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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-07-07, Page 24PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2011. Continued from page 2 affordable housing for low income Huron County residents – one family at a time. HFHHC believes that decent, affordable housing is a basic human right. The organization is a non-governmental agency that provides safe affordable housing with the support of volunteers, donors, sponsors and the homeowners themselves. Each house upon completion is assessed professionally by a certified appraiser. An interest-free mortgage is then drawn up based on this fair market value. HFHHC and the family set up a schedule of monthly payments based upon all income of the family unit. This mortgage term is usually 20 - 25 years. The payments are reviewed annually and adjusted as income changes. If for any reason the house is sold before the mortgage is fully paid off, HFHHC has first right of refusal. The family would receive all mortgage equity and some of the increased fair market value, if it has increased. Families are selected on a series of criteria. They must have a need for adequate and affordable housing and their present living conditions must be deemed inadequate to their family needs. They generally would not quality for a traditional mortgage, but must have the ability to repay an interest-free mortgage, property taxes, utilities, insurance and general maintenance. The partner family should have a good credit rating, no arrears and the total income for the family must be below the current low income cut off (LICO) for Huron County (as per Stats Canada) but high enough to pay expenses noted above. The selection process also requires that the family selected be prepared to partner in the build by providing 500 hours of ‘sweat equity’ during the build in the form of clean-up, other odd jobs or working at one of the ReStores. Family members can also help with the accumulation of sweat equity hours. Finally the family selected must have resided and/or worked in Huron County for at least two years and all who live in the house must be legal residents of Canada. At this time, the process of selection is ongoing and no family has been selected. Subject to the completion of the process, families may still apply. Families are encouraged to fill out the application form available at www.habitathuroncounty.ca or call 519-612-1612. HFHHC has six established families in safe and affordable homes. The families have enjoyed new accomplishments such as returning to school, a rise in household income, and children proceeding onto post-secondary studies Habitat volunteers who liaise with the families before and after the selection process are so pleased with the transitions and directions the families have taken. The mortgage payments from each house support the building of the next house and another hand-up to a family in need of decent housing. This year the six existing mortgages will provide between $25,000 and $30,000 to support the building of the house in Brussels. Next year, the money will help support the next build. In the future HFHHC plans to build two houses per year and to put a further dent in the lack of affordable housing in Huron County. The story goes on and on, one family at a time. Before any home is built, certain criteria must be met before a shovel can be put in the ground. First, the project must raise a minimum of $30,000 in new cash donations. In addition a build must have signed commitments for $40,000 in gifts- in-kind agreements with tradespeople and/or material suppliers. The more gifts-in-kind of services/building materials, etc. raised, the less cash will need to be raised. The Habitat for Humanity Huron County Brussels Build committee is working on all aspects of the build. Financial and gifts-in-kind donations are needed. We would appreciate your help in this project. For gifts-in-kind donations contact John McDonald at McDonald Home Hardware at 519-887-6277 or e-mail: john@ mcdonaldhomehardware.com For volunteers support contact Sheryl Evans at 519-395-5908 or e-mail: s.evans@hurontel.on.ca Volunteer support could include but is not restricted to assisting with meals, clean-up, volunteering for various committees that are being set up, landscaping, materials collection, site organization, photographing the build, etc. For financial donations contact Keith Mulvey, Brussels at 519- 887-9083 or e-mail: kmulvey@ezlink.on.ca MARGARET “PEGGY” MORELAND Mrs. Peggy Moreland of Wingham passed away at Huronlea Home for the Aged, Brussels on Monday, July 4, 2011. She was 90. The former Peggy Pattison was the beloved wife of Ian Moreland (Mayor of Wingham 1988-1994) and the loving mother of Eleanor Moreland of Brussels. She was the dear sister of Effie Simpson of Pittsburgh and Mima Kirk of Orangeville. She was predeceased by her parents Richard Kerr Pattison and Elizabeth Stewart (Scott) Pattison and by her sisters Elizabeth Christie and Jean Bell. Mass of Christian Burial was held at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church on Wednesday at 11 a.m. Father K.P. Morrison officiated. Memorial donations to the Alzheimer Society of Huron County would be appreciated as expressions of sympathy. Online condolences may be left at www.mcburneyfuneralhome.com North St. West, Wingham Mac & Donna Anderson 519-357-1910 A cemetery is a history of people, a perpetual record of yesterday and a sanctuary of peace and quiet today. A cemetery exists because every life is worth loving and remembering - always Distinctive Memorials of Lasting Satisfaction BOX 158 WINGHAM ONT NOG 2W0 Obituaries Student to design, sell clothes in Brussels for summerKasey King of Brussels wants todesign clothes and she’s wasting no time selling her own creations. King, who is preparing for a six- month program at the School of Makeup Art in Toronto plans to apply to Ryerson University, also in Toronto, next year. In the meantime, with the help of the Summer Company Program, she will be running her own clothing store, selling her own designs for women and children.“I’m really into fashion,” she said.I want to design clothes and becomea designer.” King, who realized her talent when she started making her own clothes and had people requesting she make theirs, will be running an online clothing store at kaseykingdesigns.ca and selling her products out of her house. “I’ve been making clothes for myself and for friends for a while,” she said. “This just seemed like the logical next step.” The Summer Company programprovides students with startup funds,giving them $1,500 to get theirbusiness going, and gives them another $1,500 at the completion of the program at the end of the summer. King spent her funds on fabric, website design and will be purchasing an industrial sewing machine. The business is currently open and more information on her products can be found on King’s website, her Facebook page, or by phone at 519- 531-0390. By Denny ScottThe Citizen Sewing up a storm Kasey King of Brussels has opened her own clothing store through Summer Company, a Provincial Government initiative that provides start-up funds for students looking to run their own business. (Denny Scott photo) Habitat volunteers set to build house in Brussels Continued from page 3 to Bergsma because it will allow them to watch for things like people breaking into vehicles. One of the benefits of the cycling route will be the direct interaction with youth, according to Bergsma. “We’ll have interaction with children and, with the support of Mac’s Convenience Stores, we’ll be able to reward them for following the rules,” Bergsma said, stating that he has coupons to distribute to young cyclists who wear the proper safety equipment that will entitle them to free drinks at the store. Dubbed “Operational Freeze”, officers will be able to award free Frosters to cyclists who know and demonstrate a knowledge of the rules. The Traffic Management Unit has six members who are assigned to certain areas throughout Huron County everyday. They operate out of both the South Huron OPP station and the Huron OPP detachment south of Goderich, visiting different places every day through the use of different vehicles. OPP to reward safe cyclists with drinks A story for the dogs Sharon Jennings, an author of more than 70 books, visited Blyth Public School to read some of her works and interact with Blyth Public School students last month. Jennings, shown here reading a children’s book inspired by a story of her own son and dog, is an awarding-winning author and has recently had her works nominated for a Governor General’s Award. (Denny Scott photo)