Winter 1998 Newsletter

Formatting Update: August, 1998

Blitz build four homes in nine days?

You're probably asking -- Is it possible? How can it be done? Just what is a 'blitz build'? I have to admit that I am always skeptical when I hear of Habitat affiliates all over the country who claim to build a house in a day, or a week, but I have experienced a nine day blitz build (in Minnesota) and it's exhilarating and exhausting and rewarding and just plain a great deal of fun!

Seattle Habitat for Humanity has been selected as one of seven sites in the world where Habitat's founder and CEO, Millard Fuller, will be attending one day of our September "Building on Faith" week and blitz build. Our blitz build will take place September 12-20 at our South Park site. We'll dedicate the 3rd and 4th South Park homes with Millard's help on September 15th, and the blitz homes (numbers 5, 6, 7 and 8) on Sunday, September 20th.

But you ask --- Just what is a 'blitz build'? A blitz build is when Habitat volunteers and home buyers participate in an accelerated building schedule to build homes in a small time span, usually a week to 10 days. Much advanced planning and preparation takes place, for months prior to the actual building. The foundations are completed, capped, and backfilled before the blitz build begins. Each house will have its own "house leader", as well as an assistant house leader and four or five crew leaders, and about twenty-five general volunteers, every day of the blitz. There is also a support team consisting of a set-up crew and materials crew. All workers begin each day with a communal breakfast, and plenty of snacks and lunch are provided throughout the day. There's also an "elf crew" consisting mainly of skilled volunteers, who begin work every day at about 4pm, and work into the night to catch up the day's work and keep everything on schedule, and to do the skilled tasks, such as the plumbing, wiring, heating work, and drywall finishing.

As you can imagine, many, many volunteers are needed for a blitz build! We hope that each of the four homes will be sponsored by one or several groups, but many individuals will be needed to fill in the gaps, provide the skilled leadership, work as the support team, run errands, develop press releases, serve as first aid specialists, and of course feed all the workers. Construction workers will be given priority if they are able to work for two or more consecutive days. Volunteers will probably work in three day blocks of time, so schedule some vacation time now and plan to join us for this exciting time. Please fax us (206-292-5241) or call us (206-292-5240) if you want to get a group involved, or just yourself as an individual. We'll be starting to keep a list of interested volunteers, and as the plans develop we'll send you additional information on what to do if you want to be involved. More details to come in the early summer newsletter, as well, but if you want to be sure to get all the most up to date information, let us know.

Save the days, September 12-20 and plan to participate in our Building on Faith Blitz Build, and circle September 15th on your calendar when you will be able to meet Habitat's founder, Millard Fuller, at the blitz site during the afternoon, or have dinner with him at a site near the airport, or attend the "Habitation" that evening with Millard as the featured speaker. The Building on Faith week is being done as a collaborative project with four other nearby Habitat affiliates of Tacoma, South King County, East King County, and SW Snohomish. Please let us know if you want to get involved with any of the planning and organizing. We hope to see you in September, and all those months in between!