There's no place like home

By Keri Lynn McHale - Citrus County Chronicle - January 20, 2008

Habitat for Humanity leaders handed the keys to the Kenyons, the happily-ever-after ending to their real-life fairytale. A gloomy day and drizzling rain did not dampen the spirits of community members who stood in front of the Kenyons' new Habitat for Humanity of Citrus County (HFHCC) home at 530 S. Arlene Ave. in Inverness. On Saturday, Citrus County residents from local churches, businesses and charitable organizations showered Heidi Kenyon and her three children Grace, 9, Ty, 10, and Cody, 12, with gifts, well wishes and blessings at a house-dedication ceremony.

"I feel actually lucky and happy," Cody said. Ty said he felt special, too.

Many volunteers, who raised funds for the home and built it, were in attendance. They wanted to show their support for Kenyon, a Salvation Army of Citrus County secretary and devoted mother of three, who has faced many hardships.

Both Ty and Grace were born with a rare brain condition. They underwent brain surgery six years ago to correct the brain abnormality called chiari (key-r-ee). Grace still struggles with pulmonary issues and other health problems. She may face future surgeries and has to inhale oxygen all night, every night. Kenyon said Grace's room in the new home was specially designed to fit her breathing machines.

Grace said she is "a thousand percent" excited to move into her new, accommodating room. She's even more excited to wake up to her Tinker Bell alarm clock and see the hand-painted Tinker Bell wall mural every day, she said. The elaborate mural, which includes Tinker Bell resting on Grace's finger, was created by artist Bonnie Peterson, resource devel-opment director for HFHCC and owner of Artsy Rooms in Inverness, and interior designer Kathy Thrumston, owner of Home Stuff Interiors in Inverness and wife of Citrus County Com-missioner John Thrumston.

Black Diamond Golf Community residents, corporate friends and members of the Black Diamond Foundation raised $70,000 to fully fund the HFHCC house for the Kenyons.

The Black Diamond Community is the first residential community in Citrus County to fully fund a HFHCC house, Black Diamond Habitat Committee Chairman Kevin Conway said. Residents from neighboring villages within the golf community competed to raise the money. Each village or participating street had a captain.

"We had $70,000 in two weeks," Mike Carter, a Black Diamond resident, said.

Carter and his wife Jan were co-captains of the Spyglass Village team along with Black Diamond residents Jim and Lanie McGivern. They solicited 100 percent participation from residents in their village, Conway said.

Captains from one village or street challenged captains of neighboring villages or streets to see who could raise more money. The captains of residents from losing villages or streets had to buy the winners dinner.

"They beat my village, Baltusrol Village," Conway said.

Black Diamond residents Milt and Sharron Rosenberg, captains of the Castle Pines Loop team, also obtained 100 percent participation from their neighbors in the friendly fundraiser challenge, Conway said.

The captains stood on the newly planted lawn at the Kenyons residence with other Black Diamond community members, some of whom helped construct the house.

Inside the house, a slideshow presentation displayed pictures of HFHCC volunteers in action during the past few months.

Many donated their time and money, including members of the Salvation Army Church in Homosassa; members of the First Presbyterian Church in Crystal River; members of local service clubs such as Interact and Rotary; future HFHCC homeowners who are required to volunteer 250 hours of their time, called "sweat equity," before the groundbreaking of their homes; those who sit on the Board of Directors for HFHCC; representatives of Publix Super Markets Inc.; local retirees; and various other community members who individually volun-teered or worked on behalf of charitable organizations and local businesses. Kenyon said there were usually about 40 people working on the house per scheduled workday.

Even Kenyon's young children pitched in. All three said they enjoyed laying the sod.

After the groundbreaking ceremony, future Habitat homeowners are required to com-plete an additional 250 hours of labor at their own homes. Kenyon described the experience as "fun" and talked about the friendships she forged with the many people who helped make her dream come true. The road to Kenyon's dream for her children was full of obstacles.

"During the building of the house, I lost my uncle and you guys pulled me through, thank you," Kenyon, said in a speech to the supporters at the ceremony. She plans to build a bench for the house in memory of her uncle, Charlie Moore.

Before the groundbreaking in September, Kenyon's mother, also a Habitat homeowner, suffered a stroke while helping Kenyon achieve "sweat equity" hours; she underwent heart surgery and is now doing well, Kenyon said.

The house was built by the compassionate hands of countywide community members and signifies a new beginning for the family.

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