A place to call home (Tuesday, August 19, 2008)

Stephanie Ruiz, left, and Kay Guinn laugh during an open house as Ruiz showed off her new Habitat for Humanity Home. Nine months after she began working to make her dream of owning a home come true, Ruiz and her children, Michael and Brenda (below), will

By David Rupkalvis
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Nine months after she began to work, Stephanie Ruiz finally came home Sunday.

Flanked by her children, Michael and Brenda, Ruiz showed off her new home, ending Habitat for Humanity’s fourth build in Graham.
Seeing the finished home was almost more than Ruiz could handle, and she said it is still hard for her to believe that she and her children will have a house of their own this week.
“When they called and told me I was selected, I was shocked because nothing good ever happens for me,” Ruiz said. “This is the biggest and best thing that has ever happened for me.”
That first call came last December and began a process of hard work that didn’t conclude until last week. Ruiz volunteered 100 hours before building could begin on the home, and then joined 13 groups of volunteers to actually build the structure. The work ended when the final bit of work concluded earlier this month.

“I feel relieved because all of this is over with,” Ruiz said. “I learned a lot of things about building a house, and I met a lot of people.”
The people are what Ruiz said she will never forget. Almost all of the volunteers, more than 200 total, did not know Ruiz. Instead, they showed up week after week to help a total stranger who needed assistance in life.
“There are a lot of generous people in this community,” Ruiz said. “I’ll never leave Graham. There are a lot of kind people. There were a lot of people who volunteered, and that’s amazing.”
Jimmy Guinn, president of Habitat for Humanity of Graham, said working with Ruiz was a blessing because of the effort she was willing to put forth.
“Stephanie worked very hard with a great attitude throughout the process,” Guinn said. “She was an excellent ambassador for our partner family program.”
As members of the community looked through the finished home, Guinn said he was reminded of the volunteers who made the home possible.
“The thing I like about the dedications is it’s a reminder of the work that has gone into all the houses and the dedication of all the volunteers who made it possible,” Guinn said.
In 2008, the churches, civic groups and businesses that helped out included David Rogers Construction, Eastside Church of Christ, Eddleman Real Estate, Faith Center, First Baptist Church, First Presbyterian Church, Graham Bible Church, Nann Hale, Oak Street Baptist Church, Wal-Mart, Graham Lions Club, Graham Rotary Club, Graham Realtors, Graham banks and Oasis of Grace Church.
With the fourth home completed, Guinn said Habitat was already looking forward to beginning the process of building a home for a fifth family.
“We have a short break to catch our breath, and we will start orientation in September for our new family,” he said.
For Ruiz, she is looking forward to closing on the home Friday and beginning to move in.
She said her children already have plans for their rooms and can’t wait to get their own home.
“They’re just really excited,” Ruiz said. “Each Saturday I worked, they would say, ‘You have to work again?’ They’re really excited because I told them we can move in Friday.”