Hammer Time

HABBITAT FOR HUMANITY OF UTAH COUNTY

December 2014

HABITAT HOMEOWNER FIRST TO PAY

OFF MORTGAGE

Long time Habitat homeowner, Eileen Reilly, recently paid off her mortgage for her home, located at 2718 West 1060 North, in Provo. Reilly has lived in her Habitat home for 20 years and is the first Utah Valley Habitat homeowner to pay off her mortgage at the end of the mortgage term. Reilly built and pur-chased her home with the local Habitat affili-ate in 1994. Reilly’s home was the third Habitat home built in Utah County. She has raised her family in the home and has done a great job beautifying and maintaining her home and property throughout the last 20 years.

“We are very excited for Eileen and her family. She has been an excellent homeowner and is a true ex-emplar of Habitat’s mission of a “hand up” through safe and affordable homeownership,” said Kena Jo Mathews, Executive Director. “Because of her dedication to her home and mortgage, many others in the community have been able to receive the opportunity for homeownership.”

The Habitat Board of Directors will be honoring Reilly with a small ceremony at her home in December and will sign over the deed to her at that time.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY CELEBRATES 23 YEARS OF LOCAL SUCCESS

Habitat for Humanity of Utah County will be celebrating its 23rd birthday on Wednesday, December 3, 2014.

Habitat for Humanity of Utah County is one of more than 2,300 affiliates of Habitat for Humanity Interna-tional and was started by a group of local community members concerned about substandard housing and homelessness in Utah County in 1991. The local Habitat affiliate builds and renovates simple decent homes with families in need in Utah County. The affiliate also repairs and beautifies existing homeowner occupied homes and properties and helps to revitalize blighted neighborhoods in its service area. Habitat serves individuals or families living or working in Utah County who make up to 80 percent of the Area Me-dian Income and are living in substandard housing situations.

To date, the Habitat for Humanity affiliate has completed 57 homes (eight of which have been renovated) in its service area providing 94 adults and 175 children with safe and affordable housing. In the last ten years, the affiliate has gone from building one home per year to building or renovating five to six homes on a yearly basis.

The organization has also completed a number of critical home repair and home preservation projects throughout Utah County in the last two years, recently completed the South Franklin Community Center at the Boulders Apartment complex, and just finished renovating and restoring the historic George Taylor, Jr. home in downtown Provo. The local Habitat affiliate was also selected to administer Provo City’s Neighborhood Revitalization Program last year.

In addition to its affordable housing and critical home repair and home preservation programs, the local affiliate also provides a mobile neighborhood tool library in Provo City and a basic home maintenance course for Habitat families and other interested community members.

The organization also runs two ReStore Home Improvement Outlets where new and used building materi-als, appliances, and furniture are sold with profits going to the affiliate’s operating and program costs. The ReStores have not only raised thousands of dollars for the affiliate, but are now paying for a most of the operation costs for the affiliate and stores and have also kept over two million pounds of waste out of the local landfill. Because of the success of the ReStores, Habitat is now looking at opening a third ReStore in

North Utah County.

News

The Utah County affiliate also promotes aluminum, scrap metal, and vehicle recycling through its Habitat Recycle program, works to bring community awareness to the effects of radon gas, and is partnering with the Utah Valley Circles Initiative to work to eradicate poverty in Utah County.

“We truly appreciate all those that have helped the local Habitat affiliate over the last 23 years, said Kena Jo Mathews, Executive Director. “Because of our great community donors, supporters, and volunteers we have been able to build capacity and serve more families in need in our community through our beneficial affordable housing mission.”

HABITAT KICKS OFF #GIVINGTUESDAY AT BYU's CARE WEEK

Habitat for Humanity of Utah County kicked off our #GivingTuesday efforts last Monday at BYU's Care Week and what a fun week it was! People were encouraged to take a picture in a giant gingerbread house, follow Habitat on social media, and donate to help out with the effort. Those that helped were entered into a raffle for a holiday gift package.

Almost 100 people came looking for volunteer opportunities and over-all, the booth attracted a lot of attention and was successful in drawing in donations to help build houses for people in our community!

Habitat will be doing another raffle on Giving Tuesday, which lands on December 2, 2014, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Anyone interested in getting entries into the raffle can follow Habitat for Humanity Utah County on Facebook and Twitter and also donate on Habitat's website at www.habitatuc.org/donate-now.htm.

For those unfamiliar with it, #GivingTuesday is a first of its kind ef-fort that will harness the power of a blend of partners—charities, families, businesses and individuals—to transform how people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season. Habitat for Humanity Utah County is proud to be a part of an effort that focuses on giving to others this holiday season.

We'd like to thank Harmon's for providing some of the goodies for our raffle as well as those that came to the booth and donated!

COME GET YOUR GIFTS WRAPPED! HABITAT SPONSORING “IT’S A WRAP”

AT PROVO TOWNE CENTRE!

Habitat for Humanity of Utah County is sponsoring the annual “It’s A Wrap” gift wrapping booth at the Provo Towne Centre during the holiday season. This year’s gift wrap booth will be located near the

Santa set in the JC Penney Court on the mall level and will be open starting December 20, 2014. Habi-tat will also be selling one pound boxes of See’s chocolates! Proceeds will benefit two families that the local Habitat affiliate is currently building with in Orem. Stop by, get your gifts wrapped, and buy your last minute gifts! Volunteers and shift leaders are also needed. Look online at www.habitatuc.org/volunteer.htm for more informa-tion.

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Benefits of

Homeownership

“Stable, affordable homeownership may positively impact

mental health by increasing the control that homeowners have over their physical environment and minimizing the disruptions associ-ated with frequent, unwanted moves.”

HOUSEHOLD HINT (www.kidspot.com.au) Handy hint 1 - bananarama

Pull bananas apart before displaying them in your fruit bowl. If you leave them connected at the stem, they'll ripen faster and go brown quicker.

What’s Up

• Congratulations to Habitat homeowner, Rochelle Wise. She recently received a grant from Vocational Reha-bilitation to build a small art studio in her backyard and purchase a engraver, allowing her to work as a fulltime artist from home.

• Sponsor a birdhouse and help us build a new home with a family in need in Spanish Fork! The Spanish Fork ReStore has a number of birdhouses available for sponsorship for $100.00. Each birdhouse represents one of the 57 homes the local Habitat affiliate has built or renovated in Utah County in the last 23 years and will be hung throughout the ReStore for one year. The birdhouses will include a plaque with the sponsor’s name and will be given to the sponsor after the year is over. Proceeds will benefit a future Habitat home to be built with the Simpson family in Spanish Fork. Contact Mikeal at the Spanish Fork ReStore for more details at (801) 344-8527.

• The Habitat ReStores in Orem and Spanish Fork have the perfect gifts for those “do it yourselfers” on your Christmas list! Stop by today and see all the great ideals and deals! We even have some new Christmas in-ventory. Locations and hours at www.habitatuc.org/restore.htm.

• Recycle all those aluminum cans from your holiday parties and help provide safe and affordable home-ownership for families in need. Recycle with Habitat today! Details and drop off locations at www.habitatuc.org/recycle.htm.

• To make energy more affordable for families who need it most, One World Solar installs solar panels for low income families including Habitat for Humanity-built homes in our service areas. We bring together community partners, volunteers and job trainees to implement solar power and energy efficiency for families, providing energy cost savings, valuable hands-on experience, and a source of clean local energy that benefits us all. To request an application for the Solar House - Affordable Renewable Energy program, which provides families a long-term solution to reverse high energy bills, email One World Solar at info@1WorldSolar.org.

• Did you know that lung cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer in Utah? – Protect yourself by testing your home for radon today. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, causing an estimated 22,000 deaths of year in the United States. Protect your home and family! Test today! Habitat offers simply radon test kits and radon awareness brochures at the Orem ReStore or online for just $6.00! Learn more www.habitatuc.org.

• Do your Holiday Dinner shopping and help provide safe and affordable housing for families in need in our community! Sign up for Smith’s Community Rewards Program at www.smithscommunityrewards.com, link your account/card with Habitat for Humanity of Utah County (#48773) and then go shopping at your local Smith’s Grocery Store. Smith’s will then provide a financial contribution to the local Habitat affiliate.

• Check out Habitat’s FUNSAVER Site! Habitat for Humanity has partnered with VP Deals to get all the latest bargains on local products/venues. Check out this week’s FUNSAVER specials at www.habitatucdeals.info. A portion of your “fun” purchases will help Habitat further its housing mission in the community.

PHOTO GALLERY

WE ARE FINALLY BUILDING! - After many delays and challenges, Habitat for Humanity of Utah County has finally started building two of the three homes at our Washburn Reams pro-ject in Orem.

Very “Charming”! - The new Charming Charlie store at University Mall held a fundraiser for the Aleman Habitat home currently being built in Orem. The store donated 10 percent of sale proceeds from the event and provided Habitat booth space to talk about our mission with customers.

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RESTORED George Taylor, Jr. Restoration RESTORED! - Habitat for Humanity of Utah County

commemorated its George Taylor, Jr. Restoration and Renovation project completion with a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house last week with hundreds of

community members attending, including Provo Mayor John Curtis and descendants of George Taylor, Jr. The public got a chance to take rare look inside the home built in the 1880s, which was staged for the occasion. “The George Taylor, Jr. Renovation and Restoration project brought Habitat’s affordable housing and revitaliza-tion missions together,” said Kena Jo Mathews, Executive Director of the local Habitat affiliate, “The restoration project will not only provide safe and affordable housing for an area family in need but has renewed and strength-ened the downtown Provo neighborhood by turning an long time eyesore into a community showplace. Habitat is very grateful for the opportunity to be involved with such an amazing and important project.” Habitat partner family, Alex and Mary Kae Blair and their five children, will be purchasing and moving into the home in a few weeks, just in time for Christmas. The local Habitat affiliate would like to thank those that helped us make the beautiful transformation a reality. You made the impossible possible!

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CREW LEADERS AND SITE HOSTS

NEEDED TO HELP GUIDE CONSTRUCTION

Volunteers with construction experience or those wanting to improve their construction skills are be-ing sought to participate in the affiliate's Crew Leader and Site Host Programs. Orientations are monthly. The next orientation will be on at the Habitat office in Orem on December 6th. For infor-mation, contact LeAnn at the number or email be-low.

Volunteer Op

portunities

For more information, look online at www.habitatuc.org or contact LeAnn at (801) 368-2250 or leann@habitatuc.org. You can also sign up online at www.habitatuc.org/volunteer.htm.

VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT TO SERVE

ON COMMITTEES

VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT TO SERVE ON COMMITTEES

Volunteers are needed to serve on all of Habitat’s local committees. Monthly meetings, limited time commitment, no experience necessary, varying interests and skills. For more information, contact LeAnn Hillam at (801) 368-2250 or leann@habitatuc.org.

Home Maintenance Classes

Check out Habitat & Community Action’s Free Home Maintenance Course. The next class will be Wednesday, January 28, 2015, at 6:30 p.m. There will be no class in December due to the holidays. The topics are: Window and Door Insulation and Home Decorating. Classes begin at 6:30 p.m. and are held at the Habitat office at 340 South Orem Blvd., Orem.

At HOME DEPOT – Registration is necessary. Call store or register online. Look online for the December clinic schedule at www.homedepot.com.

At LOWE'S - you must sign up for How-To Clinics by calling 229-1485 or stopping by their store at 140 West Uni-versity Parkway in Orem. Look online for December clinic schedule at www.lowes.com.

At CENTRAL UTAH GARDENS – Registration is necessary. Look online for upcoming classes at www.centralutahgardens.org/classes_events_concerts.aspx

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RESOURCES

Community Action Services offers Home Buyer Education Classes on a monthly basis. Classes in De-cember will be held December 10th and 11th from 6:00-9:00 p.m. To register, please call (801) 691-5200 or go online to www.communityactionuc.org.

Community Action Services and Food Bank will be sponsoring a Financial Literary Class on November 18, December 2, 9, and 16 from 6:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. at the Provo Seventh Day Adventist Church. Call (801) 691-5235 to register. For more information, look online at www.communityactionuc.org.

Dayspring at Heber Valley provides short-stay medical stabilization for motivated individuals trying to end their dependence on opioids or alcohol. For more information, contact 435-657-4352.

Sub for Santa is a temporary Christmas assistance program that matches sponsors with families looking for help For more information on how, when and where to apply, look online at www.unitedwayuc.org/sub-santa/applicants-sub-santa or call 801-356-6200.

HOLIDAY SAVINGS TIP

(www.practicalmoneyskills.com)

9 Holiday Savings Tips

During the holiday gift buying frenzy, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and stressed about not having enough money to spend on your loved ones. You do not have to go into debt to show how much you care. With some careful planning and creative gift giving, you can enjoy some holiday cheer without the financial fear.

Check out these holiday savings tips from Practical Money Skills:

Develop a budget and stick to it: Do not spend more than 1.5 percent of your household annual income on holi-day gifts and entertainment. Check out a free online Holiday Budget calculator.

Create a "micro budget": Write a list of everyone on your gift list and decide how much you would like to spend on each person. Track how much you spend using this Gift Log calculator. This budget should also include costs for additional items such as cards, postage, gift-wrapping, meals, parties, travel, etc.

Shop early: Do not wait until the very last minute to buy presents or you may end up overspending or buying items you did not plan to. Having extra time to compare prices is especially helpful when buying big-ticket items such as electronics or even a new bicycle.

Get creative: Handmade gifts or even personalized coupons can be a special treat in this age of store-bought presents. Think about what the person may want or need then incorporate your own talents. For example: bake some cookies; create a photo album or decorate a picture frame; knit a blanket or scarf; compile your favorite tunes into a music CD; or give a coupon for a home-cooked meal, babysitting time, house cleaning, or even a free one-hour lesson in an area where you are an expert (e.g., computers, dance, cooking, art) – the list is end-less.

Draw names & create a spending cap: These ideas work particularly well for large families and groups of friends. This way, everyone gets a gift but each person only has to buy one gift. Depending on the flexibility and humor of the group, you could: limit the gift to $10–$20 per person; agree on a gift theme (e.g., tropical getaway, house decor, etc.); or even re-gift!

Shop online: It's fast, easy, and you can easily comparison shop. By ordering from the comforts of your own home, you also resist extra temptations like eating out or making impulse purchases.

Pay off your credit cards: If you plan to shop with credit, make sure you have enough money in your bank ac-count to pay off the amount when the bill arrives. Also, consider using cards that offer extra incentives such as frequent flyer miles.

Donate more than cash: Do not spend more than 1.5 percent of your household annual income on holiday gifts and entertainment. Check out a free online Holiday Budget calculator.

Enjoy free and inexpensive holiday activities: There are ample ways to get into the holiday spirit without breaking your budget. Check out your local community calendar for free holiday activities and performances such as a tree lighting or parade; snuggle up with the family and watch a holiday classic such as, "It's a Wonderful Life"; go caroling; have the kids put on a holiday play and invite the neighbors for a potluck dinner; or celebrate with Game Night and pull out your best board games.

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Holiday Speed Cleaning TIPS

'Tis the season where housekeeping is even more of a challenge. The solution? Holiday speed cleaning. These 9 speed cleaning tips will leave you with a clean house that is holiday ready - stat.

1. Grab your Cleaning Supplies.

Stash cleaning supplies in a portable caddy that you can quickly move from room to room. (Santa hat not re-quired.)

Being prepared for last-minute housekeeping sprints makes holiday spot clean ups a snap when guests are at the door and your 4-year-old has just found the finger paints.

2. Make it a family affair.

Since you probably didn't mess up the house yourself, why not get the little culprits to help?

When it is time to freshen in a flash, give your kids a chore that seems more like child’s play.

Have them don a pair of old, clean socks on their hands and send them about dusting shelves; or give them a spray bottle of floor cleaner and a pair of micro fiber slippers to polish the floor the floor to a sparkling shine.

3. Quick Toilet Cleaning Tips.

No time for a full, proper toilet cleaning? Pop two denture tablets into the toilet bowl and watch them work their magic.

Let sit several minutes, and then flush clean.

4. Sweep Away Kid Clutter.

In my home, LEGOS seem to multiply like rabbits.

What’s a host to do when the zillion pieces of her son's latest soon-to-be masterpiece are all over the living room floor?

Grab your broom and dustpan. Not to sweep up the pieces and throw them away (although there are days when I consider this, I confess) but to quickly scoop them up off the floor and into their rightful containers.

This technique works great for any number of small toy pieces that need to be lifted off the floor – fast.

5. Cover Cobwebs.

Pull a clean pillowcase over the head of a broom and nab those lurking webs from the far corners of your ceil-ings in just a twist or two of the wrist. No ladder required.

6. How to Roll on Crumb Patrol.

A lint roller is your best friend when you need couch cleaning at warp speed.

Forget the cumbersome vacuum here - simply grab the lint roller over your upholstered furniture to collect any small bits of dirt, crumbs or pet hair.

7. Furniture Spot Patrol.

Small spots or splotches on upholstery, throw pillow, a window covering? Blot it to oblivion by dabbing the of-fending blight with a baby wipe.

8. Erase Floor Scuff Marks.

Got kids? Then you’ve likely got scuff marks on the floor.

Whether from hockey sticks, roller blades or your own (gasp!) heels, use a soft white eraser for floor cleaning to remove the marks fast.

9. Extend yourself to save time.

Keep an extension cord attached to your vacuum cleaner. That makes cleaning a room quicker, as you can go room to room without unplugging the vacuum each time.

Give yourself a gift this season with these 9 easy speed-cleaning tips. Then rest comfortably knowing the only thing that will be tarnished with ashes and soot will be Santa’s suit.

HOLIDAY HOME MAINTENAN

CE TIP! (www.clean-organized-family-home.com) 7

(www.practicalmoneyskills.com)

HOLIDAY SAFETY TIP

The following Holiday Safety Tips were compiled, in cooperation with the LAPD Crime Prevention Section, to con-tribute to the safety and security of people during the holiday season. The holiday season is always a special time of year. It is also a time when busy people become careless and vulnerable to theft and other holiday crime. We can never be too careful, too prepared or too aware.

• Be extra cautious about locking doors and windows when you leave the house, even for a few minutes.

• When leaving home for an extended time, have a neighbor or family member watch your house and pick up your newspapers and mail.

• Indoor and outdoor lights should be on an automatic timer.

• Leave a radio or television on so the house looks and sounds occupied.

• Large displays of holiday gifts should not be visible through the windows and doors of your home.

• When setting up a Christmas tree or other holiday display, make sure doors and passageways are clear inside your home.

• Be sure your Christmas tree is mounted on a sturdy base so children, elderly persons or family pets can-not pull it over on themselves.

• If you use lights on your Christmas tree ensure the wiring is not damaged or frayed. Frayed or damaged wiring can cause a fire.

• Place your Christmas tree in water or wet sand to keep it green.

• Never place wrapping paper in your fireplace.

(www.lapdonline.org)

HEALTHY HOLIDAY TIP

Ten Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating

• Be realistic. Don’t try to lose pounds during the holidays, instead try to maintain your current weight.

• Plan time for exercise. Exercise helps relieve holiday stress and prevent weight gain. A moderate and daily in-crease in exercise can help partially offset increased holiday eating. Try 10- or 15-minute brisk walks twice a day.

• Don’t skip meals. Before leaving for a party, eat a light snack like raw vegetables or a piece of fruit to curb your appetite. You will be less tempted to over-indulge.

• Survey party buffets before filling your plate. Choose your favorite foods and skip your least favorite. Include vegetables and fruits to keep your plate balanced.

• Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed. Savor your favorite holiday treats while eating small portions. Sit down, get comfortable, and enjoy.

• Be careful with beverages. Alcohol can lessen inhibitions and induce overeating; non-alcoholic beverages can be full of calories and sugar.

• If you overeat at one meal go light on the next. It takes 500 calories per day (or 3,500 calories per week) above your normal/maintenance consumption to gain one pound. It is impossible to gain weight from one piece of pie!

• Take the focus off food. Turn candy and cookie making time into non-edible projects like making wreaths, dough art decorations or a gingerbread house. Plan group activities with family and friends that aren’t all about food. Try serving a holiday meal to the community, playing games or going on a walking tour of decorated homes.

• Bring your own healthy dish to a holiday gathering.

• Practice Healthy Holiday Cooking. Preparing favorite dishes lower in fat and calories will help promote healthy holiday eating.

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Adobe Allen Roberts Ancestry.com Bashful Butler Catering Benjamin Tateoka Bike & Build Brad Simons Brick Oven BYU American Society of Civil Engineers BYU Bradley PR BYU Family Life Department BYU Habitat for Humanity Chapter BYU Society of Women Engineers BYU Tau Beta Pi Carl and Melanie Harris Central Bank CenturyLink Charming Charlie Corporate Alliance Cory and Andrea Jensen Craig Karren CRSA Dal Tile Dale Wilkerson Diamond Rental Digicert DOBA Doug Carlson Dr. Gregg Pitts and staff Dynamic Structures Erika Taylor Five Star Franchising Focus Engineering & Surveying Foremost Carpets and Interiors

Galaxie Lighting George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation Habitat Board, Committee and Staff Members Heidi Garner Holly Williams HUD IM Flash Technologies Jenny Starley Josh Yost JP Cooling K’Lei Legerski K9 Construction Ken and Dana Mathews Kevin Tippetts Lowe’s Marvellous Catering Mayor John Curtis McCoy's Flooring and Cabinets National Trust for Historic National Women Build Week National Wood Products Navy Recruitment Center Nestle NetScout Nicolas Alamo Nicole Siri NorthStar Alarm Novell Nudge NuSkin Paul Richards Payroll Experts Powerhouse Electric

Provo City Provo Housing Authority Provo Redevelopment Agency Provo’s Landmark Commission Response Marketing Group Salisbury Plumbing Sound Vision Signs Startup’s Candy Steve and Terry Ann Olsen Steve Cornell TD Ameritrade The Blair Family The Daily Herald The Heritage Foundation The Taylor Family The Utah Valley Symphony The Walton Group Told Plumbing United Way of Utah County US Synthetic Utah Cancer Action Network Utah Heritage Foundation Utah State Historical Society UVU Habitat for Humanity Chapter Venture Plumbing Wells Fargo Whirlpool Women's Council of Realtors-Utah County Wolverine PR WPA Architecture Xactware Zach Vegge Zions Bank

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Thank You Thanks to everyone that helped us to give a “hand up” to families in

need in our community in 2014 through safe and affordable housing!

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2-Building Committee

Giving Tuesday

3-Happy 23rd Birthday Habitat

4 5 6-Crew Leader/Site Host Training

7 8-NR Com-

mittee

9 10 11 12-Executive and Finance Com-mittee

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14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30 31

Of Utah County

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Sun

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The Habitat office will be closed December 24 through January 2. The Habitat ReStores will be closed December 24th through December 26th and January 1st.

Building Committee December 2, 2014 2:00 p.m. Central Bank Riverside Branch

Giving Tuesday December 2, 2014

Happy 23rd Birthday Habitat December 3, 2014

Crew Leader/Site Host Training December 6, 2014 9:00 a.m.

NR Committee December 8, 2014 3:00 p.m.

Executive and Finance Committee December 12, 2014 7:30 a.m. Orem Habitat office

Merry Christmas December 25, 2014

Happy New Year January 1, 2014

The Habitat office will be closed December 24 through January 2. The Habitat ReStores will be closed December 24th through December 26th and January 1st.