CU executives spearhead construction of two affordable homes to celebrate anniversary
Eight-year-old Valeria Diaz did not know most of the people crowded inside her familys new home.
Still, the daughter of Manuel Diaz and Manuela Enriquez spoke proudly for her parents and two brothers while reading from a program and thanking the visitors for "sharing in our happiness. We really appreciate your support to make our lifelong dream come true to buy our first house. Thanks to God, Habitat for Humanity and all of the volunteers who helped us get to this point."
The Nov. 25 dedication ceremony at the new Appleton (Wis.) area home was made possible by 20 Fox Cities business leaders, including Community First Credit Union President/CEO Cathie Tierney and two CFCU board members Chairman Jay Fulkerson, CEO of Health Payment Systems, and Fox Valley Technical College President Dr. Susan May. The Business Leader Build was organized to celebrate the 20
th anniversary of the Greater Fox Cities Area Habitat for Humanity chapter, which has built more than 164 affordable homes in the region over two decades.
Each of the 20 business leaders involved contributed $7,500 of their own funds along with volunteers to help build two modest homes one for the Diaz Enriquez family and the other in Menasha for Vicky Vera-Estrada and her three children.
"Its a wonderful program that enables people to really find the joy and the benefit of homeownership," said Tierney, who provided funding and credit union employees, including her, to do drywall work and painting.
"These houses are just an inspiration to all of us," said Fulkerson, who also serves on the local Habitat board of directors and helped recruit Tierney and two other executives to spearhead the initiative and corral other leaders to join in.
With 20 executives committed at $7,500 apiece, they had the $150,000 needed to build two homes in 2013. Work began in August at each site with the homeowners performing their "sweat equity" alongside the executives, Habitat crew leaders and other volunteers. "These people are putting in lots of sweat equity and then theyve got a 30-year mortgage theyre paying," Fulkerson said. "Its an interest free mortgage but its still pretty significant.
"Its a really cool way they wrap their arms around these families to prepare them for home ownership," Fulkerson said. "Its good for the community, too; its making the neighborhood better."
Community First Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative serving more than 106,000 member/owners in Northeastern Wisconsin. CFCU operates 20 full-service branches, eight non-traditional branches and has assets totaling over $1.98 billion.
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CU executives spearhead construction of two affordable homes to celebrate anniversary
Eight-year-old Valeria Diaz did not know most of the people crowded inside her familys new home.
Still, the daughter of Manuel Diaz and Manuela Enriquez spoke proudly for her parents and two brothers while reading from a program and thanking the visitors for "sharing in our happiness. We really appreciate your support to make our lifelong dream come true to buy our first house. Thanks to God, Habitat for Humanity and all of the volunteers who helped us get to this point."
The Nov. 25 dedication ceremony at the new Appleton (Wis.) area home was made possible by 20 Fox Cities business leaders, including Community First Credit Union President/CEO Cathie Tierney and two CFCU board members Chairman Jay Fulkerson, CEO of Health Payment Systems, and Fox Valley Technical College President Dr. Susan May. The Business Leader Build was organized to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Greater Fox Cities Area Habitat for Humanity chapter, which has built more than 164 affordable homes in the region over two decades.
Each of the 20 business leaders involved contributed $7,500 of their own funds along with volunteers to help build two modest homes one for the Diaz Enriquez family and the other in Menasha for Vicky Vera-Estrada and her three children.
"Its a wonderful program that enables people to really find the joy and the benefit of homeownership," said Tierney, who provided funding and credit union employees, including her, to do drywall work and painting.
"These houses are just an inspiration to all of us," said Fulkerson, who also serves on the local Habitat board of directors and helped recruit Tierney and two other executives to spearhead the initiative and corral other leaders to join in.
With 20 executives committed at $7,500 apiece, they had the $150,000 needed to build two homes in 2013. Work began in August at each site with the homeowners performing their "sweat equity" alongside the executives, Habitat crew leaders and other volunteers. "These people are putting in lots of sweat equity and then theyve got a 30-year mortgage theyre paying," Fulkerson said. "Its an interest free mortgage but its still pretty significant.
"Its a really cool way they wrap their arms around these families to prepare them for home ownership," Fulkerson said. "Its good for the community, too; its making the neighborhood better."
Community First Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative serving more than 106,000 member/owners in Northeastern Wisconsin. CFCU operates 20 full-service branches, eight non-traditional branches and has assets totaling over $1.98 billion.
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