Volunteers needed on upcoming projects Habitat for Humanity kicks off home-building project in Greenbank A HOME OF OUR OWN

GREENBANK — It’s just a modest rectangle of concrete rimmed by trees.

GREENBANK — It’s just a modest rectangle of concrete rimmed by trees.

But in a few short weeks, Malina Vande Werfhorst will have her dream home.

Vande Werfhorst, 23, is helping to build the house she’ll soon call home. But the single mom — and the volunteer crew from Habitat for Humanity — are looking for help this weekend to build Vande Werfhorst’s new home at Teronda West.

“It will feel really good to have a secure place to raise my daughter; a stable house that will always be there,” she said.

“I’ve always dreamed of owning a home. It’s really fun being involved in the whole process,” Vande Werfhorst said.

But before she can get the keys and move in, the house has to be built. Habitat for Humanity of Island County is looking for skilled volunteers to help build the home from the floor up on Saturday.

“They will be framing and putting in the floor joists,” said Charlotte Carpenter, project coordinator for Vande Werfhorst’s home.

“They need to get the floors in and the proper beams and structure of the house up. Then on top of that, they will start the framing, which will be walls. All of that will be happening all next week,” Carpenter said.

The Vande Werfhorst home is one of three that will be built on South Whidbey in the coming months.

A typical Habitat for Humanity build by volunteers takes roughly three months to complete, Carpenter said.

And each person who becomes eligible for a Habitat home is required to spend their own time — 500 hours’ worth of sweat-equity — helping to build homes for Habitat for Humanity.

Vande Werfhorst has enjoyed the time she has spent working.

“It’s really empowering to be able to participate and see all the steps that go into building a home,” she said. “It’s really awesome. It’s been fun hammering nails. Once I had my daughter, it became really important to get a home.”

Vande Werfhorst’s daughter, Macie, 2 ½, is excited about the pink bedroom she is going to get, she said.

Habitat for Humanity of Island County will have constructed 20 homes by the end of the year. Two of the five houses to be built on Whidbey Island will be part of the nationwide “Blitz Build” taking place May 31 to June 7.

Grant money and donations paid for the land for the Habitat for Humanity homes, and the organization charges a small fee for the lease of the land.

Habitat homeowners like Vande Werfhorst get a 25-year, zero-interest house loan to pay for the home.

Organizers want to finish Vande Werfhorst’s house in eight days.

People interested in participating this Saturday can volunteer by contacting Chris Lubinski at hfhvol@whidbey.com or by calling 579-1244.

For information about Island County

Habitat for Humanity and how to help, visit

www.islandcountyhabitat.org.