EDSON, AB. – The checkered flag was waving as the largest rural Habitat for Humanity build site in Canada was completed. Close to two-hundred people were on hand for an emotional ceremony in which 15 families received keys to their brand new homes.

“What Edson has accomplished is simply amazing,” said Alfred Nikolai, President & CEO, Habitat for Humanity Edmonton, “everyone associated with this build should be proud of this accomplishment.” The $3.1 million dollar project, built on land donated by the Town of Edson, took three-years to complete using volunteer labor, generous donations from sponsors along with donated and heavily discounted building supplies. “From pounding nails, painting walls and shoveling gravel we couldn’t have done this without the volunteers and our sponsors.” Thousands of hours of work was put into this massive 15 home project. Dignitaries at the official key handover ceremony included Alberta premier Alison Redford and Edson mayor Greg Pasychny. All Weather Windows, a major sponsor of the Northern Provincial Pipelines Late Model Series, is one of the biggest supporters of Habitat for Humanity Canada. “We are proud to be a home sponsor with Habitat,” says Henry Banman, senior Vice President of All Weather Windows, “we partnered with them over a decade ago in an effort to provide decent and affordable housing for Canadians.”

All Habitat for Humanity families pay an interest-free mortgage which will never be more than 25% of their annual income. All mortgage payments then go towards future Habitat for Humanity builds which will benefit even more families in the years to come. Just over an hour after the key ceremony in Edson, Alberta ended, several moving trucks started backing up to the 15 new homes. A total of 32 young children now have a bedroom to call their own and a safe neighborhood to play in.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY BASIC GUIDELINES
– this is a hand-up and not a hand-out for families.
– each family works on their own home investing 500 hours of “sweat equity” as a down payment.
– mortgage payments (no interest) will not be more than 25 percent of a family’s income.
– families must be employed with stable incomes from $29,000 to $54,000 who are not able to purchase their own home.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY – EDSON BUILD
Project Leader Karen Adam
Edson Site Supervisor Keef Little
Construction Advisor David Stevens
Volunteer Coordinator Karen Adam
Fundraising Coordinator Yvonne Bayley
Family Support Coordinator Avril Houstoun
Family Committee Jack Drebit and Sandy Moore
Amenity/Food Coordinator Lorna Imber
Team Leader Assistant Mike Lambregts
Lunch Committee Tien Young
Publicity Coordinator Karen Adam