Huge community event building brighter futures for Seguin families

(Seguin) — The Guadalupe Valley Affiate for Habitat for Humanity is bringing together dozens of community volunteers to help literally build a better life for hard working and deserving families in the Seguin area.

Habitat’s Build for Better Bash runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in the West Court Street parking lot at Texas Lutheran University. The event uses volunteers, from all walks of life, to build the walls that will be used for Habitat’s 50th and 51st homes that will be built here in Seguin later this year.

Habitat’s Madeline Zwicke-Dalman says there’s still time to sign up as a volunteer. She says it’s a fun way to make a real difference in Seguin. She says she don’t need to have any special skills just a desire to help provide quality and decent housing for local families.

Zwicke-Dalman says Habitat builds the homes and then sell them to families, who also contribute to the home building process, through sweat-equity hours. She says these homes are not a handout.

“I want people to just realize the (housing) need in Seguin. We are not giving these homes away. I think that’s a big misconception. We are partnering with local families who want to help themselves. We are empowering them. These families are the hardest working people I know. We sell the homes to them. We do offer an interest free mortgage, which makes it affordable. I believe in what we are doing here at Habitat and I believe in our mission, because I believe in helping people. We all have a duty to help people in our community and I think there’s no better way to do that then through housing, because when you have a safe place to call home — to me, all of the other pieces in your life fall into place,” said Zwicke-Dalman.

Habitat officials say their volunteers love helping with the builds, and that certainly will be the case during the Build for Better Bash. Habitat’s Taylor Judkin says whether you sign up for this weekend’s build, or for one of the regular build days — she thinks you’ll want to come back and support Habitat and its work.

“It’s just such a ripple effect. That’s really what I hope that people will get out of this. Just try it and come out. It may not be for everyone, but I’m pretty positive — that if you come out and you swing that hammer and put up that siding or you paint — you’re going to get addicted.  You’re going to get hooked on it. And then you’ll get to meet the families and hear their stories, and you’re going to walk away with more than you came with,” said Judkin. 

Seguin Radio KWED (AM 1580) will be broadcasting live from the event. KWED General Manager Darren Dunn says this is a fun way from them to also give back to habitat. He says he hopes individuals, organizations, churches and businesses will all come out to Saturday’s big event.

“We are excited to again come out and be a part of Build for Better Bash. We hope as many people as possible will come out to TLU, stop by and say hello, and help to swing a hammer and make a difference for hard working families here in this community,” said Dunn.

There will be entertainment and food offered during the event. To get signed up, go to habitatgv.org. In addition to building the walls, Habitat for Humanity is also accepting donations during the event. If you have furniture or household items, those items can be dropped at the event on Saturday.