LIHUE — Leona McDermott has been waiting to own her own home since 1989. “The wait to own and build on homestead land was forever long,” McDermott said in a letter to the Kauai Habitat for Humanity. On Saturday, work
LIHUE — Leona McDermott has been waiting to own her own home since 1989.
“The wait to own and build on homestead land was forever long,” McDermott said in a letter to the Kauai Habitat for Humanity.
On Saturday, work on the McDermott home and on another for Kaimi and Pualehua Kaneholani and their children will begin during the Hawaii Habitat for Humanity Build-A-Thon Days in Anahola.
Crews will be doing foundation and site work on the Department of Hawaiian Homelands house lots for the McDermott and Kaneholani families.
During the wait for her home, McDermott’s family has encountered some challenges.
Following a series of life-threatening health scares with her husband Robert, son Kaimana, and herself, Leona is determined to make their Habitat experience a meaningful one.
“Our forthcoming learning experience will be that we work together as ohana,” Leona said in her letter. “We build bridges so we can connect with each other. We will learn to malama our land and hale and keep everything pono. That is what my kupuna taught me; that is what I hope we all can achieve as we build our homes.”
The Kaneholani family has been waiting to become homeowners for more than nine years.
Currently, they live with Kaimi’s father, a Habitat homeowner who paid off his family’s mortgage in 2004 after 10 years.
“You have to dream big to move forward,” Kaimi said.
Milani Pimental, Kauai Habitat director of development, said another four partner families are ready to start construction on their homes on DHHL land in the coming weeks.
Work also continues with the Kauai Habitat’s Repair and Renovation Program, and infrastructure and fundraising for the Eleele Iluna subdivision.
“We are excited to begin another set of new homes on DHHL land and have just filled all of our volunteer spots for this weekend’s build,” said Stephen Spears, director of the Kauai Habitat for Humanity.
Volunteers can get more information and register for build times by visiting www.kauaihabitat.org, or calling 335-0296.
