In late October-early November, the finishing touches were made on our latest house located at 253 Silver Pine Lane, in Tamworth. Unique to the house, as well as to MWV Habitat, was the decision to install solar energy and radiant floor heating. The house is 1200 sq. ft.with 5kw PV solar panel system with inverters, hot water radiant floor heating system and a heat recovery system. The homeowners, Deni and Evan Shangraw surpassed their obligated 300 sweatequity hours, accumulating them at both the Grison Rd. site in Madison as well as on their own site. The house was started last fall with the lot cleared and slab foundation poured. It was capped for the winter; restarted in the spring when the local road bans were lifted. Radiant floor tubing was installed and remaining foundation poured. Foundation sills put in place, ready for walls to be erected. Three walls went up on Women Build Day in May and house construction ensued throughout the summer into the fall. In early November,the house was finished. On Saturday, the 12th, the Shangraws received the keys to their house from Anthony Ruddy, Chairman of the building committee.

Combining the many volunteers who were on site each Thursday with the labor and equipment provided by local contractors such as Alan Eastman (site clearance, excavation); H.R. Hoyt (foundation, trusses); Chris Martin & Paul Jean (roof construction); Mike Lyons (roofing); and construction materials provided by Chick Lumber, Lowes, Milford Flooring and Silver Lake Hardware brought it together.

The mantra ”neighbors helping neighbors” continued. “Neighbors” included Altrusa, MWV Kiwanis, N. Conway Rotary, Kennett Middle School Summer Camp, Memorial Hospital Primary personnel and the women who participated in Women Build Day in May. Integral to the home-owner process are the sweat equity hours put in by the family selected to be the new home owners.  The Shangraw family’s commitment to the 300 hours started at the former Grison Road, Madison site and continued with their home site in Tamworth.  Evan and Deni are very excited that their 1200 sq. ft. home was the first selected by MWV Habitat for solar energy and radiant floor heating as well as a Heat Recovery System. As Evan noted, “to have helped build my own environmentally friendly home is truly rewarding.”