Andy Stickle, Andrea Stickle, Kristy and Jeff Jacoby
PARKERSBURG - More than 200 volunteers joined forces Saturday for the first day of the Parkersburg Bicentennial Habitat Blitz Build of the 50th and 51st homes by the Wood County Habitat for Humanity Saturday.
"We have people from all over putting up walls and siding," said Alvin Phillips, executive director of the organization. "It's wonderful."
The houses at 4304 and 4308 14th Ave. in south Parkersburg are being built this weekend with the help of local volunteers and the "Habitat Road Trip Crazies," a group of volunteers who travel around the country to build homes in two days.
"Everything that we are doing this weekend is being done very fast and efficiently," Phillips said. "We're getting done in these two days what it normally takes us two months to do."
The ground was broken on the homes June 3 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Wood County Habitat for Humanity during 2010.
"There were a lot of things pre-done before the blitz build," Phillips said. "Walls were already built and the foundations were finished."
New homeowners Kristy and Jeff Jacoby, who will live in house 50 at 4304 14th Ave., and Andy Stickle, who will own house 51 at 4308 14th Ave., worked Saturday along with the volunteers.
"I've never seen anything like this," said Kristy Jacoby. "I've done a little bit of everything to say that I tried it."
Jeff Jacoby said being part of the event that will end in them having a home of their own is exciting.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity to get a house and to be part of this," he said.
The couple's one regret was their four sons, Kanyon, Stone, Kaiden and Gage were not able to be part of the blitz build.
"They are 11, 9, 6 and 3 years old and we didn't think it was safe for them to be here," Kristy Jacoby said. "But they are very excited about the home."
Stickle, a single father with four daughters - Kaula, 18, Cheyenne, 17, Andrea, 14, and Cassidy, 14 - walked around the site Saturday with a hard hat on his head and prepared to do anything needed of him.
"I'm having a blast," he said. "I've put up some walls inside and done other things and it's great."
Andrea Stickle, 14, was also at the build to help give workers water and offer a hand.
"It's just really exciting to be part of this," she said.
While the blitz build took place this weekend, other work on the homes will be supplemented throughout the summer by volunteers. Phillips said the goal is to have the drywall up by the end of today and have the homes move-in ready by the end of August.
"I can't wait for it to be finished and to move in," Kristy Jacoby said.
Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit Christian ministry that builds and renovates homes for low-income families. The families also help in the building their homes. Phillips said some of the materials for the two houses have been donated by Whirlpool, Wincore and Hajoca.
