By ALLEN MINCEY
Kerea Westfield said that she is ready to move into her new Habitat for Humanity home as soon as possible, and if her son's — Kyreece — fidgety motions are any indication, he is, too.
The Westfields are the newest owners of a Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland home in the Victory Cove subdivision. The home was dedicated, and the ribbon cut, at a special ceremony held Tuesday morning.
The home was constructed as a part of the Leaders Build and Law Build, and was the 147th home built by Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland in its 30-year history. It was the third dedication this year in Victory Cove.
“This is the culmination of what Habitat does,” said Patty Silverman, Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland board chair, as she welcomed the dozens who attended the dedication.
Silverman reminded everyone the home constructed for Kerea and Kyreece Westfield was built with love, and will be a place that love will reside.
“It’s not a building, but it is a place where love will dwell, where life will happen, and memories will be made for Kerea and Kyreece,” said Silverman.
The board chair said “there were 160 volunteers that put their hands to this home. When we build a home, it’s a construction crew, but 160 community members came out to build."
She added, "There were 14 build teams that worked on this home. Not only that, but Kerea and Kyreece did a little bit of labor of love on this, too. They put 350 working hours on this home.”
Tammy Johnson, Habitat director, said Westfield was at the home, working with others, almost every day. New home owners are required to put in some “sweat equity” in the building of their new home, and she said that Westfield went above and beyond that requirement.
“This is one of the best days that we have all year,” Johnson said. “It’s my favorite thing that we do all year long. It always reminds me that it takes a community to raise a family."
Johnson stressed, "Kerea has been an incredibly hard worker. She has been here for the whole time, every step of the way, and been very involved."
Westfield said she had so many emotions running through her during the dedication.
“I feel excited, I feel thankful, I feel ecstatic, and I’m ready for closing day now,” she said. “We were in Cleveland Housing on Clemmer Street, and this will be our first home. And the first thing I am going to do when I get in there … is decorate … hopefully for Christmas.”
Along with the new home, Westfield said she gained even more through working with Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland.
“During this process, I’ve learned how to budget, be a good neighbor, and, most of all, how to build a home,” Westfield said. “I’ve met so many kind-hearted people during this build, from attorneys, to judges, different church organizations, Lee [University] students, and many, many more. Each of them offered their time and kind words at the job site, and, believe me, they didn’t go unnoticed.”
The diversity of those who worked on the Westfield home build was not lost on those in attendance, especially those who were involved in the Leaders and Law Build.
“As I was looking about this diverse group here, this is a group that brings everybody together,” said state Sen. Mike Bell, who was among those who participated in the Leaders Build. “We had churches, businesses, attorneys and individuals come together with one mission, to see this home completed for a person and the security of having a house.”
During the dedication ceremony, a long-time Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland supporter was posthumously honored as a “Habitat Hero” — Charley Bolick. Jerry Franitza, who worked with Bolick on many home builds, spoke about his friend.
“I am going to call him “Mr. Electric, because that is what he was,” Franitza said. “Mr. Electric retired from Olin Chemical Company in 1991, and his wife got on him for several years to come out and be a Habitat volunteer."
Franitza continued, "Finally, he came out and helped, and he did a lot for Habitat. He was the greatest guy I ever knew. He was one of the great volunteers. He worked for Habitat for over 20 years and he worked on over, I would guess, 80 homes, so I want to thank Charley for everything he did.”
Others who spoke at the event included Ellen Dobbs of Easy Auto, one of the major sponsors of the build; Mara Grisham, who represented the family advocates for Habitat; and Pastor Bob Zwarych, who as he does at all Habitat dedications, presented the Westfields with a Bible. Westfield’s pastor, Beverley McCowan of the Pneuma Christian Center, gave the closing prayer before the ribbon cutting.
Silverman summed up the event by saying that the new Westfield home will be one that is built on love of neighbors, and love of God.
“There was a moment when [the volunteers] could come in and write a piece of scripture on the walls, so underneath this paint, there are scriptures all over your home, Kerea, that will be the foundation of your home,” Silverman told the new homeowner.
