Welcome home, Zabransky family!
Published 10:50 am Monday, March 1, 2021
Nicole Zabransky receives the key to her home from builder Rick Mims. (JOYANNA LOVE/ADVERTISER)
Nicole Zabransky speaks during the dedication. (JOYANNA LOVE/ADVERTISER)
Nicole Zabransky receives a Bible from Sunday Hosch. (JOYANNA LOVE/ADVERTISER)
Bentley enjoys the new yard. (JOYANNA LOVE/ADVERTISER)
Daon Johnson of Habitat for Humanity of Autauga and Chilton Counties speaks at the dedication. (JOYANNA LOVE/ADVERTISER)
Tom Risher talks about Habitat for humanity during the dedication. (JOYANNA LOVE/ADVERTISER)
Steve Linto opens the event in prayer. (JOYANNA LOVE/ADVERTISER)
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
By JOYANNA LOVE/ Managing Editor
Three months of hard work and anticipation culminated for Nicole Zabransky on Feb. 26 when she officially received the keys to her new home during a dedication ceremony.
Home ownership had seemed beyond reach until she was selected by Habitat for Humanity of Autauga and Chilton Counties.
“This house is a new beginning for Nicole and (her son) Bentley … This is an opportunity of a lifetime for each of you to dream bigger than you can imagine, go further than you thought possible and to achieve the incredible,” Habitat Executive Director Daon Johnson said. “I want you to remember where you came from, but always look to where you are going.”
The house was built under the direction of builder Rick Mims. Zabransky had watched the home take shape from foundation to completion while working alongside crews, however she could with her medical condition, to complete her required number of hours as a part of Habitat’s program. Habitat calls this “sweat equity.”
Habitat recipients also have a no interest mortgage that they pay for the house.
It was Mims who presented Zabransky with the key to her finished home. She said her favorite room in the house was the bedroom for her son.
Zabransky thanked everyone who contributed to her home and the Habitat leadership for selecting her. She said the construction volunteers had “taught me so much.”
“Thank you so much for this new journey that me and my son we are about to start on,” Zabransky said. “If it wasn’t for Habitat there would be no possible way with everything that I have that I would be able to get a house like this on my own, so I am thankful to each and every one of you guys.”
Sunday Hosch presented Zabransky with a Bible and talked about how she is an overcomer.
“For somebody to see what this is for her and for Bentley, there is hope for them,” Hosch said.
She encouraged everyone at the dedication to be this kind of an encouragement to those around them, before offering a prayer of dedication for the home and blessing for the Zabransky family.
During the dedication ceremony, Tom Risher said Habitat for Humanity of Autauga and Chilton Counties had completed 43 homes in the past 25 years.
“We are committed to putting God’s love into action with our partner families and our communities,” Risher said. “Our desire at Habitat is to build affordable housing as well as, in the past few years, to build energy efficient homes, and that’s what we have done here.”
The home also has a safe room for inclement weather.
“It is well built and will last a lifetime for Nicole,” Risher said.
Johnson thanked all of the local businesses, donors, community partners and volunteers that made this build a success.
“It takes a partnership to fulfill the dream of homeownership for a family in need,” Johnson said.
