The volunteers who keep the power tools humming for Habitat for Humanity enrich our town with their hard work and good will. On Sunday, some of those volunteers

joined the new owner of the eighth Habitat house to be built in Natchez when she formally accepted the keys to the neat, three-bedroom house on Smith Street.

Pride in what they do is evident when Habitat workers talk about their projects, but it is not self-inflating pride. The volunteers are proud to be a part of an organization that makes a huge material and emotional difference for families who might never have dreamed of becoming home owners.

Pride is evident in the words and expressions of the family who receives the house, as well. And they should be proud. Not only do they have a beautiful house of their own, they have the satisfaction of knowing that their own efforts &045; &uot;sweat equity&uot; is how Habitat describes it &045; went into the construction of the house.

The local chapter of Habitat for Humanity has many supporters and a few dedicated workers who are on the building site just about every day when a project is under way.

We all share in the joy of the latest family, Carmen Holloway and her two young children. And after a brief rest, workers will begin another house, also on Smith Street, where Habitat for Humanity has space for a small village of houses.

Not everyone can help build houses for the organization, but everyone can lend support in one way or another. Financial donations are important, and they can be sent to the organization at P.O. Box 100, Natchez, MS 39121.

The Georgia-based international organization Habitat for Humanity now has constructed nearly 200,000 houses. We congratulate the Natchez volunteers for their steadfast dedication to the cause and for a job well done.