July can’t come fast enough for Ormstown’s newest resident, whose serendipitous connection with the municipality long predated her being selected as the first of two new homeowners with the New Frontiers School Board’s Our House Project in partner- ship with Habitat for Humanity Quebec.
Stacey Cater and her son Chase. (Photothèque)
Stacey Cater and her 9-year-old son Chase were introduced to their new home on February 10 in Ormstown, but her connection with the town started over five years ago when she graduated from the nursing program at the Chateauguay Valley Career Education Centre. Now working in Ormstown and Huntingdon as a nurse, it seemed too good to be true when her son brought the application form home from his school and encouraged her to fill it out. After completing the application, she would sometimes stop in at her former school. “I remember saying, hey, do a good job, that’s my house,” says Cater, thinking back to how she would joke with the students and teachers at work on the build. “I cried for two days,” says Cater, after she was told one of the homes would soon be hers. “I just couldn’t believe it!”
Looking for Volunteers
Now that the houses have officially been moved from the CVCEC and turned over to Habitat for Humanity, the construction site will soon be opened for volunteers who wish to contribute to the project. “We need people to finish these two houses,” says Bergeron, while noting the site will be open three days a week. “This is kind of a once in a lifetime scenario, ” she adds, noting all the tools and safety equip- ment are provided, and absolutely no experi- ence is required to experience a day on the work site. In fact, through to the completion of the interior furnishings, there will be someone on site at all times with a construction back- ground to guide volunteers. Anyone interested in donating some time can register as a volun- teer on the website at www.habitatqc.ca/vol- unteer.
Not Too Late to Apply
Habitat for Humanity is still looking for a second family to move into their new home come July. “All these things I thought were stacked against me, they weren’t,” says Cater, acknowledging she thought her level of debt and personal situation as a single mom would impact her candidature.
Her advice for anyone still on the fence about applying is to stop hesitating. “There is really no reason not to try. It takes a bit of time, but to start it’s just a double-sided page to complete. And, you never know…”
Sarah Rennie
Volunteer Correspondent for the Haut-Saint-Laurent
