Habitat for Humanity of Martha’s Vineyard

N E W S L E T T E R - Spring of 2004

WORKING WITH ISLAND FAMILIES

TO BUILD SIMPLE DECENT HOMES

Letter from Ron DiOrio, Board President On June 27, 2004 Habitat for Humanity of Martha's Vineyard will dedicate our two new homes on Bennett Way in Edgartown. We are indebted to the hundreds of volunteers that have made this joyous event possible and invite you to be with us on this happy occasion for our two Island families that will own their first house. We are pleased to announce that we will start construction on a new house this summer. This will be the first time that we have undertaken the building of a house in the summer. The Board of Habitat for Humanity of Martha's Vineyard is very excited to be working with the Island Affordable Housing Fund in what we hope will be an annual “house raising.” The house will be built in one location and then moved to its permanent site on Jenney Lane in Edgartown as soon as we get the foundation in place. Habitat for Humanity of Martha's Vineyard would like to explore the building of two houses at this time but would need a substantial infusion of donations to achieve this objective. A Habitat house costs us about $65,000 on average and all those funds must be raised from private donations since Habitat does not take any public monies to build our houses. This is where you can help. If you have made a donation, thank you, and if you have not made one, this is an opportunity to help us extend ourselves this summer and try to build two houses. I don’t have to explain the desperate need for housing that continues on the Island, but we are making a difference through your support. Join us on the 27^th of June and see the joy in the faces of the two families that will own their own home. Calendar of Spring Events Build Day every Saturday 9AM-4PM – no experience needed Essay Contest – details to be announced House Walk 2004 – Saturday, May 8^th Comedy Night – Saturday, May 29^th Second Annual Art Auction – Friday, June 25^th Dedication of Bennett Way Houses – Sunday, June 27^th

A Simple, Decent, Affordable Home – Julie Willett, Executive Director Thanks to our Volunteers I was at our Bennett Way build site and saw great progress being made on our two houses. These houses would not be where they are at without the volunteer efforts of so many Islanders. The contributions of time have been so generous. We all have jobs and commitments that stress our everyday lives. Our children are our priority each day, the maintenance of our own households, the opportunities that come to be with friends and neighbors, all of these things take our time. And yet, with our busy lives, there are those who volunteer, who find the time to give of themselves to help others. The satisfaction in volunteering, of knowing that the work you are doing will help another household find hope and security in owning their own home is a great reward. Many thanks to those of you who have already spent time at our build site, building simple, decent houses. If you are interested in joining us, please call the office at 508-696-4646. There is still work to be done – please volunteer your time and make adequate housing a matter of conscience and action. Construction Central – Dick Mezger Construction continues on Melissa’s house (#6 Bennett Way) and Victoria’s house (#10 Bennett Way). The last few months have been a bit slow – weather being a major factor. Melissa’s house now has in rough electric and the rough plumbing is in progress; about 30% of the cedar shingling siding has been done. Victoria’s house is running a close second – it is now closed to the weather and its rough electric is done and most of the heating system, a very innovative heating system, has been installed. (continued on page 2)

Board of Directors:	Tom Burke, Building	Janice Perrin, Family Partnership
Ron DiOrio*, Chair	Toby Codding, Building	Mark Rasmussen, Development
Julie Sullivan*, Vice Chair	Rev. Jerry Fritz, Family Selection	Jack Ross, Site Selection
Berkeley Johnson*, Secretary & Site Selection	Lorna Giles, Volunteer Coordinator & Building	Patty Wallace
Al DeVito*, Treasurer & Public Relations	Bud Macy, Public Relations	Alan Wilson, Site Selection
Jack Street*, Development	Hope Murphy, Development	* Member, Executive Committee
Miki Badnek, Family Selection	Greg Orcutt, Site Selection
Staff: Julie Willett, Executive Director Dick Mezger, Construction Coordinator	Newsletter: Comments welcome Dick Mezger, Editor 508.693.3637 ( h ) or 508.320.3973 ( c ) rmezger@habitatmv.org	Office Phone: 508.696.4646 Email: houses@habitatmv.org Website: http://local.habitat.org/mv

Berkeley Johnson – Board Secretary Interview by Bud Macy Berkeley Johnson, secretary of the board of Habitat for Humanity of Martha¹s Vineyard, confesses he has always fancied being an architect. He became an attorney instead. However, both as an attorney and as a member of various non-profit organizations over the years, he accumulated invaluable experience in such aspects of building as financing, insurance and negotiating with governmental agencies. After college and the Navy, Berkeley went to work for an uncle who was an attorney and who owned an insurance agency in Lakeville, CT. He worked days in the insurance agency and four nights after work he drove the fifty odd miles to Hartford to attend UConn¹s law school. “I¹d get home about eleven thirty, get up at six and read for two hours, then go to work. My uncle was good about letting me read for an hour in the afternoon. Of the sixty-seven students who started night school in September 1956, thirty-three took the final exam, fourteen of us passed.” Originally the plan was for Berkeley to take over his uncle¹s law practice. But that didn¹t work out. In 1962 he moved to New Canaan, CT to become a member of a firm of attorneys in New York City. Berkeley commuted daily from New Canaan to Manhattan for eighteen years. In 1976 he and another attorney opened a branch office of the New York firm in New Canaan. After 1980, his commute to New York was down to once a month. The New Canaan office was where he did the bulk of his work. Since moving to the Vineyard full time in 1999 Berkeley characterizes himself as being semi-retired. “I am a trustee of a number of trusts for two families and their family charitable foundations. Maintaining correspondence with the families, processing grant applications, contact with the bank trustees, I¹m at my desk or computer three mornings a week anyway.” Berkeley has always been an active participant in social and civic affairs. He was an elder of the Presbyterian Church in New Canaan, and in New York he was on the board of the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies. Berkeley served as chair of the Board of Managers of Camp Dudley in Westport, New York, on Lake Champlain, the country’s oldest camp for boys aged ten and ½ and older. Attended by his father, brother, sons, all male relatives and now by his oldest grandson, “Dudley teaches leadership skills. They have a big scholarship fund and I’d like to get something started on the Vineyard, perhaps through Rotary, which is a good link

to finding good scholarship candidates, to give some worthy Vineyard boys the benefit of the Dudley experience.” Berkeley served on the alumni board of Hackley School in Tarrytown, New York, and ended up being chair of its Board of Trustees. During his term the school changed from a boys boarding school to a co-educational country day school. It is now the premier school in Westchester County, thanks primarily to a superb headmaster and the effective participation of parents. For twelve years Berkeley served as chair of the New Canaan Zoning Board of Appeals and thereafter for ten years as chair of the New Canaan Housing Authority. On the Vineyard he has recently completed two years as moderator of the Federated Church in Edgartown and is now serving as a Deacon. Perhaps the closest Berkeley came to realizing his wish to be an architect was as an attorney representing the Pratt Institute, at one time the largest school of architecture in the country. “I did that until I moved up here permanently. It was very interesting work.” Since Berkeley joined the Habitat board in early 2000, his legal and other skills have been indispensable to the organization and are much appreciated. Dick Mezger (continued from page 1) Additionally, the cedar shingle siding is about 30% installed. There remain some framing details in both houses and the decks/porches – and, of course, the insulation, sheet rocking, interior trim and on and on – there is a lot to building a house! It needs a couple of windows yet, its entranceway built, and then we’re set for plumbing, electrical and cedar shingles. Going forward, we are about to enter a more volunteer-friendly phase – there is cedar shingling, interior trim and installing the pre-finished flooring to be accomplished and then there will be the prep for and the painting. Volunteers can really assist in these efforts and have fun doing so. Every Saturday is a Build Day and we welcome your volunteer participation for the entire 9 – 4 day or for the morning 9-noon shift or the afternoon 1-4 shift or for even a couple of productive and valuable hours at any time. We’d very much like to see you at the site any Saturday. Please call the office to confirm. Group volunteer opportunities involve your arranging a work crew from your church or civic group or your asking us to support your smaller team’s (2 or more people) work efforts on a weekday – please call the office to arrange. Construction supervision and coordination is provided. We have work ready as you arrive on the site and supervision to support your efforts. Are you a (retired) general contractor? – we are especially in need of your services to supervise volunteers – even for just a couple of days – please call now – 508.696.4646.

Vineyard Habitat FUN(d) Raising House Walk 2004 on May 8 -- One of our several important spring fund-raisers will be held on Saturday, May 8, the day before Mother’s Day. House Walk 2004 is a 6 mile community walk along the seashore from Oak Bluffs to Edgartown. This year's theme is "Let's Build It!" We are making a special appeal to Island organizations -- churches, clubs, businesses, etc. -- to put together groups of members to walk under their own identifying banner (to be provided by Habitat) as a statement of commitment to affordable housing on Martha's Vineyard. Of course, individuals are encouraged to join in the fun as well. Details and sponsorship forms may be obtained by calling the Habitat for Humanity office, and through participating churches, organizations, supermarkets and other venues. Comedy Night on May 29 -- Get set for some fun at Habitat Comedy Night at the Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs on Saturday, May 29^th. Watch for details. Habitat Art Auction 2004 -- Habitat for Humanity is holding their Second Annual Art Auction. The event will be held at the Harbor View Hotel in Edgartown on Friday, June 25^th at 7:00 p.m. There will be a silent auction continuing through the night. The live auction will start at 8:30 with Martha’s Vineyard’s own Trip Barnes as the auctioneer. There will be appetizers available along with open bar for the first hour and a half. Our first auction was a great success. We had donations from wonderful island artists such as Alan Whiting and Ray Ellis to mention a few. With the success of last year and many wonderful volunteers, Habitat was able to build two houses for deserving Island families. This year planning is starting to rev up and we need donations of artwork for both our live auction as well as our silent auction. We also need volunteers who will help out with various tasks the evening of the event. Most importantly, we need “volunteers” to come to the auction and support Habitat on the Vineyard by buying and taking home a terrific piece of art – to add to your ambiance and remind you of your commitment to affordable housing on the Vineyard – see you there! Tickets are going on sale immediately and will be available through the Habitat for Humanity office, please call 508-696-4646. Essay Contest -- This Spring, Habitat will sponsor an essay contest for students in grades 7 and 8 in the Martha’s Vineyard schools. We’re asking the students to submit a 500-word essay on “Providing Affordable Housing on Martha’s Vineyard. What’s the Solution?” A really great prize will be announced as the contest starts; contest details available soon. Other Ways to Help -- If you are unable to attend these events and still want to help, please use the enclosed envelope to make a contribution – it is appreciated and will be well used!

Radiantec Donates Energy-Efficient Heating System Radiantec, Inc. of Lydonville, Vermont has donated a complete energy-efficient and innovative heating system for Victoria’s house – including substantial assistance in its installation. It is a solar-assisted under floor radiant heating system. Its innovative design utilizes a very high efficiency propane gas fired hot water heater to provide both the domestic hot water and the water that warms the floors, producing radiant heat – a very comfortable heat. Habitat is grateful to Bob Starr (pictured) for this significant contribution – and it allows us to address one of our standards for a Habitat house, that it is to be economical to operate – which the Radiantec system certainly will be! Cape Compact Light - Improving the Energy Efficiency of Habitat Houses!! There is a program, administered by the Housing Assistance Corporation, Hyannis, and sponsored by Cape Compact Light that provides funding for energy efficiency upgrades to new affordable house. It is a grant program that reimburses the builder for the cost differential for being more energy efficient that required by the building code. Habitat has applied for and plans to use these forms for improved insulation, more efficient appliances and furnaces, more efficient windows and doors and light fixtures. Vineyard Visitors Guild helps build awareness Last year nearly ninety local businesses aligned themselves with Habitat for Humanity as advertisers and sponsors on a fundraising map of the Island. Plans for this season’s map are well underway by Kira Law. If you are interested in joining others in support of Habitat as well as advertising for your own business, please contact Kira at 508-696-4646. Every Saturday is a Habitat for Humanity of Martha’s Vineyard Build Day – come any time between 9 AM and 3 PM and we’ll find a supervised task for you to do - see you there!!

YOU CAN STILL HELP – VOLUNTEER NOW!!

Pictures show status: March 1^st Habitat for Humanity of Martha’s Vineyard is building two houses NOW on Bennett Way in Edgartown. We can still use your assistance today! To schedule your participation, call the Habitat office at 508.696.4646.	Melissa’s House at #6 Bennett Way à
Victoria’s House at #10 Bennett Way ß Habitat’s Construction Sign à