PORT ANGELES — With one wall, the 21st Habitat for Humanity home began to rise from a dusty, stony field on West 18th Street Sunday afternoon.
More than 60 friends, volunteers and donors were present to help Delta and Jarrett Shore raise the first wall of their new home, which they hope to complete by Dec. 31.
With daughters Katelyn, 19, Lacey, 12, and Mary, 9, the Shores have been waiting for the chance to build and own their home since 2007, Delta said.
“It’s just a huge blessing on our lives,” she said.
Delta, 39, is a food specialist at Olympic Medical Center.
Jarrett, 36, suffers from spinal stenosis, a serious disease of the backbone that causes a narrowing of the spinal column and pressure on the spine. He is taking classes at Peninsula College, Delta said.
Will bring heating cost down
The family of five has been living in a drafty, poorly insulated home that has eaten up their funds with heating costs.
The new house will be well-insulated and less expensive to heat, Delta said.
The details of the mortgage have not yet been worked out, but the family expects to pay less for their mortgage than they are currently paying in rent, she said.
It takes 500 hours of sweat equity — working on their own home or helping another family build theirs — to earn a home through Habitat for Humanity, said Steve Landvik Habitat for Humanity board member.
Habitat for Humanity also helps with no-interest loans, he said.
The home is the first of 14 homes that will be built on the West 18th Street parcel, at the rate of about two a year, Landvik said.
The Shore family was also assisted by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, a faith-based, nonprofit financial services organization.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.