July 26, 2008 - Dedication Ceremony

On Saturday, July 26th at 10 am, we shared one of the most meaningful moments in the Habitat experience. The Thomas family, members of Saint Peter and Paul Church, Placer County Redevelopment Agency and Foothills Habitat for Humanity dedicated the newest Habitat home in Placer County. The address is 4660 Greenbrae Road, Rocklin, CA.

The Thomas Family     View of the finished house

Saints Peter & Paul Church

June 2008 -- WE’RE FINISHING THE HOUSE!

The end is in sight, as we are finishing up the last few work projects on our Rocklin house.  We, and the family of five who will call the house “home”, are so excited to see the dream become reality.  So many dedicated volunteer partners in our community have contributed to the funding, the building materials, and the labor that built this house.  Thank you to all with special thanks to Saint Peter and Paul Church in Rocklin and the Placer County Redevelopment Agency!  We anticipate having the Dedication Celebration at the end of July.  We can already envision the family’s three small children having so much fun in their new home and neighborhood!

We give a special thank you to Larry, Rich, Steve and Dave
who have contributed countless hours of labor the past few months to wrap up the build. 
Foothills Habitat for Humanity truly appreciates your dedication!

WE’RE BUILDING ANOTHER ONE!

We are moving rapidly towards starting on our next build, which will be adjacent to our current Rocklin home.  We envision this next house as the dream-come-true of another local family that, through partnering with Habitat, will be able to afford to purchase and maintain a safe and decent home where they can start traditions, build friendships, and find security.

This build will offer you and your friends, your co-workers, your organization, or your church the unique opportunity to participate “hands on” in something so essential .  Hands on participation comes in many forms – sponsorship of the build, monetary or materials donations, or donated labor in the building of the house.  Each of these contributions is essential and leads to the goal of locating another family away from substandard housing and into an affordable home of their own.  

Partner with us. The ability to change lives lies in your hands.  Please refer to our Donate and Volunteer sites for more information. If your church or organization would like information on sponsoring this build or a portion of it, please contact Tertia Hawkins, Executive Director, at the Habitat office - 916.781.9601.

February to June 2008 - A Brief Update

June - Just a few more details like painting the exterior and we are very close to completion. We should have a ribbon cutting ceremony in July.

May - We were able to get a great price on laminate and it looks fantastic! Our partner family has severe allergies and not having carpet in the house will be a blessing for them.

April - Once the painting is done, we're on to the task of all that interior trim work. Setzer Forest Products of Sacramento has generously donated all of the trim; door frames, casings, and baseboard. Dave and Rich handled the insulation machine, finishing off the walls.

March - John and Dave check around the exterior of the house and finish up the missing trim. Looks like John is doing most of the work. Dave must be keeping him company.

February - Kitchen cabinets are installed and the bathrooms are coming together. Drywall is up and ready to be painted. Julie Ourada does a good job in the tight spaces like closet corners.

December 2007 - Year End Wrap Up

Lots of detail work has gone on inside the house as we now move to insulation, drywall, and completing the interior. The driveway and back patio are poured. Monica Ourada, from Saint Peter and Paul Church, makes a handprint in the wet concrete to leave a permanent blessing for the home and those who live there. The single handprint reminds us that Habitat for Humanity is a hand up, not a handout. Our Habitat families appreciate the generosity of money, time, materials, and labor extended to them by many of you. The handprint is also a symbol of the commitment Habitat homeowners make to help others less fortunate. One gift from an individual, corporation, or a group, like the folks at Saint Peter and Paul, lasts through generations.

The Habitat home has windows, doors, siding, trim, electric wire and panel, tub and showers, and a fantastic retaining wall on both sides. There are many people to thank for all of their assistance, while numerous companies have donated materials. We've had a great time and look forward to more excitement in the months ahead. You will see some of the people and highlights of the build below.

Our deepest and most sincere appreciation to the members of Saint Peter and Paul Church, the sponsor of the build and Habitat's Greg Sorrento, who owns Sorrento and Associates, has worked on the Habitat home every week for the past seven months. He spends lots of time ordering supplies, supervising the Saturday volunteers, getting inspections, organizing the build, getting skilled professionals to assist us, and so on.

Saints Peter & Paul Church
4450 Granite Dr, Rocklin

July 2007 - Mid-Summer Update

Round Table Pizza in Rocklin, located at Granite and Rocklin Rd, treated volunteers with their speciality pizzas. We appreciated the delicious lunch and volunteers were able to work a couple more hours because of it.

March 2007 - Home Update

HGA Architectural had a team on the site. Heather showed amazing patience and a steady hand as she painted the Habitat logo and name on the worksite trailer. The rest of the team finished building the side retaining wall and it looks fantastic. The durability and permanence of the block provides a sturdy wall that will last a long time for the Habitat families.

John Stout and Steve Ourada, Saint Peter and Paul church members, have spent so much time on the Habitat project that we're beginning to think of them as staff. John, who can do anything from framing, roofing, electrical, displays his creativity with hat decorations on St. Patick's Day. Steve, a Habitat Hercules, usually handles all the big stuff like running heavy equipment, digging trenches, and lifting the commercial-size block for the retaining walls. He shows some finesse with the circular saw.

Robert Wharton, Saint Peter and Paul church. and Dave Zorn, Habitat volunteer, have been the dynamic duo on this build. They've made a great team as they've put on most of the siding and trim around the house. Here they are working on a wall in the house. Dave, a retired executive, has gotten pretty handy with a hammer. Robert is willing to do anything necessary to get the home completed...including hauling in water.

Maria Zemple signed up a group of volunteers from Grace Lutheran Church in Lincoln. Maria and her husband have worked on numerous Habitat homes around the world.

Bank of America sent a team from their Loan Center in Rancho Cordova. Teri, Joyce, Rose, Scott, and Michael were very energetic and helpful. They joined other volunteers who helped on the first day of pulling wire in the house. Those wires can be confusing sometimes. In the far right photo, Joyce is sharing her strategy with Michael to do something in the garage ceiling.

Steve Ourada led the teams who put up the retaining wall. This project was a huge undertaking but the wall looks fabulous and it really increases the size of the yard. A group of students from William Jessup University, Steve's neighbors, and Steve's company employees all helped with the wall which goes from the back of the house, along the side, and around to the front of the house. The Thomas children will appreciate all the hard work it took. Jessica Ourada demonstrates our appreciation for everyone who contributed to this project.

Bruce Runquist, Runquist Plumbing, has donated their time and labor plus material to install the plumbing.

John Wilson, manager of Ferguson Plumbing located on Dominquez Road in Rocklin, asked Florestone Products to donate the one-piece tub kit and shower kit....and they did! What a great gift to our community build.

Upstate Rain Gutters in Chico, owned by Matt Gross, donated and installed these fantastic seamless rain gutters. The folks from Upstate came and went really fast but their work is superior and the gutters are wonderful.

Hall's Windows donated and delivered these beautiful, dual pane windows along with a sliding glass door. Following Hall's instructions, volunteers are able to easily install the windows...once we turned had the windows in the right way!

D7 Roof made a super generous donation all the roof materials including the tile. This is Marty, and his daughter, who is responsible for asking his company to make the donation. Our family will have a solid roof, and very attractive, roof for many, many years.

Solid exterior walls and roof! This is getting exciting!

It's February and the weather is gorgeous. This home is being built for the Thomas family. Every weekend either James or Tracy are working on the site. This Saturday was the first time that Collin and Lillian were able to come out. The family reviews the plans with Architect Milton Goes, Collin inside his very own closet, and Lillian takes a look at her new room with Tracy and Collin.

Lillian watches the volunteers work on her home, Tracy does a walk-through, and James and kids in the window.

Below, Mike Frazier continues to work on the roof. Mike with his new trophy and volunteers. Greg Sorrento presented Mike with a Best Builder trophy recognizing Mike's dedication to the project. In the last photo, Greg wants Mike to move the roof over just a smidgen.

Bralynn Newby and John Stout agree to stop and pose for a moment. Jeremy Gray is always quick with a smile. John Engle and Milton Goes tighten up a few things in the laundry area.

January 2007 - The Walls Are Up!

January comes to an end. The walls are framed - most of them and the trusses are up - most of them. It's not all work, Greg, Bralynn and Jeremy take a break and share a laugh. Water donated by Chong Partners Architecture.

Empire Safety and Supply in Roseville donated new hard hats. Larry Bergmooser reviews how to attach the thing inside. There were so many different colors! Robert Wharton and Dave Zorn look pretty good in their hats.

Hmm, I hope I did this right...Rich Sabbagh, Habitat Board President

You want what?

Happy Habitat Helpers!

Does anyone know where this goes? How many nails did he say, is 4 enough?

Volunteering his time to help leading construction work is Greg Sorrento, Sorrento Designs. Greg also serves as a Foothills Habitat Board Member. "Mike, where’d we put the instructions?"

Milton Goes, a member of Saint Peter and Paul, was instrcreated the architectural drawings and floor plans for the house. Milton has been very instrumental in seeing this home get off the ground....literally. Here he is working on the walls.

Several days of work began with temperatures in the 30s and it never seemed to get any warmer. A layer of ice covers these boards but nothing holds back Mike Frazier, Frazier Construction. Mike is volunteering his time and use of tools to lead the framing and has been working every Saturday plus a few weekdays for the past two months.

Steve Ourada of Ourada Engineering has been a real Habitat Hero by moving the project through development and permitting. Not just an engineer, Steve also works on the foundation, operating the Sky-track, and unloading block for a retaining wall. Hoar Construction donated the block. Helping to unload the block are Tim and Aaron, with Ourada Engineering, and volunteer Mario Mijango.

December 2006 - Moving Dirt
CONSTRUCTION IN PROGRESS! Construction has started on the first of two homes in Rocklin. Saint Peter and Paul church in Rocklin is sponsoring the first home which is a three-bedroom, two bath. As the walls go up, it is easy to imagine the Thomas family enjoying their next Christmas in this delightful home.

Glen Templeton, Templeton Building & Design, volunteered his time, the use of his bobcat, and led the work on the foundation. Livingston Concrete delivered and donated all of the concrete. Bruce Runquist, owner Runquist Plumbing Company, volunteered his time and donated the materials for the initial plumbing work.

October 22, 2007 - Groundbreaking Ceremony

The groundbreaking ceremony was October 22nd, a very hot afternoon but 94 faithful folks attended the event. Here is Lillian Thomas with her gold shovel. Lillian began  work on her future home that very afternoon.

Also in the picture: Father Dillon, Saint Peter and Paul; Catherine Troka, property owner; Michelle Michaels, SS Peter and Paul Committee Chairperson; Jessica Wharton, SS Peter and Paul Committee Representative; Jim Holmes, Placer County Supervisor; Joe Serrano, Redevelopment Agency; Robert Floodman, Coldwell Banker Auburn; Habitat Family - James Thomas, Tracy Thomas, Collin Thomas; Rich Sabbagh, Board President Foothills Habitat for Humanity.