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Habitat for Humanity raises walls, hope for Plant City family

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By GEORGE H. NEWMAN

gnewman@tampatrib.com

Published: May 11, 2009

PLANT CITY - An appreciative family in Plant City has found a piece of the American dream they can call their own.

Today's economic woes can make it difficult for first-time buyers to find a home with an affordable mortgage. But Marlene and Rigoberto Lopez and their children, with the help of Habitat for Humanity, have found one.

A home being built at 813 E. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. was made affordable for the Lopez family through their hard work and an army of Habitat for Humanity volunteers. If all goes well, the Lopez family will move into the three-bedroom, two-bath, home across the street from Samuel L. Cooper Park by May 30.

Marlene Lopez said her family was overwhelmed.

"My husband is a quiet man. He won't let you know how happy he is to be in this home," she said. "But I know how much it means to him. We are so grateful and thankful for the opportunity we have been given."

More than 100 people gathered for an April 4 Habitat for Humanity wall raising ceremony that is becoming a common occurrence in the Lincoln Park area.

"This is the third home Habitat has built in Lincoln Park in the last two years," said Don Rainard, the Plant City committee chairman for Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough County. "We have built six Habitat homes in Plant City since 2000. And we have three more lots available for homes ready to go."

The major sponsors of the Lopez home are Gerdau Ameristeel of Tampa and the Key Club at Tampa's Jesuit High School.

Both major sponsors contributed $45,000 to the building of the home. Jesuit also supplied about 40 volunteers for the wall raising and early construction phase of the Lopez home. They were led by the Jesuit Key Club president Thomas Burley. Rainard called the Key Club members "movers and shakers" for their determined effort in helping build the home.

The Jesuit Key Club, with about 110 members, is sponsored by the Tampa Kiwanis Club.

"The Key Club is proud to be involved in the building of this home in Plant City," Burley said. "We have worked on fundraisers and grants to collect enough money to be a major sponsor. And we will work on the project until it is completed."

Eileen Charette, Jesuit High School Key Club advisor, said since construction began about 10 club members travel to Plant City each Saturday to work on the home.

The work on the home is dedicated to the memory of longtime Tampa Kiwanis Club member Nancy Liddell, Charette said. "Nancy died suddenly last year, and the Key Club members wanted to remember her in a special way," she said.

Her widower is David Lidell, governor of the Florida Kiwanis clubs. He attended the wall raising and spoke of his appreciation of the Key Club's dedication to the project. Denise McDaniel, a Plant City employee, the vice governor of the Florida Kiwanis, was also on hand for the event.

Since its founding in 1976 Habitat has helped provide low-income families with affordable housing around the world. Habitat has built more than 200,000 houses, sheltering more than 1 million people in more than 3,000 communities worldwide.

It has been championed by former President Jimmy Carter.

During the dedication ceremony and wall raising, where volunteers and friends applauded the start of construction, the Lopez family was notably overwhelmed. Tears were evident in the crowd as the Rev. Tom Anastasia, pastor of St. Clement Catholic Church, prayed for a safe construction of the home and asked for God's blessing upon the family.

Like all Habitat homeowners, the Lopezes are required to spend at least 500 hours helping in the preparation and construction of the home. Corporate and individual contributions and donated time and material help keep the cost low enough for low income workers to afford the payments.

"Ever since the Lopez family qualified for the Habitat home in Plant City, Marlene and Rigoberto have been working on Habitat projects throughout the county," Rainard said. "They will exceed the 500 hour minimum and just keep on going. They are a wonderful family."

The husband and wife were born in Mexico and as youths forced by economic circumstances to leave school early. Once they were old enough to work in the fields they left school to help support their families. Rigoberto, 38, and Marlene, 42, have been married for 14 years.

"Since coming to Florida we have both worked in the fields and at vegetable markets," Marlene Lopez said. "Rigoberto was one of 10 children. All his life he has worked hard to get by. Really, he has never had anything but a loving family. Now he has found us a new life."

Rigoberto Lopez has worked as a cook at Smithfield Foods in Plant City for the last four or five years. Smithfield is closing its doors in September, and he is looking for a new job. His wife works part time at a local fast food restaurant and said she is looking for a second job.

The family lives in a two-bedroom mobile home off State Road 574 near Turkey Creek Road. The children living with them include Harvey Mondragon, her 17-year-old son from a previous marriage who attends Plant City High School; Teresa Lopez, 12, who goes to Tomlin Middle School; and Maria

Lopez, an 8-year-old student at Bryan Elementary.

"The young ones make me drive by the new house almost every day," Marlene Lopez said. ""Let's see the new house, Mama," is an every day thing. It's all very exciting."

HOW TO HELP
To donate money or materials or to volunteer to help Habitat for Humanity's Plant City committee, contact Debbie or Don Rainard at (813) 707-0331.

Reporter George H. Newman can be reached at (813) 865-4451.

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