Posted: 10/10/07
Trailer from ECE helps Habitat for Humanity projects flow smoothly
 Joe Morley, left, chairman of the East Central Energy Board of Directors, presented the title to the donated flatbed trailer to Lewis Leasure, president of the ECM Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors. |
Submitted by ECE
East Central Minnesota Habitat for Humanity has built enough homes to house 75 children and their parents or guardians in the past 12 years. Until recently, large construction materials were hauled to the building sites by volunteers, one pickup load at a time.
ECE has come to the rescue for ECM Habitat with the donation of a 1997 flatbed trailer. It is the second trailer ECE has donated to the program in as many years, the first being an enclosed construction trailer. Habitat uses that one to transport tools to its building sites and to store them during construction.
"At one job site, we had to hide our tools in the woods at night because we had nowhere to house them," Wayne Eller, executive director of ECM Habitat for Humanity said. "We have a wonderful partnership with ECE to help us build homes for families in need."
The new trailer will be used to haul materials such as forms and scaffolding and to display a small shed, which Habitat plans to auction to raise money to support its mission. The partnership between ECM Habitat and ECE involves much more than the donated trailers. Eller expressed tremendous appreciation to ECE members for the more than $8,000 they donated last year through the capital credit choice program. It allowed members to donate their capital credits to one of four non-profit organizations with which ECE collaborates.
"With a hand up, instead of a handout," Eller said, Habitat projects create affordable homes for families in need in Pine, Isanti, Chisago, Kanabec and Mille Lacs counties. Home owners are chosen on the basis of need, their willingness to put in at least 250 hours of "sweat equity" in the building of their home, and their ability to repay a no-interest loan.
"We catch hold of people who are on the way back up, those who are busting their chops, so to speak, to do better," Eller said.
This summer, ECM Habitat for Humanity completed two homes, one in Pease and one in Hinckley. Both families were moved into their new homes by September 1.
"Because of our partnership with ECE," Eller said, "we have put Off-Peak heating in some of our homes. We use high density insulation in the walls, put more insulation in the attics and use better quality windows. That's all possible because of your donations."
Habitat for Humanity welcomes volunteers to assist with fund raising, obtaining building materials and serving on various committees, which do the behind-the-scenes work necessary to keep the program going. Financial assistance is also needed.
For more information on ECM Habitat for Humanity, call (763) 689-0288, e-mail chabitat@ecenet.com or send a letter to P.O Box 529, 206 Ashland St. South, Cambridge, MN 55008.
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