By Joe Potter
After facing life in a termite-infested house, Ann Murdoch said she feels right at home in her new Habitat for Humanity home, which was dedicated Saturday, July 24 on Lincoln Avenue in Zephyrhills.
Murdoch, a teller at Wachovia Bank in Zephyrhills for seven years, purchased the home from Habitat for Humanity of East & Central Pasco, an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International based in Americus, Ga.
“I’m just so happy. I love it. I love it,” Murdoch said regarding her Habitat home. The nearly 1,100-square foot house will be a much better home for her and her daughter, Julia, 13, than where they had lived previously. Her former residence had been condemned as unsafe for human habitation because of termites, Murdoch said.
Murdoch’s home located near the Zephyrhills Airport is an example of recycling at its maximum said John J. Finnerty III, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of East & Central Pasco.
Habitat purchased the 12-year-old three-bedroom, one-bath home on Lincoln Avenue from an estate. The home’s interior was extensively refurbished. New central air and heat was installed along with new vanities, drywall, cabinets, sinks and other plumbing fixtures. New floor tile was installed and other steps were taken to make the home a warm and inviting abode for the Murdoch family. “Virtually the whole inside is all new,” said Michael Fremlin, Habitat’s construction supervisor.
The original siding was removed, cleaned and reinstalled, giving the home’s exterior a fresh new appearance.
Habitat develops partnerships to build healthy, affordable homes with people in need, promotes self-reliance through home ownership, affirms the dignity of the family and improves the communities it serves said the website www.ephabitat.org.
Murdoch was able to purchase the home through an interest-free mortgage. She contributed 400 hours of “sweat equity” working on her Habitat home and on other Habitat projects in lieu of having to make a cash down payment on her mortgage.
Murdoch’s home was the first to be dedicated since Habitat for Humanity of East & Central Pasco was formed earlier this year through the merger of two local Habitat affiliates. The merger will allow the building of Habitat homes in Dade City, Zephyrhills, Wesley Chapel, Land O’ Lakes and other areas.
Murdoch’s home is the 80th area Habitat home to be dedicated since East Pasco Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1994. It is also the second Habitat home to be dedicated in Zephyrhills in about eight years.
Another Habitat home will be dedicated Saturday, July 31, for Donald and Jennifer Barton. The ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. at 14609 Osceola St. in Dade City. Donald Barton works for Heyl Truck Lines and Jennifer is employed at Florida Hospital Zephyrhills. The Barton family attends New Walk Church in Zephyrhills.
Murdoch was presented several gifts during the dedication ceremony. They included bread, representing life; salt to season her life; sugar so that she would always know the sweetness of life; a candle, representing God’s word being a lamp for her feet and a light for her path; and a family Bible to provide daily spiritual guidance for her and her daughter, Julia.
Murdoch was also presented the keys to her new home and received a quilt from East Pasco Quilter’s Inc. A ribbon cutting ceremony was then held, followed by a tour of Murdoch’s home.
Habitat will be increasingly active in Zephyrhills over the next several months, Finnerty told the approximately 60 people attending the dedication on a warm and muggy morning. The nonprofit organization has obtained two vacant building lots where new homes may be built. Also, Habitat has two or three other homes in Zephyrhills that can be rehabilitated, Finnerty said.
In addition, Habitat plans to open a ReStore in September or October at the intersection of SR 54 and Allen Road, Finnerty said. A ReStore sells new and used building materials, furniture and home improvement items to the public. Habitat does not plan to close the ReStore it currently has at the Dade City Business Center. The new ReStore in Zephyrhills will be in a much larger building than the one in Dade City, Finnerty said.
Murdoch said she planned to visit the ReStore in Dade City later Saturday to purchase some furniture for her home.
Members of a Collegiate Challenge group from Silver Spring, Md. were recognized during the dedication of Murdoch’s home. Collegiate Challenge is a year-round alternative break program that offers students who are 16 or more years of age the opportunity to visit one of the more than 250 host Habitat affiliates in the United States. Students spend one week working in partnership with the local affiliate, the local community and partner families to eliminate poverty housing in the area.
Flaco’s Cafe of Zephyrhills provided refreshments following the dedication ceremony.
Call (352) 567-1444 or visit https://www.ephabitat.org for more information about Habitat for Humanity of East & Central Pasco.
