Habitat Dedication Brings Home to Holmes County Family

Holmes County Habitat for Humanity dedicated its 41st completed home on Thursday evening, welcoming the Cory and Zari Marks family and their children Delilah and Atticus to 571 Elm Alley in Millersburg. The ceremony marked a milestone for the affiliate and for Laura McCartney, the executive director, who presented Bibles to each family member and reflected on the emotional payoff of the long build process. “It’s very exciting to see a project come to completion,” McCartney said.

The dedication brought volunteers, board members, donors and neighbors together for a moment that combined celebration with community investment. McCartney said she struggled to hold back emotion because this was the first house she helped finish while serving as executive director. “How can you not get emotional when everyone has invested so much and we’ve gotten to know each other so well,” she said. The scene of children running through their new rooms underlined the tangible benefits of stable shelter for families with young children.

Beyond the human story, the Habitat model has measurable local economic effects. Homes are sold to partner families at no profit and with no interest charged, and mortgage payments are placed into a revolving fund that finances future builds. Holmes County Habitat for Humanity families currently pay over forty thousand dollars annually in property taxes on their homes, money that is reinvested into county services and the local tax base. Partner families also contribute significant sweat equity by working on their homes and on others, reducing build costs and strengthening community ties.

The affiliate is already preparing for its 42nd partner family, Cassandra and Chase Fry, and their three children. McCartney said the Fry family will choose from four Millersburg properties currently held by Habitat, and emphasized the ongoing need for affordable lots to expand the program. “They’re such a neat, hard working family,” she said, noting how visits between outgoing and incoming partner families help transfer practical knowledge and reassurance.

Holmes County Habitat for Humanity encourages volunteers and prospective donors to get involved. For information call 330-674-HOME or visit www.holmescountyhabitat.org. Donations may be mailed to P.O. Box 418, Millersburg, OH 44654.