ROCKINGHAM — As the first day of work nears for the Brown family’s new home, Habitat for the Humanity of the NC Sandhills is honing in on their fundraising and building plans for 2019.
The Womanless Pageant will be held Nov. 16 at the Wayman Chapel Faith Center. So far, about 15 contestants are preparing to run again.
“Last year’s pageant was a huge success with an amazing group of men who brought their best pageant dresses, talents and charm,” Amie Fraley, executive director of the Sandhills Habitat. “This is our primary fundraiser and your participation or attendance will help make this home possible.”
Fraley said some of the contestants are returning from last year.
“They pulled out all the stops and had great talent,” added Farley. “We will have some new ones joining too.”
Habitat also selected its next recipient of a Habitat home: Marine veteran Fati Brown, his daughters Jasmine and Airel and granddaughter, Jordyn.
Brown, who served in the Gulf War with the Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, began volunteering with Habitat about four years ago at the encouraging of a friend and has since worked as a lead volunteer in repair projects, home and ramp builds and community gardens put on by the nonprofit.
He said he wasn’t volunteering with the intent of receiving a home, but his body of work and military led to him being offered a home.
“It’s been great because in the process of helping myself I was able to help a lot of their people realize their dreams (of home ownership),” Brown told the Daily Journal following the announcement.
For the last three years, Brown and his daughters and granddaughter have lived with his mother.
Habitat will begin work on the Brown family’s home on Wednesday, Sept. 11 next to a previous Habitat home at 391 Green Lake Rd. Most of the building will be done from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday’s and Saturdays, but the time may vary to fit a group’s needs.
“(Brown) will purchase the home with a guaranteed affordable mortgage through Habitat,” Fraley said. “This will mark the fifteenth home in Richmond County built by Habitat volunteers.”
The RVers — a handy group of travelers from across the U.S. assisting with community service project — will again be helping build the home, as they did for the last Habitat home built in Richmond County.
“Nineteen individuals will be working each day during their two-week stay. Our goal is to complete Mr. Brown’s home before Christmas – if we can fill every build day, we can do it,” said Farley.
To volunteer, call the Habitat for the Humanity of the NC Sandhills at 910-295-1934.
Jael Pembrick can be reached at 910-506-3169 or [email protected].