A Carter County veteran will soon realize his dream of owning his own home through a partnership with Holston Habitat for Humanity.

On Saturday, Holston Habitat for Humanity representatives will join U.S. Navy Veteran Steve in a community groundbreaking celebration to begin work on his home in Elizabethton. Trish Patterson with Holston Habitat said it is the agency’s policy to only identify program participants by their first names.

The groundbreaking is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 8, at 10 a.m. at the construction site for Steve’s home at 205 Parkway Boulevard.

“Holston Habitat is excited to welcome the community to Steve’s Groundbreaking Celebration,” said Art Pearce, Executive Director of Holston Habitat. “We welcome volunteers from the Elizabethton area to work alongside Steve with hope that his home is completed by Veteran’s Day.”

After working for months to prepare for this day, Steve will turn the first shovel of dirt to mark the beginning of construction on his new Habitat home.

“This Habitat house is a dream come true for me. I can’t wait to get started, and am so thankful to everyone who will help build my home,” he said.

Steve’s construction project is a Habitat Community Build, with an open invitation for individuals and groups, churches and businesses to volunteer with construction or to provide food for volunteers. Eddie Bales, construction supervisor, will be onsite every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from July 27 through mid-October, directing the work of volunteers.

“We’ve had a lot of interest from local businesses and groups who want to get involved and we are hoping to keep that up so we can get the project done by Veterans Day,” Patterson said. “We would love to dedicate the house for Veterans Day.”

Mandy Penz, Holston Habitat’s Volunteer Coordinator, welcomes folks to visit www.HolstonHabitat.org to register online as construction volunteers.

“Like all Habitat for Humanity construction projects, Community Build volunteers will learn new do-it-yourself skills, have a great time and serve others by volunteering together on an affordable, energy-efficient new Habitat home,” Penz said. Steve will work alongside volunteers, fulfilling his Habitat commitment of “sweat equity,” time required of every Habitat homebuyer.

“Our mission is putting God’s love into action by volunteering alongside homebuyers to provide a hand up, not a hand out,” says John Boaz, Board Chair of Holston Habitat. “We are especially excited to build with Steve, a U.S. veteran, making Steve’s home the 273rd hand-up housing solution provided by Holston Habitat for Humanity since 1985.”

For more information about volunteering with Holston Habitat for Humanity, or about Holston Habitat’s home repair and homeownership programs, visit www.holstonhabitat.org or call 423-239-7689.   Holston Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit equal housing opportunity builder, selling homes to qualified homebuyers at 0 percent interest loans.