Marshfield Area Habitat works on 18th home
By Hub City Times staff
MARSHFIELD – The Marshfield Area Habitat for Humanity continues to benefit area families as it works on its 18th home.
“We are currently working on two projects. Our big project is we are working on this house for the Sauer family on 600 South Cypress. We started the construction the middle of July and we hope to have them in it by Thanksgiving,” said new Habitat Board Chair Ed Korlesky. “We are also doing a rehab on a house on West Fifth. That is just about done.”
The newly constructed house will be the future home of the Daniel and Briana Sauer, who move to Marshfield to give their sons, Madden, 9, and Dalton, 5, more opportunities. After a series of rentals, the Sauers wanted to set down roots in the area. With the help of Habitat they will be able to do just that.
While a reduced price on the land and a donation by Dr. Lori Bents helped secure the Sauer property, organizers say it costs approximately $100,000 to build each home which is eliminated with volunteer help.
Volunteers are needed to help with the work on the weekends, as a lot of the skilled work is accomplished during the week to get ready for volunteer help.
“We are here every Saturday until we get it done. We start at 8 a.m.,” Korlesky explained. “We do most of the work on Saturdays, because a lot of our volunteers work during the day.
“All of our labor is donated, except we have to hire an electrician and a plumber, and heating and ventilating. Over the years, most of the tradespeople have been very generous. They’ll even donate their time, or they will do it for cost, but it still costs a lot of money to build a house.”
The rest of it comes through donations. “We may get a little bit of donated materials,” Korlesky added.
But, the Sauer family does play a role in the building, putting in 250 hours of work building the house or providing community service work.
“A lot of people have the misconception that we build these houses and then we give them to people, and that is not the case,” Korlesky explained. “We build the house, then we sell it to them. We do the financing – it’s a zero percent, 25-year loan. They pay us back for the home over time.”
Habitat also provides emergency service work, such as building a ramp for someone who may have broken a hip. “We probably do 10-12 ramps a year,” Korlesky stated.
Using a fund, that is perpetually reinvigorated as they are paid back for the previous services, Habitat continues to support those in need.
For more information or to volunteer, call 715-384-7533.