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Habitat for Humanity unveils new home in Mendota · Illinois Valley - Shaw Local

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  Habitat for Humanity, unveils new home in Mendota.
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  Written by Matthias Werner This article is being read by an automated
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  voice brought to you by Everlett. With the support of Habitat for
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  Humanity, There a new family on the block in Mendota. Tracy Calderone
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  and her son Brayden
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  were welcomed to a new house in the 1200 block of Jefferson
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  Street at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday evening. There were lots of nerves,
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  lots of emotions, and lots of feelings. It was very overwhelming, Tracy
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  said. Tracy and Braden were selected by Habitat for Humanity of La
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  Salle Putnam Bureau Counties for the new home earlier this year, and
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  after a five-month building process they are moving in this weekend. The
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  home is the third build in Mendota from Habitat for Humanities local
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  operation, which provides home ownership opportunities and advocacy for safe and affordable
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  homes in the community. Was very confused and very excited when they
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  told me I was selected. It happened so fast that it almost
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  felt unreal to me, Tracy said. When they first came into the
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  room, I thought I was just having a second interview with a
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  different board of directors, so I was under the impression that I
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  was just going to be asked more questions. The they came in
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  with balloons and cake, and I read the balloons saying, Congratulations and
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  they said, We really think you are the family that deserves it
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  the most. The roughly 1,600 square foot three-bed, two-bath home sits on
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  the site of a house that was condemned by the city and
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  torn down, leaving a bare lot on Jefferson Street that was sold
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  to Habitat for Humanity for 1 in April. Today is not just
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  about dedicating a house, it's also an opportunity for us to show
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  our thanks and gratitude. Habitat for Humanity of La Salle Putinam Borough
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  Counties, Treasurer Jim LeBracco said. As we dedicate this home today, let
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  us not celebrate only the walls, roof, and rooms, but the love,
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  labor, generosity, and community spirit that made this home possible. Habitat for
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  Humanity set out with a two hundred thousand dollar budget for the
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  home, and thanks to that generosity and community spirit, Executive Director Jessica
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  Brayfield said, they came within three hundred dollars of that budget by
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  the time Tracy cut the ribbon. It really does start with the
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  city of Mendota and essentially donating this lot, Brayfield said I couldn’t
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  be more grateful or excited for Habitat to continue to be a
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  part of the community with this home being built. It is so
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  much fun, but it is so much more rewarding to see what
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  we are able to do for Tracy and Braden. After an application
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  process that drew 72 eligible families for the home, Brayfield said Habitat
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  for Humanity made the right choice with Tracy and Braden. We couldn't
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  be happier and we couldn't have found a better family, Brayfield said.
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  I've seen all the hours that they've put in to try and
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  invest in their own home. I'm very proud of all of Tracy's
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  efforts, of Brayden's efforts, and I'm proud to now introduce them as
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  new homeowners. Tracy recalled being overcome with emotion and gratitude when she
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  received the news that she could become a homeowner in the city
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  she's lived in her entire life. I Just cried. I couldn't even
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  get three words out. I was overwhelmed and just really grateful, Tracy
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  said. The generosity of all the volunteers is one of those things
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  We’re
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  I feel surrounded by a lot of people who don't know anything
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  about me, but have supported me the whole way. It's just one
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  of those things that is really important to me. Not having a
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  whole bunch of support or a big circle growing up, it's just
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  something you learn to cherish over time. Thursday's ribbon cutting was attended
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  by a number of Mendota City officials and staff who decided to
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  devote the lot to Habitat for Humanity earlier in the year, turning
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  down higher bids for the property. We're really excited about this house,
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  Mendota City Clerk Emily McConville said. We're glad that a family can
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  use this space so the city is very, very happy, and we're
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  hoping that we can do some more. Brayfield echoed McConville's statement that
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  there is more work to do. While Habitat for Humanity of La
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  Salle Putnam-Bureau counties has never done work in the same city in
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  consecutive years, Brayfield said 55 families were eligible for this build residing
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  in Mendota alone, and with the support of donors and volunteers, she
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  has her eyes on a pair of lots on Fifth Avenue for
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  future projects. We have a lot more families to serve, Brayfield said.