From left, Judy Lightwater and Sue Harle, both of Gulfport, work in the front yard as volunteers to paint baseboard molding.Local volunteers for Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas County are finishing up the second home being built by the non-profit organization in Gulfport.
The three-bedroom, two-bath home is located at 4925 14th Avenue S. and the on-site public dedication ceremony for the new homeowner will be on Wednesday, December 13, beginning at 4 p.m.
“It takes seven weeks for us to build a home from start to finish,” said Kristi Thumb, site supervisor.
There are 1,300 affiliates in the US, and the Pinellas County group was just named second in the nation for the number of new homes built in a year.
“Our focus is to build quality homes and we do about 60 each year,” said Thumb.
People can volunteer individually or as part of a group for any Habitat home project. For more information, contact Susan Holmes, volunteer coordinator in Pinellas County, by calling 727-536-4755, ext. 208 or visit HabitatPinellas.org.
Volunteers do not need any prior experience as site supervisors from Habitat provide training and the non-profit also supplies quality tools, if needed.
From left, Robert Paschal and Joshua Hasak, both of Gulfport, work as volunteers to sand and paint interior doors. It’s the first time for both of them to help with construction and finishing at a Habitat for Humanity home. “My father taught me how to be a handyman and this is a way to give back,” said Hasak. 
Sue Harle of Gulfport is a veteran volunteer with Habitat for Humanity homes having started in Ohio. “Because it’s close to the end of the build, I feel like I can contribute more because I’m getting older and I can’t do the beginning aspects” like putting up walls and setting trusses, she said.
From left, Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas County Site Supervisor Kristi Thumb works with volunteer Donna Nixon of Gulfport to prep a kitchen microwave cabinet for setting. Though experienced with home construction, it was Nixon’s first time to volunteer and she found out about the build through the Gulfport Neighbors website.
