Habitat building on Mary Street

Habitat for Humanity is embarking on its most ambitious year to date, set to build two new homes and renovate a third in 2010.

Diane Mitchell, president of the Thunder Bay chapter of the international organization, said the two new homes will be built on Mary Street.

"The first one will start in about two weeks and be finished probably at the end of July. We’ll start the second one in September, and we’re going to partner with the Confederation College apprenticeship program in order to build that second house," Mitchell said.

"We’re also going to be doing a renovation. We’ve bought a house back from a family that outgrew the house. The children have grown up and moved out of the house. The mom was there by herself. The house was too big and she wanted something smaller, so she moved into an apartment."

Habitat for Humanity retains first right of purchase should one of their families decide to move on, and Mitchell said they leapt at the opportunity to add a third house to this year’s mix.

"It’s a great way for us to not only be able to house families, but to recycle," Mitchell said. "We like to keep (the houses) in our system because we can keep families in it."

To kick-start their 2010 fundraising campaign, for the second year in a row Habitat for Humanity is taking their show on the road, so to speak, setting up shop at next weekend’s Spring Home and Garden Show.

The organization will showcase three children’s playhouses, built for them by local craftspeople, at the show, raffling them off. They’re a symbol of the dedication of the people of Thunder Bay have to helping others, Mitchell said.

For the second year in a row carpenter John Ruzycki built one of the playhouses, his was of giving back.

"I figured life’s been good to me, I might as well pass on some of the luck I’ve had," he said. "I’ve always has a nice home to live in and this is a way for somebody else to get a new start."

Raffle tickets will be available at the show for $5.

Since its 1994 inception, Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay has built 19 houses in the city.