From the ground up

HANAPEPE — The first 12 homes for the Eleele Iluna neighborhood project by Kauai Habitat for Humanity are getting closer to rising from the ground.

“We just waiting on signatures for a couple more of the paperwork,” said Milani Pimental, Kauai Habitat development director. “Right now, while we’re waiting, the contractor is doing groundwork, and we have a sub-contractor doing some of the foundation work. Once everything is done, we’ll move the completed frames out to the project.”

The final home was being worked on Thursday by members of a Thrivent group from the Midwest led by Kim “Kimchee” Stratton of Wisconsin and Lonnie Sievert of Minnesota.

Pimental said the 12-member group arrived Nov. 1 and will be here until Monday, working at the baseyard and working on a home in Anahola.

Phase two of the Eleele Iluna Subdivision Project will eventually have 107 more Habitat homes.

“This is my second trip to Hawaii to build,” Stratton said. “The first time we were on the Big Island and I decided I would bring another team back. Every one here has never been to Kauai, and we’re having fun. It’s much greener than the Big Island, and Kauai is definitely much more laid back.”

Paul Stauffer of Akron, Ohio, said they traveled thousands of miles and spent 13 hours to get to Kauai, but it was worth it. He volunteers two days a week at the Akron Habitat facility and knows the impact volunteers have on getting homes built for families.

“Thursday (today) is the 10th anniversary of the partnership between Thrivent Financial, an insurance firm, and Habitat,” Sievert said. “Every one in the group is a member, or family of an employee of Thrivent. I wouldn’t go to places if it wasn’t for the Thrivent group.”

Nicole Jacintho, Kauai Habitat office manager, said having the walls and frames done ahead of time will really help when work starts at the Eleele Iluna site.

“With the walls done for the first 12 homes, it should go fast,” Jacintho said.