By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Chelsey Labelle and her daughters Hillary and Maddy have long dreamed of having a dining room table where they can sit together as a family.
Now their wish is coming true as the trio will be moving into Habitat for Humanity Chatham-Kent’s 10th build at 273 Main St. in Dresden.
“One of the number one things I’m looking forward to is having a dining room table with four chairs we can sit down at,” an emotional Labelle told reporters gathered at the build’s groundbreaking ceremony May 27. “So that is something that is going to be really important to us.”
The single mother expressed her gratitude to everyone involved in the project, noting the new home will create “generational stability” for her family.
“It’s going to feel like we’re home now,” the Chatham resident added. “I can’t wait for Dresden to be that home. ‘Thank you’ doesn’t even begin to cut it … I’m so grateful to be part of a compassionate community.”
The three are counting down the days when they can have their own firepit. Hillary, 12, and Maddy, 10, are excited about the prospect of having and decorating their own rooms.
Getting a new bed frame and putting up posters is on Hillary’s mind, while Maddy is happy she won’t be sleeping in a bunkbed.
The project, which is expected to be completed this fall, is a true joint effort, with numerous sponsors and volunteers stepping up to facilitate the build. That includes the Municipality of Chatham-Kent which donated the lot at the corner of Main and Metcalfe streets.
Mayor Darrin Canniff said the property was acquired in a tax sale, noting it made sense to donate it to Habitat.
“Habitat for Humanity fills a major gap in our community and it’s so important,” Canniff said. “It’s a community effort to make a difference. And council as a whole, is proud of what is happening here.”
According to Anne Taylor, director of partnerships and stakeholders for the local Habitat chapter, becoming a partner family is “no easy task.
Taylor said the process requires “a lot of work and commitment” from families that are chosen, as the agency has to determine if the applicant is capable of carrying a mortgage. No down payment is required and the interest-free mortgage cannot exceed 30 per cent of the applicant’s income.
“We ask a lot of hard questions and we have a lot of hard conversations,” Taylor said. “Chelsey has put in the hard work and that hard work will result in a fresh start in a home that is affordable and will provide her and her girls the foundation that they need in order to thrive in the coming years.”
Habitat homeowners are also expected to kick in volunteer hours as part of the agreement, either on the build or in the community as part of what’s termed “sweat equity.”
Along with the mayor, councillors Amy Finn, Rhonda Jubenville and Alysson Storey also attended the ceremony.
