HABITAT IN THE NEWS:
February 23, 2009
Bank donates house to Habitat for Humanity
Steve Grazier
Cortez Journal
The Cortez affiliate of Habitat for Humanity broke some new ground last week by officially acquiring its first major asset.
Dolores State Bank donated an existing home at 7 N. Park St., Cortez, to the organization Friday morning to help financially build the newly formed, local organization.
Karen Sheek, vice president of Habitat's Cortez office, said bids will be accepted through March 27 on the home, which will eventually be moved from the property to a location by the new owner. Habitat is to use the money from the sale to help buy land and establish its local organization.
"Any opportunity our (group) has to make money and raise our profile is a good thing," said Sheek, who noted that the Cortez affiliate of Habitat opened in September 2008. "Many in the community are hopeful to get houses filled.
"We would like to get our first home built by the end of the year."
Value of the home donated Friday is listed at $60,734, according to Ed Merritt Jr., president of the Dolores bank. He is hopeful to have the home moved from the bank's property by mid-April.
"We're excited to be able to help Habitat for Humanity in our community," Merritt said of Friday's transaction.
The Dolores bank will use the property the house currently sits on to augment a parking area and entryway of the bank, which is going through an expansion process. The house is expendable to accommodate the bank's expansion.
Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit, home building organization with more than 2,000 affiliates in 117 countries.
In Colorado, the agency was incorporated in November 1992, and has since raised more than $16 million in matching funds for local affiliates, funded more than 700 homes and housed approximately 2,500 people.
Sheek noted that the Cortez affiliate is hosting a service auction April 25 to raise money for the organization. She said some items people can bid on include a free mammogram at Southwest Memorial Hospital, a teeth cleaning from a local dentist's office and accounting services from an area business.
For more information about the Cortez affiliate of Habitat for Humanity, contact Sheek at 759-4533.