The Natchez-Adams County affiliate of Habitat for Humanity, a United Way agency, is proud to announce that Chantel Marsaw and her four daughters will be moving into their new house very soon.

A formal dedication ceremony at the house, 730 Smith St., will be at 11 a.m. Saturday; at this time the keys to the house will officially be presented to Ms. Marsaw.

Construction of this house on one of Habitat’s vacant lots started in August 2007 and was built with volunteer labor. Due to the dedicated group of five volunteers, who worked three mornings a week on a regular basis and assisted by 162 other volunteers who worked 2,650 hours, the house was finished in about nine months.

The following groups provided the majority of the voluntary workers: St. Mary Basilica, First Presbyterian Church, Mississippi Forestry Commission, Americorp, Community Hospital, Jefferson St. United Methodist Church youth group, Cathedral High School confirmation class, Wal-Mart, and Ruby Tuesday’s restaurant.

Habitat is eager to start construction on another house on Smith Street and is reviewing more than 20 applications on file. Habitat’s vision is to create a “Habitat village” along Smith Street over the next few years. Smith Street intersects at 1019 Martin Luther King Street, the location of another Habitat house.

Habitat will not be sending out invitations as we have in the past, but we are inviting all the volunteers who worked on the house along with our financial donors, other Habitat homeowners and applicants, and anyone who is interested in this program. Please come and see the emotional impact a new house can have on the new owner. It is a joy to watch. We hope to see you at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Habitat for Humanity International, based in Americus, Ga., is an ecumenical Christian ministry dedicated to eliminating poverty housing. Habitat has built more than 200,000 houses and more than one million people are living in Habitat homes they helped build and are now buying through no-profit, zero-interest mortgages. Here in Natchez the local affiliate is completing its 11th house since its organization in 1991.

If you wish to make a financial contribution, donate construction materials, receive an application for a Habitat home, or volunteer to work on the next house, you may contact Habitat for Humanity by calling 601-445-8639 or by writing to P.O. Box 100, Natchez, MS. 39121.

Duncan McFarlane is the secretary/treasurer of the Habitat for Humanity.