Media Coverage

A mid-build celebration. Habitat thanks Amica, Ashburnham for work

By Caitlyn Kelleher, Community Journal

August 15, 2008 The morning of August 7 started with the first breakfast in the new house, even though there isn't a stove, cabinets or even a kitchen sink.

But the scrambled eggs, homefries, sausage and bacon were served to a crowd of about 20 people without a hitch. The catered breakfast was the first part of a thankyou celebration for the work done and the partnerships formed while building the Habitat for Humanity house on Sherbert Road.

"We see it change every single week," said Leah McSparren, the future homeowner.

McSparren, who was at the house that Thursday morning with her three young boys and her husband, met and talked with each of the visitors and gave tours of the rooms. "We were looking for a better life for us and for our children," she said of the application process. "We had no idea how much love would come back to us."

The corporate partner for this building site is Amica Mutual Insurance Company, which donated $40,000 making the build possible. "We have a history in North Central Massachusetts," said Patti Stadnick, of Amica, in an interview before the formal press conference. "We work with Habitat in several communities."

The Rhode Islandbased company has also had a number of volunteers come up and work on the project.

"We believe in [the project] on a higher philosophy, but also on a grassroots level," Stadnick said.

Construction manager Mike Noberega said the project was moving ahead of schedule because of all of the work being done by corporate and other large volunteer groups. He said work will probably be completed by mid-November.

The public "build" days are Saturdays and anyone can volunteer by signing up in advance.

Megan Foley, the executive director of the North Central Massachusetts Chapter of Habitat, said the goal of the building project is not only to create an affordable house to purchase but an affordable house to maintain.

"I'm trying to change the standard in building," Noberega said of the construction techniques used on the oversized ranch style home. One of the ways he is trying to do this is through the construction materials. Instead of using the standard plywood for the walls, they are composed of OSB, which is a "green" material because it is a byproduct from lumber mills. A similar product is being used as the base material for the floor.

The house will also have beaming every 24 inches instead of every 16 inches, which means there is a third less lumber used. A more than typical amount of insulation will be used in the project, and it will be made of recycled cloth. "I refuse to use fiberglass," he said.

Noberega said the house will receive an Energy Star rating because of the construction materials, as well as the appliances that are being installed. "There will be very little air escaping from this house," he said.