Habitat for Humanity finishes 12th Valley house

PALMER — Home should be a welcoming place, just ask new homeowner Heather Welcome.

After posing for pictures Saturday and chatting with well-wishers, Welcome stopped to have a slice of banana bread in her brand-new kitchen.

“It’s been a long process,” she said. “I’m happy to be finally done.”

The process was the one that got her this new house on Icy Lane in Palmer. Her home is the 12th Habitat for Humanity Mat-Su has built. On Saturday, they cut the ribbon on the home and on Monday she’ll be moving in.

Welcome’s home has its own name — the Menard Oliver Memorial home. That commemorates two longtime board members — Curt Menard and Jim Oliver — who have both passed away.

Menard’s widow, former state Sen. Linda Menard, said when her husband passed away they asked that memorial donations be made to Habitat.

“I just think this is the best program,” Menard said.

Welcome certainly believes so. She said that though it was tough work — she had to put in 500 hours and worked on literally every part of the home — it was great to learn about construction and having a permanent house for herself and her two young daughters is going to make a big difference in their lives.

She came to Habitat for Humanity through co-worker Paddy Coan, who is on Habitat Mat-Su’s board of directors. Coan said it started with a conversation.

“She says, ‘well, what do you have to do to be a Habitat homeowner?’” Coan recalled. They went over the requirements and it looked like Welcome met every one. “I looked at her and said, ‘well, you are the perfect candidate.’”

She gave a lot of credit for the construction of the house to building contractor and fellow board member Tim Ensminger.

“I’m sure sometimes he felt we were pushing him with two hands and four feet,” she said.

She pointed out that Ensminger gave up all of his Saturdays for more than a year.

Habitat board president Bob Pickett said the organization wouldn’t be around if it weren’t for that kind of dedication.

“We rely entirely on volunteers,” he said.

Coan said that Habitat is always seeking volunteers and is also now seeking applicants for the next house. The homes aren’t free. Homeowners pay a low-cost, no-interest mortgage, the payments from which go to build the next house. Where that next house will be is yet to be decided.

“We are in need of a new lot to build on,” Coan said.

Board member Israel Nelson said that if someone wants to donate one, “we would gladly receive it.”

Coan noted, though, that the homes have to be built kind of in the Valley’s core area. Sometimes people come to Habitat with lots in Willow, but they have to be turned away.

“You can’t get volunteers to go that far,” Coan said.

Contact Andrew Wellner at 352-2270 or

andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com.