POSTED: September 25, 2009
“No words can describe it.” That was the reaction of Crystal Olson, who along with husband Tim and three children, will be the proud owners of a Habitat for Humanity home in Hartfield.
As for Tim, his comment upon learning the Olsons had been chosen by the Family Selection Committee, was one of surprise as well. “I was in shock!”
Now known as the Gambrel House, so named for its roof which has two slopes on each side, it was a storage building next to a house in the hamlet of Hartfield in the town of Chautauqua. The house, which was in disrepair, was removed several months ago.
Ground-breaking for an addition to the remaining building is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday. When construction is completed, most likely not until next spring, the structure will contain three bedrooms, one bathroom, kitchen and living room.
“I felt like my heart stopped when they first told me,” Crystal said. Having applied to the Family Selection Committee, the Olsons were duly interviewed to learn if they were qualified financially to eventually purchase the house with a no-interest mortgage and willing to earn 500 hours of “sweat equity” as a partner with Habitat, which means they are obliged to contribute time and effort to the project.
Although Tim and Crystal will gladly donate time and effort to reach those 500 hours, what will their children do to help? Crystal replied that Jesse Yokum, 8 years old and in third grade; Sarah Yokum, 6 years old and in first grade (both from a former marriage); and 20-month-old Stefan Olson, will do what they’re capable of doing. Perhaps they can do thank-you notes, “little things.”
Tim is a merchandiser for Sanzo Beverage out of Olean. He works six days a week, beginning very early in the morning but is finished by early afternoon. Crystal, who is a former Mayville Quality Markets employee, has a lot to keep her “busy with family, doing dishes, laundry, diapers.”
Currently living in a small trailer house just outside of Mayville, Crystal lamented that there is “no yard here for the kids and the traffic is dangerous.” With that she and Sarah held up a small container with lots of flowers planted from seed by Sarah.
Contemplating the move next spring, Crystal smiled as she said, “We’re excited to have something of our own.”
Ted First of Chautauqua, president of the Chautauqua County Habitat for Humanity board until recently, has always wanted to have an HfH home in Mayville. Although there have been successful projects in several other locations in the county, the Hartfield project – and after that a new home in the village of Mayville – has made his dream come true.
“The response from the Mayville and surrounding communities has been breathtaking,” he said. “We have been offered backhoes, professional builders who are willing to be our teachers and supervisors, electrician and plumbers to guide us in these technical areas, materials from local folks, supply houses and national corporations and a community partnership with Cummins volunteers to help us design and install conservation strategies to reduce water and energy consumption.
“Habitat is all about economic empowerment for families left behind. It is also about our transformation as a community as we pull together our resources to care for one another,” he added. “And, along the way, joy finds us in the outstretched hand and never lets us go.”
As for the Olsons, Crystal said it best. “Thank you to everyone. We need volunteers, and we thank those who already are pitching in.”
Come next spring, the Gambrel House will become the Olson Home.
For more information and how to volunteer, call 269-7772 or 888/753-7385, or visit Habitat’s Web site:
www.habitatchaut.org.
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