Montgomery-based Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity Wednesday, June 30, dedicated its 66th and 67th homes in the Aurora area.
At an outdoor ceremony, the faith-based affordable housing ministry celebrated completion of a duplex at 829-831 Grove Street in Aurora. The event with reflections, presentations and food brought together new homeowners, Habitat, business and community leaders and volunteers.
Habitat broke ground February 19 for the two-family home. Homeowners are the Nibitanga family of Aurora—Ezechiel, Yorlanda and son Frederick–natives of Burundi, East Africa–and the Afgahnzada family of Aurora–Abdul and Bibi, daughter Adebah and son Mohammad, natives of Afghanistan.
Steven McCormick, Habitat board president, emceed the program. He thanked donors, volunteers and Habitat staffers for supporting the duplex project. Additionally, McCormick recognized the Rev. Duane Meavis of Naperville, retired United Methodist pastor who founded Fox Valley Habitat in 1988.
Other speakers were Ezechiel Nibitanga and Abdul Afgahnzada, homeowners; Barbara Herandez, State representative; Sebastian Wong, for State representative Stephanie Kifowit; Steve “The Painter” Ferrin, who recognized Builders’ Club volunteers; Leslie Layne and Sandra Ledesma-Svensson, Coldwell Banker Realty, Yorkville; Kim Grant, John Green Realty, Naperville; and the Rev. Jeff Barrett, Habitat CEO and pastor, Genesis Community Church, Montgomery.
Habitat officials presented housewarming gifts to the new homeowners. Terri Jeffries, Habitat board member, presented family Bibles. Debbi Albright, Habitat operations director, presented quilts donatedby Riverwalk Quilters Guild, Naperville and Wego Quiltin, Oswego. Barb Zegiel, a 2005 Habitat homeowner and Habitat funds and marketing coordinator, presented “Homeowner” T-shirts.
After a benediction by the Rev. Barrett, attendees were invited to tour the duplex and sample refreshments.
Ceremonial house keys were presented to homeowners during a May 16 virtual dedication ceremony held online due to the pandemic.
Zegiel said Fox Valley realtors raised $19,552 for the duplex project. In a “Realtors Unite” drive, realtors responded when funding was needed above a $300,000 donation from Oxford Bank and Trust of Oak Brook and Euclid Insurance Services, Itasca. Fundraisers by realtors included an event at The Office in Yorkville, which raised over $8,000; a “Wine Down Wednesday,” which brought in $5,432; and a virtual concert by Tres Moustache, which generated more than $6,120. Additionally, realtors helped Habitat obtain a $16,000 grant from Home Depot-Yorkville for building supplies.
—Al Benson