Tag Archives: Concordia College

Concordia Students Organize Playhouse Project for Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity

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The Playhouse Project was organized by Concordia’s Habitat for Humanity College Chapter Board.

Students at Concordia are kicking off their homecoming week in a special way this year- student groups are teaming up to build and decorate children’s playhouses for Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity.“We’re excited to take part in the Playhouse Project at Concordia,” said Rob Rich, Executive Director for Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity.  “Concordia’s Habitat for Humanity College Chapter approached our local Habitat for Humanity affiliate about collaborating on project that would bring together students to help families in need in our community.  The sale of these playhouses will support Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity’s efforts to eliminate substandard housing in Cass and Clay counties.”

Concordia’s Habitat for Humanity College Chapter will host the Playhouse Project at the Knutson Campus Center on the Concordia Campus on Saturday, October 6.  The event is slated to begin at 9 a.m. with the hopes of completing the build by the end of the day. Facilities on campus have graciously offered to move the houses around the Concordia campus to be displayed through their Homecoming weekend.

Each house will be built and painted by a student organization.  The designs for all the houses will be the same structure, but the student organizations are planning to each paint their homes with a fun theme.  Concordia’s Student Government Association (SGA), Student Environmental Alliance (SEA), Dance Marathon, Women’s Lacrosse Team, Better Together and Habitat for Humanity College Chapter will all be participating in the Playhouse Project.

Following Concordia’s homecoming, the custom-designed and decorated playhouses will be available for purchase at the local Habitat ReStore at 210 11th Street North, Moorhead.  Proceeds from the sale of the playhouses will support Habitat’s mission of bringing people together to build homes, communities, and hope.

The Excitement is Building!

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Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity’s third annual Hard Hat Breakfast, held Wednesday, April 25 at the Ramada Plaza Suites & Conference Center in Fargo, drew a capacity crowd.  The ballroom was filled with more than 200 people who each enjoyed breakfast and a program about the exciting impact Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity is making in our community.  The event raised over $7,000 for the affiliate.

“It was great to see so many people join us this year to learn more about the important work our organization is doing in the community,” said Rob Rich, Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity’s Executive Director.  “I hope to see many of them on the build sites this summer!”

2012 Hard Hat Breakfast

Stan Franek speaks to a capacity crowd at the 2012 Hard Hat Breakfast

The morning began with Rob Rich, the new Executive Director, welcoming everyone and sharing some information about Habitat for Humanity. “Homeowner Impact,” a video from Habitat for Humanity of Minnesota discussing the 2011 Homeowner Impact Pilot Study was shown to demonstrate the positive effects homeownership can have on the lives of families.  Bryce Johnson, Executive Vice President of Home Builders Association of Fargo Moorhead, shared her thoughts about the long-standing relationship between Home Builders Association of Fargo Moorhead and Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity and what it means for them to sponsor their first build- a home to be built in Fargo in 2012.  Stan Franek, a long time volunteer and Thrivent Builds coordinator, spoke about the nation-wide Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity program and his excitement for the 12th Thrivent Builds home to be built by Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity in 2012.  Jon Mergens and Chelsi Argabright, co-chairs of the Concordia Habitat for Humanity Chapter shared their personal connection to Habitat for Humanity’s mission and why they choose to volunteer with the organization.

Homeowner speaks at Hard Hat

Habitat Homeowner Coreen Graham shares her story at the 3rd annual Hard Hat Breakfast.

Coreen Graham, 2008 Habitat Homeowner, shared her story with the crowd. Graham and her two children now live in a safe home and can use more than one appliance at a time without the fear that the poor electrical wiring will cause a fire.  She also spoke about how her children are no longer ashamed to have friends over and how she was able to take care of her father after he was diagnosed with cancer- all because of the Habitat home she built with volunteers from the community.

“Without Habitat, without the accessible home, my children would not have been able to spend the last months of his life with their grandfather,” Graham said.  “It’s more than a house- it’s our home.”

We would like to thank all the table sponsors and individuals who donated their time and talents to Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity.  Special thanks to our event sponsors this year:  Alerus Financial; Dawson Insurance; Ramada Plaza and Suites; Wallwork Truck Center; and Wells Fargo.  With your donations and support, Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity is able to build homes, communities and hope in Cass and Clay counties.

If you are interested in becoming involved in Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity or would like more information, please call 218-284-5253 or email habitat@lakeagassizhabitat.org.  You can also visit our website to find out more about Habitat and how you can get involved.  If it is helping with a build, making lunch for the build volunteers, or becoming a part of a committee, we offer something for everyone.

Celebrating 20 Years of Building Homes, Hope and Futures

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A home is an amazing thing. It’s a shelter, a refuge, a sanctuary. To the families that Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity has helped over the past 20 years, it’s also a dream come true.

It’s hard to believe that 20 years ago we started building simple, decent and affordable homes in partnership with families in Cass and Clay counties. So here’s a little bit about us, where we came from and where we’re heading. 

Raising the Roof

Volunteers work together to raise the roof on a LAHFH Build

Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity began in 1991 when Concordia College Pastor Phil Holtan heard former President Jimmy Carter speak about Habitat for Humanity. Inspired by his words, Holtan began a Habitat chapter on Concordia’s campus. Interest in Habitat quickly grew and Holtan decided a local affiliate was needed. On June 1, 1991, Habitat for Humanity International officially accepted Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity as the 609th affiliate in the U.S.

In October 1991, Habitat’s Board of Directors selected the affiliate’s first partner family. Three months later, construction was completed and the first Habitat home in Cass and Clay Counties was dedicated with more than 75 people in attendance.

This past summer, Lake Agassiz Habitat celebrated 20 years of building in Cass and Clay counties. Since its 1991 beginnings, Lake Agassiz Habitat has served 40 families in five communities around the area. 2011’s Barnesville Build will mark the sixth community Habitat has served.

Habitat 20th anniversary ribbon cutting

Habitat Board Members, staff, and volunteers are joined by Chamber Ambassadors and local mayors at the 20th Anniversary ribbon cutting.

For the 2011 build season, the organization received a record 150 requests for applications. Of the 41 applications Habitat received, five families were chosen to receive new homes. We’ll begin work on the last of our 2011 builds on September 10 with the wall raising for the duplex.

So what have we learned these past 20 years? Well, a lot. But one lesson sticks out. What we do transforms lives. We’re building safe, affordable, well constructed homes. Those things are life-changing to these families.

Want to learn more about Lake Agassiz Habitat and how you can get involved? Visit www.lakeagassizhabitat.org.