity today and sign up to help build the 18th HOME in our community. Volunteers are needed on Saturdays starting October 25th.


Prospective Volunteer:

This letter is an open invitation to you to volunteer for the uilding of our 18th Habitat home. LaGrange County Habitat for Humanity is asking for your help. This volunteer organization relies on volunteer labor to build houses within LaGrange County for those people who could not otherwise afford to own a home. We need volunteers to help Tammy Greene and her three children in the building of their home in LaGrange at 316 North Sycamore St. Habitat relies on volunteers, donated materials, and donated funds. We have the funds available to build their home. Now we need your help. We will be working on Saturdays. Workdays will start at 8:00 a.m. and stop at 4:00 p.m. We have a break a.m. and p.m. and lunch will be served at approximately 12 noon with devotions before lunch. Please join us in this Christian ministry and join the Habitat team and make a difference in our county. If you have questions please contact me at 854-2777 (home ph #) or 463-8519 our Habitat phone number.


In Partnership,


Ted Strawser

Volunteer Construction Coordinator


Schedule

October 25th Framing (50 volunteers needed)

November 1st Siding, Insulation, Windows, Etc. (25 volunteers needed)

November 8th Interior walls, Finish siding (25 volunteers needed)

December 6th Painting, preparation and priming (12 volunteers needed)

December 13th Interior Painting (12 volunteers needed)

January 3rd Interior Trim and hanging of interior doors (6 experienced volunteers)

January 10th Interior Finishing touches (12 volunteers needed)

January 17th Final touch ups and cleaning (8 volunteers needed)


Mont Arnold
Executive Director
LaGrange County Habitat for Humanity
109 E. Central Ave. Suite 1
LaGrange, In. 46761
Ph. # 260-463-8652
montarnold@lagrangehabitat.org

PC's for Youth in LaGrange County

If you are upgrading to a new system or have an old computer you no longer use, make a donation to PC's for Youth in LaGrange County. Your donation will help a young person in our community. 

I received an email from a young man requesting donations of computers, laptops, and the accessories used with them for a local not for profit organization he belongs to. Three local students are making use of these donated items by refurbishing them, clearing the personal data, and donating them to students who otherwise would be without access to these important tools of learning. They are also accepting monetary donations which are used to further the cause.

The following information was included in his email, and you can find out more about this group by visiting the PC's for Youth website.

Their slogan is "Helping to bridge the digital divide in our community", and so far they have given away 25 computers!

"Mission Statement:

At PC's For Youth, we believe that having access to and properly using a computer for educational purposes can dramatically increase the educational development of a child. We also recognize the fact that not all children have access to computers and therefore are at a disadvantage compared to their more fortunate classmates. It is PC's For Youth's mission to provide youth of LaGrange County with computers and knowledge about operating computers in order to increase the educational development of the children receiving these computers. "