Habitat awarded 'ReStore of the Year'

Posted on August 3, 2023

EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS with Habitat For Humanity of Cleveland's ReStore came together to celebrate winning ReStore of the Year.

Having recently celebrated its 150th home built since 1990, Habitat For Humanity of Cleveland now has another reason to celebrate.

On Wednesday, July 26, volunteers and employees of Habitat For Humanity of Cleveland and its ReStore location came together after winning the 2023 Habitat of Tennessee State Impact Award for ReStore of the Year.

"The ReStore is a nonprofit thrift store and donation center that exists to help local families build decent, affordable housing with Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland," its website states.

Prior to enjoying a taco party, Tammy Johnson, executive director of Habitat For Humanity of Cleveland, said, "This is quite an honor. Of all the ReStores in the state of Tennessee, you all had the best one."

LAMANDA BOWERS smiles as the ReStore was praised for its service and increased revenue.

With a printed statement in hand from Habitat of Tennessee detailing the distinction they received, Johnson read, "Habitat of Cleveland's ReStore, under the leadership of LaManda Bowers, has excelled and increased revenue in uncertain times. Retail stores across our state and country have continued to experience new challenges, like labor shortages and rising operating costs."

In light of those hurdles, Johnson was pleased to announce the location's retail sales increased by 13% in the past fiscal year.

"The ReStore picks up local donations, keeping them out of the landfill, and those items are sorted, priced and put on the sales floor to keep it well stocked," she read aloud. "This year, Habitat of Cleveland's ReStore chose to open an additional hour each day, which added much needed revenue to offset the rising costs."

A TACO PARTY was enjoyed by volunteers and employees of the ReStore.

It was also noted in the announcement that the location had increased recycling efforts and recruited new volunteer labor, which "has had a tremendously positive impact."

"Habitat of Cleveland's ReStore understands the importance of helping build homes and community, and everyone works hard toward that goal," Johnson read as the Habitat employees and volunteers applauded.

Taking a moment to celebrate this accomplishment, Bowers thanked everyone from volunteers to board members, commending them for working together.

Bowers added, "We're a family, not coworkers."

The ReStore of the Year award comes after receiving the 2022 Leader of the Year award as well as the 2021 Affiliate of the Year award.

Four families move into Habitat's quadplex

Posted July 15, 2023 By GRANT BROMLEY and ALLEN MINCEY

A LARGE CROWD was present at Thursday's dedication of the Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland quadplex in Morelock Meadows.

Sweltering heat couldn’t keep a crowd from welcoming four families into their new homes.

On Thursday, July 13, team members from the build of the homes, officials from Bradley County and Cleveland, Christian leaders and the families preparing to move into the place they will soon call home all gathered at the quadplex for a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The quadplex, comprised of four homes in a single building, marks the 150th, 151st, 152nd and 153rd homes built by Habitat For Humanity since it began its work in the area in 1990.

“I want you to know that this didn’t happen overnight,” Tammy Johnson, executive director of Habitat For Humanity of Cleveland, told attendees. “We have had the support of this community since day one. Our entire community is amazing, and a lot of times I attribute the success of this Habitat affiliate to all of the people who support it, so thank you so much — you don't just tell people you care, you’ve shown people you care.”

Continuing, she said, “We offer a hand up, not a handout.”

The homeowners worked for the past year, she said, to get to this point — and it really was work!

“They went through a very long, rigorous application process,” Johnson said, detailing how each applicant had to show a need for a home, had to partner with Habitat and take 16 weeks of classes, put in their sweat equity by contributing to the construction of their home and save up for a downpayment.

“They're gonna pay back a mortgage that’ll go back into the program and basically pay it forward,” she said. "What a beautiful description and display of Jesus’ love.”

THE QUADPLEX marks the 150th, 151st, 152nd and 153rd homes built by Habitat For Humanity of Cleveland since it began its work in 1990.

Jesus’ presence in this project was invoked by many speakers, including Corey Divel, Habitat For Humanity of Cleveland Board president and assistant city planner, who said, “The body of Christ came together in so many parts, so many members of the body come together to build these homes in love and hope.”

He noted, “It’s such a wonderful, firm foundation to build these homes on.”

Joy Christian Fellowship has been providing Bibles at homes built by Habitat For Humanity of Cleveland for decades, and Pastor Bob Zwarych told the Cleveland Daily Banner he believed they were given away 94 Bibles, counting the four homes which brought everyone together on July 13.

“This is the day the Lord has made, right?” Zwarych said. “We'd like it to be 15 degrees cooler, but we're gonna rejoice. We're gonna be glad in it. We have a lot to rejoice about … Four families are getting the keys to a new home. Not a handyman, a fixer upper or refurbished, but brand new.”

Noting Cleveland has a high Christian population, he still defended giving out Bibles, saying, “Let this be a reminder of the day that you got the keys to your new home, and that you're getting the keys of life contained in God's word.”

Both Carolyn Ingram-Franitza and Mara Grisham had been involved in the first homes built by Habitat For Humanity of Cleveland, and had a chance to speak on what seeing Habitat cross its 150th home means to them.

Ingram-Franitza said she remembered when Habitat first began, hearing about it at Broad Street United Methodist Church, and was so glad to see it come to Cleveland, while Grisham remembered helping one of the first residents shop for items for her new home.

"Thank you for being the community that wants to help their neighbors, the community who is the hands and feet of our Father in Heaven," Grisham said.

Pivoting to the present, Jerra Barker, one of the new homeowners, spoke on behalf of all four families at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

SPEAKING on behalf of all four families moving into the quadplex was Jerra Barker, who described this process as a "blessing."

“Today four families stand before you, completely humbled, beyond grateful and dying with anticipation to move into our very own homes," Barker said to applause from attendees. "To say that this is a blessing seems like such a simple clichéd phrase. However, the little word 'blessing' means God's favor and protection, and if you know the Lord, then you know just how impressive that covering is over us when we say this is a blessing."

Having a place they can call their own, as well as living as neighbors with the families they have gotten to know over the course of this process, is something Barker said they were all excited about.

"This has been a journey that will forever impact our families' lives, and we want to thank every sponsor, volunteer, core worker, board member, family member and friend who has came alongside of us, encouraging us, believing in us and giving their time to help us achieve these beautiful homes."

Felicia Rhan, another of the new homeowners who had a young son, Mac, learned of Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland from her former neighbors, Vincente and Aurelia Rodriguez, who moved into their Habitat home just over two years ago.

"When they were getting ready to move out, [Aurelia] came down with Nicole Massengill’s card and said, ‘You need to do this … you need to look into this’," Rhan remembered. "I kind of waited a few months, then contacted them and got the ball rolling … and it’s just amazing."

Michelle Hutto said she has been in the Habitat program for a little over a year, "and I have gained so much knowledge, and it's such a blessing. I was required [at part of sweat equity] to do 300 hours at the ReStore and actually helped building the home.

"But now, I don't have to worry about homelessness ever again." Hutto has two children — Kanniyah and Kendall — who will be living with her.

Marta Diaz and her granddaughter, Deborah, will be moving from an apartment where they live with six other family members to their own place at the quadplex. Though both are limited in speaking English, she did say that she was "happy, happy" to have her new home.

The exact time for each family to move in has not yet been set. There is still some work to do at the site, including paving the parking area, but officials said it will be soon.

Amid the sweat from the heat, and many tears of joy, everyone was delighted to see the ribbons cut at the four front doors at the quadplex.

Women Build begins for Habitat home

Posted May 18, 2023 By ALLEN MINCEY

FUTURE HOMEOWNER LaTrayier Williamson tries her hand with a nail gun as she puts in sweat equity at the Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland Women Build Monday.

“It shouldn't feel this good,” Fuller said while holding one of the nail guns she would learn to use. “It just feels good to be able to help a little bit … to put in a few sweat equity hours and raise a little bit of money to reduce a first-time homeowner’s mortgage.

“It just feels good," she said.

Fuller mentioned “sweat equity,” which is actually what the homeowner must put in as part of the Habitat agreement. Bernita Williams and her daughter, LaTrayier Williamson, were both “sweating” with the “Girls with Pearls” Monday, and will be working with other teams throughout this and next week.

“I'm so excited; I'm so thrilled,” said Williams. “It's such an honor and a beautiful experience. It's a blessing watching these women working on our new home.”

Currently, Williams and her daughter and grandson, Ky’mier, are living with LaTrayier’s older brother, but long for a home of their own. In fact, Williams said her daughter was extremely anxious to help the women with the project.

“One of her goals in school was, ‘Mommy I want to build a house.’ So, her high school dream is coming true,” Williams said. “And, it’s like they say, this is sweat equity.”

Fuller and Construction Director David Cowan both stated that there was no doubt during the humid morning that the “sweat” part was very evident.

Cowan explained this was the first opportunity for ladies in the Women Build to actually use power tools.

BERNITA WILLIAMS, who with her daughter and grandson will move into the new Habitat home, gets assistance from Brenda Voytik at Monday's Women Build.

“This is the first women's build where we're using all the power tools — the nail guns, all the big saws,” Cowan said. “We are trying to make sure that they get the full experience.

“I didn't want to patronize them just swinging hammers,” he added. “We really want to try to get as much accomplished and show the community what these women can do. They're doing a fantastic job.”

Along with building the home, these women have come up with creative names for their teams. Along with those previously mentioned, there are Pretty with Power Tools, TVFCU HERoes, Wright Women, Roof Raisers, Women Empowered, Dream Builders, Chicks with Sticks, Women of Wacker and Millie’s Hammering Honeys, and a second Girls with Pearls team (2.0).

Each women’s team spends four hours working on the home, and consists of six to 12 members. The women have individually pledged to raise $250 for Habitat.

CLEVELAND STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE President Ty Stone uses a nail gun on one of the beams at Monday's Women Build.

The women working at Habitat have also formed their own team, called House Decking Divas, to help in building the new home. That team is headed by Habitat Homeowner Services Manager NaCole Massengill, and could possibly include Habitat Executive Director Tammy Johnson.

“Thank you to our incredible community for supporting our Habitat Women Build,” Johnson said. “Your generosity, enthusiasm and hard work are making a real difference in the lives of families in need.

THE SHIRT SAYS IT ALL, as worn by one of the Girls with Pearls volunteers.

“Together we are building not just houses, but also hope and brighter futures. We couldn’t do it without you.”

The Women Build will continue through Friday, May 25, and Cowan said he would like to have “this house not only dried in, which means all the windows, doors trusses and a roof, but I'd also like to have siding by the end of the two-week period.”

The home is located in the Victory Cove Habitat subdivision, which also features a home which is part of the Leaders Build which began several weeks ago.

Habitat dedication for new quad scheduled for Thursday

Posted on July 8, 2023 By ALLEN MINCEY

THE NEW HABITAT QUAD, located in Morelock Meadows, will be dedicated Thursday. Though not yet finished, soon four families will be moving into their new homes there.

More than 30 years ago, Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland built its first home, and since then, nearly 150 families have moved into their residences through the program.

On Thursday, another first for the local organization will take place, as four new families will participate in the dedication of Habitat’s first quad set of homes. The dedication is scheduled for 10 a.m. at Morelock Meadows off 20th Street near Blythe-Bower Elementary School.

This will be the second dedication at that site, as the Cullins family is already living in their home there after it was completed in 2022.

Morelock Meadows will now house these four new families, and others in the next several months.

“Our team started talking about that property a few years ago. The property is a little bit less than two acres, and we were going to be able to get about six homes on that property,” explained Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland Executive Director Tammy Johnson.

RHAN FAMILY

“But we know that there is a rise in need for affordable housing, so we started to talk about the possibility of multi units and kind of connected with some other Habitat affiliates in other states, and we decided together to take this approach. Now, we're able to get 16 families on this property.”

The four new families will be in the quad located on the southwest corner of the property, and in time, will be joined by others families in a second quad, two triplexes and one more single family home.

Work on that second quad is presently taking place as the finishing touches are being done on the quad to be dedicated Thursday. The families will not yet be able to move in, but Johnson said it will be very soon.

HUTTO FAMILY

Those whose new homes will be dedicated include the Rhan family, the Hutto family, the Bejerano-Diaz family, and the Barker family. Each of these families has gone through 16 weeks of Habitat classes, and has done “sweat equity” in helping Habitat projects or working at the Habitat Re-Store. Each head of the family is a single mom.

“It’s like a really tight knit class of people because they go through all their classes, all 16 weeks of classes, together,” Johnson noted. “They do ‘sweat equity’ on each other’s one, and they really get to know each other.”

The quad is comprised of a pair of three-bedroom units and a pair of two-bedroom units.

Michelle Hutto cares for her two children and says a new home will mean security and peace of mind, while Jenna Barker now lives in a duplex where her two children share a bedroom. These two families will receive the three-bedroom units of the quad.

Felicia Rhan and her son, Mackenzie, and her cat, Kitty, will be moving into one of the two-bedroom units, with Marta Diaz and her granddaughter, Deborah, moving into the other.

THE BARKER FAMILY

Johnson said she is pleased that some of the new homeowners have small children, as the elementary school is within walking distance of Morelock Meadows. Also, the new Avery Johnson Park is just up Foster Lane from the homes.

“Actually, Vice Mayor Johnson will be with us at the dedication,” Johnson said. “What we are going to do is have our ribbon cutting, which will include our key sponsors, the City of Cleveland and vice mayor will be here, Bradley County Mayor [D. Gary] Davis will be here, Stephanie Linkous with United Way and Janice Wilson from the George R. Johnson Foundation.”

Also to be present at the first dedication of a Habitat quad will be current Board President Corey Divel, Immediate Past President Lisa Mantooth, and former presidents Andy Anderson and Patty Silverman.

“This will be home number 150 to 153 since 1990, which is phenomenal,” Johnson said. Plus, there are two homes in Victory Cove that are on tap to be completed by the end of the year.

BEJERANO-DIAZ FAMILY

Along with the triplexes and additional single family home in Morelock Meadows, the Habitat director said there will be three homes in 2024 in Century Village, which is just west of Morelock Meadows off 20th Street SE.

“We’d love for the public to come to our dedication and welcome these new families into our Habitat family,” Johnson said.

The dedication will also be streamed on Facebook Live.

Wacker-Charleston summer interns, rotational engineers help build homes

Posted on July 15, 2023 By CLEVELAND DAILY BANNER

WACKER-CHARLESTON summer interns Samuel Oke, Cole Carson, Jakob Lewis, John Franks and Divy Patel participated in a day-long homebuilding project for Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland.

On Friday, July 13, Wacker-Charleston summer interns and rotational engineering program team members partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland on a day-long homebuilding project at 1204 Franitza Way SW in Cleveland.

Wacker-Charleston has a rich culture and tradition of corporate volunteerism. The organization finds it rewarding for employees to impact the local community positively.

“To instill our company’s values and priorities, we involve employees early on with opportunities to volunteer their time and skills to help in various ways in the local community,” said WACKER-Charleston Site Director Ken Collins. “This is a positive and meaningful way to supplement their formal training and reinforce values that can be summed up in three words: caring, collaboration, commitment.”

Community Relations Specialist Lisa Mantooth is central to the heart and soul of Wacker-Charleston community engagement efforts. She is responsible for identifying employee volunteering and corporate sponsorship opportunities.

“We are blessed to have hard-working team members willing to share their time, talent, and energy to support community projects and initiatives throughout the Tennessee Valley,” she said.

Among this year’s summer interns supporting Wacker-Charleston operations is Ayomide “Sam” Oke, a Purdue University engineering student.

“I most enjoy the engineering adventures that unfold daily during my internship opportunity at Wacker’s Infrastructure department,” Oke said. “It’s like being part of a team that turns mundane projects into remarkable feats and transforming piles of blueprints into real-life masterpieces.”

“Oke’s experience with blueprints will be helpful as a Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland volunteer,” said Olga Santos, Wacker-Charleston’s training manager, who oversees workforce development programs, including technical operator and maintenance development, rotational engineering and internship opportunities for college students.

“Volunteering serves as an opportunity to remind ourselves that our corporate culture extends beyond the company and out into the world,” she said.

Habitat for Humanity women to build home in special event

May 15, 2023 by Courtney Goins

CLEVELAND, Tenn. (WDEF) — Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland began an event called The Women’s Build on Monday. Women are partnering to build a house for a family in need.

It will be ongoing through May 26.

The project is funded and built primarily by women. The organization says it will have a female-friendly worksite as well.

For two weeks, women from the community will be working on the construction site. In this time, they will raise the walls of the home and finish the siding.

This build includes 21 team leaders, each with teams of ten. They fundraise to purchase materials for the building. The sponsorship is $250 per person, and $2,500 per team of ten, the organization said.

They are fundraising in unique ways. One team lead chose to fundraise by selling Mother’s Day gift baskets and raffle tickets. She also asked for $1 donations and will write each donor’s name on a 2×4 in the home.

In this particular project, the women are building a new home for a family of three. The homeowner, LaTrayier, lives with her mother and son. Her mother, Bernita, has epilepsy.

Bernita currently lives in a two-story home but has had several falls due to her condition and the stairs.

Habitat for Humanity says the family eagerly looks forward to their new home.

You can learn more, donate and volunteer through the Women’s Build website.

https://www.wdef.com/habitat-for-humanity-women-to-build-home-in-special-event/

Aging in Place program helps local homeowners

Posted Tuesday, November 22, 2022 6:20 am

By ALLEN MINCEY

Freeda Davis admits she doesn’t move around as well as she did in her younger years, and some normal activities are difficult for her. Now, with the help of Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland’s newest program, she will be able to have a much easier time doing so.

Habitat developed Housing Plus, a comprehensive aging-in-place strategy to help aging adults continue to live in their homes by performing affordable home repairs. Aging in Place is the program that helps with person-specific home repairs and modifications such as installing grab bars to building a ramp. The work is done by local contractors.

In Davis’ case, she was desperately in need of a walk-in shower, and since she was well-known to the organization as a former Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland home recipient, they knew of her need, and wanted to help.

“I’ve been here 11 years, and I love my house,” Davis told the Cleveland Daily Banner as work was being done on her new shower. “I thank Habitat for the help, and Lowe’s too.”

Lowe’s is a Habitat for Humanity supporter, and helps with the Aging in Place program which will benefit not only Davis, but a neighbor who recently had a railing on his front porch installed for his safety.

“It will be a walk-in shower with grab bars and a shower seat,” said Bethany Souza, a United Way of the Ocoee Region VISTA and Aging in Place coordinator for Habitat. She said Davis, having to use a walker most of the time, will have a much safer time utilizing the shower than her present situation.

Souza said that when the Aging in Place program launched, Davis was one of the first to apply.

Davis met all of the qualifications: owning and living in her home full time; owning no other property; is at least 60 years old; has the home in Bradley County; her mortgage and property taxes are current; and the household income falls within 60% of the AMI (Area Median Income). 

Being included in the Aging in Place program was somewhat a surprise to Davis, but not like her first connection with Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland.

“I never realized that I would be able to get a Habitat house … that was just a dream,” she remembered. “Well, next thing I knew, they were calling me to get the loan application filled out with the finances and all of that.

“Habitat is not a handout, but a hand up, but I kept thinking, there’s no way … I can’t get a house. Well, it became a reality.” Davis was the 81st recipient of a Habitat for Humanity home in Bradley County.

Now, through Aging in Place, the walk-in shower is also a reality. It was completed by Montgomery Showers.

“This is really the first program I've heard like this because a lot of people need it,” said Rusty Jones of Montgomery Showers, who with his wife, Carol, installed the new walk-in shower in one day. “This is a big step forward.”

Davis said she would have to wait a day or two before being able to use the shower, but once it all settles, she would definitely enjoy taking a shower in her newly renovated bathroom.

“We really appreciate the partnership we have with Lowe’s with this program,” Souza said, adding that Lowe’s is also helpful in other Habitat projects such as building homes in the local area. The latest Habitat project is a quadplex for four families in Morelock Meadows, near Blythe-Bower Elementary School.

Souza also noted that other homeowners who meet the criteria that may not be Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland recipients can apply for the Aging in Place program.

To find out more about the Aging in Place program, and about Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland, visit the organization’s website at www.habitatofcleveland.org or check out its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/clevelandhabitat.

Habitat home 'tremendous blessing' for family

Posted Friday, October 14, 2022 12:52 pm

By ALLEN MINCEY, Cleveland Daily Banner

The Cullins family — James and Jessica, and their children (Jaheaven, Jahalen, Ju’sayaus and Jaliyssa — will be moving into their new Habitat home following the dedication ceremony held Monday, and will carry with them the memory of another son — Jaheim — who will also be a part of the new residence.

Dedication of the new home in Morelock Meadows was held Monday morning under what Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland Executive Director Tammy Johnson said “was the best weather we have had … not too hot, not too cold, and not raining.” Several responsible for helping build the new home were in attendance at the dedication.

The Cullins family have been living in a three-bedroom home, which Jessica had said was “kind of scrunched.” The new home will allow for more room, as well as being within walking distance of Blythe-Bower Elementary School, where most of the children will attend.

“It is a tremendous blessing to be able to be a part of Habitat,” said Jessica Cullins at the dedication. “This right here (the home) is going to be a tremendous blessing to my family and to my kids.

“We have a safe place, a place where we can worship, a place where I can grow my kids up in the right way,” she continued. “We are very excited and the location is perfect. I have three that go over to Blythe-Bower, and one at Cleveland Middle.”

Jessica told those in attendance being selected to be the newest Habitat homeowner can at a rough time for her family, but at the right time.

“In 2018, I lost my son (Jaheim), so when we got that letter that said we could come and start the process, it was a blessing,” Jessica said. “It was a light at the end of this tunnel. It’s for (Jaheim) too, and we will carry him on for the rest of our lives.”

In fact, as the structure was being built, Jessica made sure photos of Jaheim were placed in the walls so he would be “a part of the home.”

“I put his picture inside the wall before they sealed it up,” Jessica said.

The Cullins have put in nearly 400 hours of “sweat equity,” with Jessica working mostly at the home build, and James at the Habitat ReStore.

“While I was working nights, I would let her come and do the build part of it, which kept her involved in it,” James Cullins explained. “I would let her come up here at the house while I slept.

“We work together on everything,” he noted.

Johnson told those attending the dedication Jessica became so handy with building tools that she was showing others how to work at the home.

Several who took part in the building of the Cullins' new home were present at the dedication, and spoke of being so fortunate to be a part of the build, and of helping the family they grew to know and love.

Those speaking included Charlotte Peak representing the Ocoee Region Builders Association; Corey Divel of the Habitat Board of Directors; Karen Colley of the local Chick-fil-A (which Johnson said provided close to half of the funding for the home); and Mark Gluckner, who served as the homeowner advocate for the family. Pastor Bob Zwarych once again performed the Litany of Dedication and presented the family with a Bible.

James added that he and his wife will be able to help in the next phase of Habitat homes being built in Morelock Meadows. The next project at the site will be a four-family quadplex, the first to be constructed for Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland.

“Jeff would be so proud of the work that has been done, and if you knew Jeff, he was a very quiet, behind-the-scenes mover and shaker and he did a lot for our Habitat families and a lot for our community,” Johnson said of Jeff Morelock, a longtime Habitat supporter and namesake for the Morelock Meadows development. “His memory continues to motivate us to do even more.”

Christmas comes early to Habitat

Posted Tuesday, October 4, 2022 4:00 pm

By ALLEN MINCEY, Cleveland Daily Banner

With the recent arrival of October, Christmas may be the furtherest thing on people’s minds, but not at Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland’s ReStore.

Deborah Flower, coordinator of the the Christmas section of the ReStore, aided by her husband, are Habitat Heroes and annually gather a group of volunteers to decorate Christmas trees and set up displays at “The Christmas Shoppe.” She and those volunteers began putting out the Christmas items as early as mid-September.

Flower, who is a retired kindergarten teacher, volunteers for this event, but it turns out to be not just a seasonal “job,” but a year-round endeavor.

“I have done this since 2010 and I am known as ‘the Christmas Lady,’ though ‘Holiday Lady’ is probably more appropriate as I am in charge of every holiday that comes down the pike,” Flower said.

Trees, lights and decorations are not the only holiday items the Habitat ReStore has available. There are also Christmas wreaths, linens, clothes, knickknacks, yard art, candles, china and glassware.

Flower said preparing for Christmas begins almost immediately as that holiday ends, as she begins collecting ornaments and other items that many will donate to the ReStore after having them on display for the current season.

“I separate all holiday-themed items from the everyday donations throughout the year,” she said. “The items are then cleaned, organized and placed in separate totes according to the holiday.”

All of the holiday items are stored in two semitrailer rigs behind the rear of the store at 300 Grove Ave. SW and get pulled out around as the summer ends and fall begins.

A shopper at the ReStore might find items for Valentine’s Day, Easter or Fourth of July, though the biggest holiday for shoppers there is Christmas.

“All year long, I have saved unique and special Christmas decorations and once a year, I have some creative friends come and decorate the trees,” she said.

This past week, friends from the Ridgewood Subdivision — Mary Ellen Stinchfield and Pat Love — came and helped Flower with tree decorations. Flower also celebrates the holiday in the subdivision each year, usually dressed as Lady Liberty with her husband, who often portrays Uncle Sam.

A couple of weeks before, volunteers from Candies Creek Baptist Church helped at what is commonly called “Deb’s Winter Wonderland.”

All of the items for sale have been donated to Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland to help fund home-building projects, and each year staff, customers and volunteers look forward to the holiday.

“Everyone has the opportunity to give a ‘hands up’ for hope in our community by using their skills through such volunteer efforts,” Flower said. “All proceeds are put toward a house for a deserving homeowner.”

In fact, the most recent homeowners — the Cullins family — will have their new home in Morelock Meadows dedicated on Oct. 10. It will be the first in that new subdivision, which also will include a quad to house four families, and other subsequent homes to be built in 2023.

“Deb’s Christmas Shoppe,” Flower said, “brings in people who would not normally come to the ReStore, as they can find Christmas decorations cheaper here than in other stores.” It also give those shoppers an idea of the other bargains at the ReStore.

For more information about the Christmas items available and ReStore, call 423-473-4610. To find out more about Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland, visit www.habitatofcleveland.org.