STURGIS, S.D. – Sabrina Whitford, a Sturgis native, is looking forward to making memories with her 14 and 8-year old sons in her new Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity (BHAHFH) home in Sturgis.
On Monday, members of the community and Habitat for Humanity helped Sabrina bless her new home on Fleet Street.
Amanda Mowry, the Homeowner Service Administrator for Habitat for Humanity presented Sabrina and her family with the keys to her new home before Pastor Matt Shulaw of Lifespring Wesleyan Church offered the blessing.
Tom Haggerty, the Habitat Board of Directors President, then offered Sabrina and her family a bible.
Sabrina says she knows the two boys will respect her for getting into Habitat’s program and seeing the project through to completion.
“Wow, this is my home. It makes me appreciate it so much more, all of the work that goes into it,” she said.
Sabrina has worked with Black Hills Special Services for almost a decade and is grateful to be able to live and work close to family. The entire process has taken Sabrina almost two years to complete.
Scott Engmann with Black Hills Habitat for Humanity says this was a ‘miracle lot’ for the Whitford family.
“When we knew we had a couple of families that had qualified, we didn’t have any land to build on. So we started thinking and praying and searching and one of our volunteers went literally down every street and sent me names. So, I called and asked one about the possibility of purchasing it and the landowner wanted to help and he sold it to us for what he paid for it like 15 years ago.”
That lot ended up hosting Sabrina’s home.
Her family received home-warming gifts from Crystal Trevino Photography, Grace Lutheran Quilters, Friends of the Library, Knecht Home Center, Northern Hills Master Gardeners and the ReStore.
Habitat for Humanity is currently building two more homes on Nellie Street in Sturgis.