Building empowers women - The Garden Island

Dennis Fujimoto/The Garden Island

Emma Ladendecker helps paint one of the Kauai Habitat for Humanity homes Saturday during the Lowe’s Women Build at the Eleele Iluna neighborhood.
Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Blanche Higashi holds the shovel of mortar while Uncle Tony Morgan secures the footing base of a home coming up in the Kauai Habitat for Humanity’s Eleele Iluna neighborhood Saturday during the Lowe’s Women Build.
Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Robin Savage of the Zonta Club of Hanalei secures the wall while Dhrystal Bacio checks the level for the new wall Saturday during the Lowe’s Women Build.
Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Wilmark Geronimo and Tory Daligcon secure a piece of paneling under the eaves of a home coming up in the Kauai Habitat for Humanity’s Eleele Iluna neighborhood Saturday during the Lowe’s Women Build.
Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Karen Robinson uses a nail gun to secure roofing on a home coming up in the Kauai Habitat for Humanity Eleele Iluna neighborhood Saturday during the Lowe’s Women Build.
Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Kels Hurt wields a nail gun to secure a window in a Kauai Habitat for Humanity home in the Eleele Iluna neighborhood Saturday during the Lowe’s Women Build.

ELEELE — There was no shortage of work to be done Saturday at the Kauai Habitat for Humanity Eleele Iluna neighborhood.

A group of more than 50 workers, many of them women, tackled the developing homes during Lowe’s annual National Women Build Week. The Saturday event was rescheduled following rains last weekend.

Projects ranged from footing, raising the walls, roofing, framing and painting.

“This is the new norm in groups,” said Milani Pimental of Kauai Habitat for Humanity. “We’ve been getting a lot of groups about this size. The Women Build group has to have at least 50 percent women to count toward the program.”

National Women Build Week encourages women across the nation to devote at least one day to help build decent and affordable housing in our local communities, according to a Lowe’s release.

“This is give-back time,” said Shana Cruz. “We’ve been in our home going on our second year. I’m here to help others finish their homes.”

Pimental said women helping build empowers them.

“Since 2012, Kauai Habitat for Humanity has been uniting strong women volunteers of all experience levels in our community to build or repair homes alongside our hardworking, empowered Habitat homeowners,” said Stephen Spears, the Kauai Habitat executive director. “We’re grateful for the support of Habitat for Humanity International and Lowe’s Home Improvement for sponsoring this event.”

Lowe’s and Kauai Habitat for Huanity share the vision that every woman, man and child have a decent place to lay their heads at night. Far too often, low income families are faced with choosing between paying their housing costs or buying basic necessities like food and medical care.

“Lowe’s is proud to sponsor National Women Build Week to educate, inspire and empower women to volunteer alongside other women in their community to address the critical issue of affordable housing,” said Colleen Penhall, Lowe’s vice president of corporate social responsibility. “We know women working together are an unstoppable force for creating meaningful change in our communities. At Lowe’s, we believe that a safe, stable home is an important source of strength, pride and security for families.”

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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.

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