MEDINA, Ohio — Habitat for Humanity of Medina County has built 54 safe, decent and affordable homes since 1995.
That means that 54 individuals or families have been offered hope for the future.
That also means that the need for funding and volunteer help to build more homes remains.
On May 8, 170 guests gathered at Williams on the Lake for dinner and a fundraising auction.
Jillian Sohar, 2024 Medina County Fair queen, displays auction items at the Habitat for Humanity of Medina County’s Blueprints and Blue Jeans fundraiser May 8.Mary Jane Brewer, special to cleveland.com
“Blueprints and Blue Jeans” offered good food, an auction conducted by auctioneer Chuck Stiver and the opportunity to raise money to finance more homes.
Tom O’Connell, executive director of Habitat, introduced the three board members who are completing their six-year terms of service.
Pat McNeill, Derek Rance and Rick Dumperth worked with O’Connell to open the Habitat ReStore in the former Hawkins Market building, raise funds, select deserving families and supervise and participate in construction of the homes.
Dinner guests watched film clips of three homeowners who spoke about their new Habitat houses.
One woman said, “The Habitat people are sincere; they love what they do and they care about me.”
A gentleman said that Habitat built him a home full of hope and promise.
O’Connell mentioned a relatively new program that helps older adults in Medina County maintain their independence and live comfortably in their own homes.
Called Aging in Place, Habitat partners with the Medina County Office of Older Adults to help adults 60 years or older to modify their homes.
Since the program began, 80 projects have been completed. Some examples include the installation of grab bars, railings and wheelchair ramps.
In addition to a variety of silent auction baskets, six items were offered in a live auction.
Stiver amused the audience as he encouraged bidders to purchase the items: a necklace, a watch, earrings, a golf package for four players at three different courses and a generous Cleveland Guardians baseball package that included seats directly behind home plate, food, and a parking pass for a group of fans.
A beautiful circular framed stained glass art piece appealed to several bidders.
While Stiver encouraged bids, Jillian Sohar, the 2024 Medina County Fair queen, wore her crown and blue jeans while she circulated through the crowd holding the items for sale.
The auction continued with “phantom” windows, doors, sinks, toilets and faucets. Many attendees bid on the opportunity to contribute financially for items that will be installed in future homes.
Guests departed from the event confident that they had helped to provide homes for a deserving families.
Read more from the Medina Sun.