At 10:30 a.m. Saturday, the Macon County Habitat Chapter of New Horizons Habitat for Humanity, the Americus-based Habitat for Humanity International affiliate, will hold a house dedication ceremony for the Baldwin family’s new home located at 830 Kings Road in Montezuma. The dedication service is a tradition for all Habitat homes that New Horizons builds. Members of the community, the prospective homeowner and New Horizons officials will officiate at the service. The house was built in partnership with Habitat homeowners, Sarah and Constance Baldwin. Sarah, born 1930, said, “This year will be the best one yet because I have a New Horizons Habitat for Humanity new home!”

The Baldwins were selected to become part of the Habitat program in 2005. In order to qualify for the program, prospective Habitat homeowners must currently live in inadequate housing (size, location, safety, utilities, excess cost, etc.); be able to repay what it cost to build the home in monthly interest-free mortgage payments (usually over 20-25 years); and be willing to partner with New Horizons to build the house. Since being approved, the Baldwins have been demonstrating their willingness to partner by attending required homeowner workshops; completing their sweat equity requirements and saving for their down payment. In homeowner classes, they have been learning about such things as home repair, property insurance and the legal rights of homeowners.

The Baldwin family has helped to defray the cost of their house by completing at least 200 hours of work on their own home; in addition they completed 300 hours on houses for other prospective Habitat homeowners, such as the Habitat home recently completed for Garry Merritt in Americus whose house had been demolished by the March 1, 2007, tornado which struck the city.

The Baldwin house has been awarded the Energy Star certification. All Habitat houses are constructed to be energy efficient. Energy bills for Energy Star-certified houses are guaranteed to be at least 15 percent lower than for houses built without the certification. Last heating season, local Habitat Energy Star homeowners’ heating and air-conditioning bills averaged less than $100 a month. Because Habitat houses are built with volunteer labor, they can be constructed in this area at a very reasonable cost: typically less than $60 per square foot. The finished house is in move-in condition, including a new stove, refrigerator and air conditioning as well as landscaping, driveway and sidewalks.

New Horizons Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sumter County Georgia, an ecumenical Christian housing ministry, has partnered with more than 475 families needing homes in Dooly, Sumter, Macon, Marion and Schley counties since 1979. New Horizons is currently seeking volunteers and funds to build in those counties as well as Terrell and Webster counties. New Horizons, like all Habitat for Humanity International affiliates, is a locally governed and operated Christian nonprofit organization. Find out more by visiting www.newhorizonshabitat.org. The Affiliate encourages the community to get involved by making donations and/or contributing time and or talents individually or as part of a church or other community group. Donors who wish to support house building in the seven counties that New Horizons serves should send their financial gifts to New Horizons Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sumter County, Georgia. Volunteers interested in helping with affiliate projects can call New Horizons at 928-9577, ext. 10. Contributions can be accepted online or mailed to New Horizons at 512 Spring St., Americus GA 31709.