building homes, fulfilling dreams

In about 36 hours I have to speak at a fundraising breakfast. I am filling in for my Exec Director while he is on vacation with his family. I hate doing these kind of things, but it is necessary in our ongoing efforts to raise money for our current build.

I am just a shy little girl from Kansas, still wondering how she ended up in Salem Oregon. I have been here two years as of yesterday.

I didn’t travel at all when I was a kid. Not unless you count a 30 minute trip west of town to go camping at Lake Cheney.
I was 30 years old before I ever got on an airplane.

But I have made up for it in my adult life. In the past 15 years or so I have been to Chicago and seen the Sears Tower.
I have seen the space needle in Seattle,
Coit Tower in San Francisco and crossed the Golden gate Bridge by car and on foot.
I’ve seen 3 Frank Lloyd Wright houses. And I’ve been in the book depository in Dallas.
I’ve seen the Oklahoma City Memorial and been to the top of the St. Louis Arch…
3 times, no wait... 4 times.

In my limited travels I have seen some wonderful architecture, buildings and homes.

Yet all of these structures pale in comparison to what I have seen on Evergreen Ct., Wendy St. and now Ford St. in Salem Oregon.

There is something about watching a home go up that brings tears to my eyes, and joy to my heart.

The awe, and the wonder, that go through me when I watch walls being raised pale in comparison to standing before the greatest structures in the world.
There is something about knowing that you are building with a family, and housing a family, that surpasses any work designed by any architect, or constructed by any company.



Being on the build site is what I enjoy the most. But raising money so we can build is just as important as driving in the nails. So I will get up early on Saturday morning and instead of heading to Ford St I will go to St. Mark's and do my best to not be nervous, or shy and bring in a few more dollars so that the Flores family can be in their first home before Christmas.