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<p>There were speeches, tears, prayers, face painting, the
Harris Stowe University band, and all the other earmarks of a celebration on
Sunday Aug. 1, when Habitat for Humanity St. Louis handed over the keys of 10
new homes to the homes\' owners.&nbsp;
And some Operating Engineers Local 513 apprentices, their instructor, a
local masonry contractor, and an equipment vendor played a role in helping the
party to happen.</p>
<p>The dedication ceremony was held at the heart of the
project near the intersection of Thomas and Garrison in the Jeff-Vander-Lou
area.&nbsp; It marked the completion of
Phase I of this year\'s build, which will total 24 homes by Christmas. Last
year, Habitat for Humanity St. Louis completed 27 LEED Platinum-certified homes
- one of the largest assemblages of LEED-certified residential property in the
country. This green community will total more than 90 homes in a
long-overlooked section of urban St. Louis, just North of St. Louis University
and the Fox Theatre, East of Grand Avenue.</p>
<p><img alt=\"Talisha Franklin\" class=\"image-left\" height=\"303\" src=\"/images/uploads/habitat.jpg\" style=\"float: left;\" width=\"266\" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h4>Talisha Franklin Holds The Keys to her new home.</h4>
<p>Faced with a daunting schedule and just a week to go
before the dedication ceremony, William McHugh, construction manager for
Habitat for Humanity St. Louis, put out a call for help with the finish grading
for the first ten home sites. Normally that task is performed by Habitat staff,
but McHugh realized that if they could get some assistance in the form of
Bobcat operators they\'d be able to keep volunteers and staff focused on moving
the remaining 14 homes forward.</p>
<p>Ready, willing and able, Operating Engineers Local 513
responded to the call, sending seven apprentices and an instructor out to the
jobsite. Dan Head of Kirkwood Masonry also stepped up to help. Randy White of
Bobcat of St. Louis even hauled in extra equipment to make sure the lots were
good to go when the sod trucks rolled in.</p>
<p>Hundreds of volunteers have committed months of time
working on the construction that led up to the Aug. 2 event.&nbsp; Mohammed Jier, a native of Kenya, who
received the keys to his new home along with his wife Shams Dad, thanked
\"God, and everyone who helped, and everyone who donated, and everyone who
prayed or kept us in their thoughts\" for the home into which the couple
and their children Ali and Aisha are moving.</p>
<p>Through the combined efforts of generous sponsors,
dedicated volunteers and the agency\'s remarkable staff, Habitat for Humanity
St. Louis is literally transforming the neighborhood into which Talisha
Franklin will move with her children Ta\'Anyea and Terrel at the end of this
month. Every Saturday since construction began, Franklin, who is completing her
Masters\' degree in early childhood education, has worked shoulder to shoulder
with volunteers to put a roof over her family\'s head. Even after a grueling
eight hour workday, construction leaders say it wasn\'t unusual to see her dash
home to tackle an important paper or to ferry her kids to Cub Scout camping
trips, birthday parties and family outings. Franklin will close on her new home
in just a few weeks.</p>
<h4><img alt=\"Habitat Map\" height=\"313\" src=\"/images/uploads/habitat-map.jpg\" width=\"319\" /></h4>
<h4>Area of this Year\'s Habitat Build<br /></h4>
<p>The St. Louis Police Department is so appreciative of the
difference this renewal project is making in the JeffVanderLou neighborhood
that it staged helicopter landings on a nearby grade school ball field for the
benefit of the families attending the dedication.</p>
<p>Habitat is already well under way with Phase II of this
year\'s build, which is set to wrap up in September. Phase III should be
finished in time for Christmas. To find out more about Habitat for Humanity St.
Louis, visit www.habitatstl.org or call 314-371-0400,&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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