"Womens build" dedicates new home

TOANO, Va. - The Griffins new home has 3 bedrooms and 2 and a half baths nestled along rural Chickahominy Road in Toano. Their brand new digs were made possible by lots of volunteers and donors through "Habitat For Humanity".  In May, professional golfers from the LPGA eventook time off their tour to help out. Habitat has general contractors on every job, who work with volunteers.

Cathy McQuade of York River Electric says, " We volunteered to do all of the electrical work so we had a couple of guys take care of that and a couple of our guys come up and take care of siding so it was all of our employees." Recipient Lillie Mae Griffin is a single mom who works in housekeeping at a retirement community, but never earned enough to buy her own home.     

She could hardly hold back tears when she talked about the sense of security she has for the future of her family. She told wavy.com, "This is something I can pass on to them when I'm gone. It's some type of stability for them."

12-year-old Moneshia gets the pink room. She says she'll decorate the walls with Sponge Bob posters. 

15-year-old Jasmine gets the purple room. She says she's looking forward to her freedom. "When I want to be to myself, I can come in my room and shut my door and i don't have to worry about my sister saying I need this, I need that- and come back in the room. "

Habitat For Humanity doesn't give away homes. Recipients have to do their part. Lillie has maintained good credit and she put in all of her required 400 hours of "sweat equity". She tells WAVY.com, "We had to put shutters on the house, we nailed a lot of things and paint. It was an experience for me because I was able to help build my own home."

The Griffins are moving in this weekend. Lillie is buying the house from Habitat For Humanity for $65,000 by paying the monthly no-interest mortgage, over the next 30 years.

www.helphabitatforhumanity.org/womenbuild09/