KEKAHA — Marian Eguchi said it was the best Mother’s Day gift ever on Sunday at her home site in Kekaha. Sixteen women from all parts of Kauai turned out to help Eguchi and Kauai Habitat for Humanity staff build
KEKAHA — Marian Eguchi said it was the best Mother’s Day gift ever on Sunday at her home site in Kekaha.
Sixteen women from all parts of Kauai turned out to help Eguchi and Kauai Habitat for Humanity staff build Eguchi’s home on Iwipolena Street in Kekaha.
The Kauai women joined more than 13,000 volunteers across the country who partnered with 300 Habitat for Humanity affiliates in building affordable housing in local communities in recognition of National Women Build Week.
“Every woman has a dream of being in a home,” said Jessica Clabo, the volunteer coordinator at the Kauai Habitat for Humanity. “Other women come together to help women realize the dream of having a home.”
Clabo said it was the third year Kauai Habitat for Humanity has participated in the event which celebrates its seventh year, and having it on Mother’s Day has always been successful because there’s no better gift than realizing the dream of having a home.
“This is such a nice day,” said volunteer Valerie Wise of Lawai. “I saw the flier at the Menehune Mart in Lawai and thought I had always wanted to do something like this. It was intriguing to see other women helping women.”
The Habitat’s National Women Build program recruits, educates and inspires women to build and advocate for simple, decent, and affordable homes in their communities, states a release.
With a combination of $1.75 million to National Women Build Week, Lowe’s will provide a $5,000 gift card to more than 300 participating affiliates.
“We don’t have a Lowe’s on Kauai, but we got the gift card, too,” Clabo said. “We can order from the Lowe’s on Oahu and they ship merchandise to us.”
For Nelson and Marian Eguchi, the home taking shape is a dream realized after decades of waiting and dealing with paperwork.
“We’ve been waiting since 1988,” Eguchi said. “This lot is 10,100 square feet and is in the fourth increment of Hawaiian Homes in Kekaha. To see the house take shape since we started in January is my Mother’s Day gift.”
Clabo said among the volunteers installing roofing and exterior panels, two volunteers, Grace Nieh and Connie Chan, came from Honolulu “just for this event.”
“The volunteers are having fun,” Clabo said. “Grace came here first as a Global Village builder and eventually moved to Hawaii where she keeps helping build houses.
Lynn Nykoluk moved to Wailua from Canada, and was volunteering with Melissa Olstead of Kekaha.
“Karen Hobson did this last year and invited Lynn and myself to this year’s event,” said Olstead.
Clabo said since some of the women volunteering were connected with the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Mana, the men have their turn at 8 a.m. Tuesday when about 10 volunteers from the U.S. Navy will visit the Eguchi home site for more work.
She said volunteers are always welcome and can sign up.
To find out more information visit www.habitat.org.
• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
