Newest Holston Habitat for Humanity home gets official groundbreaking

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Published 11:21 am Friday, July 15, 2022

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Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Patti Huszai sits on the corner of what will shortly be the front porch of the new home Habitat for Humanity is building for her on Blevins Avenue in Elizabethton.

Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Patti Huszai (center), along with (left to right) Charlie, Darlene and Sam LaPorte and Holston Habitat for Humanity’s Jennifer Dixon, officially break ground on Blevins Avenue early Thursday morning on what will be Huszai’s new home.

Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Patti Huszai sits on the corner, with her son Ricky Viarine and his wife Katie, of what will shortly be the front porch of the new home Holston Habitat for Humanity is building for her on Blevins Avenue in Elizabethton.

Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Patti Huszai (black t-shirt center), poses with members of the Holston Habitat for Humanity’s team prior to the official break ground ceremony on Blevins Avenue early Thursday morning of what will be Huszai’s new home.

Star Photo/Larry N. Souders After the official break ground ceremony on Blevins Avenue early Thursday morning for the new home Holston Habitat for Humanity is building for Patti Huszai, construction workers continue to work on what will be the front porch of the new house. The home construction started near the end of June.

Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Patti Huszai sits on the corner of what will shortly be the front porch of the new home Habitat for Humanity is building for her on Blevins Avenue in Elizabethton.

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A bright, early morning sun greeted Patti Huszai as she stepped onto the lot that will soon be her new home on Blevins Avenue near downtown Elizabethton.

As the newest recipient of a Holston Habitat for Humanity home, Huszai was taking part in a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday for what will become her home and the 26th house built by the group in Carter County.

Along with Huszai for the actual groundbreaking were Sam, Darlene and Charlie LaPorte. The LaPorte family sponsored this build in memory of their Uncle Charles “Dude” LaPorte.

After leaving an abusive relationship and filing for divorce last year, Huszai said she had moved into her son’s home while looking for an affordable home. “I started the process with Habitat that includes filling out a lot of paper,” she chuckled, “and then Alisa told me today that this is going to be my house and I’ve been crying happy tears all morning long.”

Construction began in late June, and the basement walls provided a backdrop for Thursday’s groundbreaking. In upcoming weeks volunteers from several Elizabethton businesses, churches, and community organizations will join together to begin construction on the two-bedroom Habitat home. Holston Habitat for Humanity projects the finishing date on the house by mid to late October.

Community members are invited to sign-up to volunteer by visiting www.HolstonHabitat.org. Businesses, churches, and organizations interested in participating on site as a group can reserve team-building days by contacting Volunteer Manager, Mandy Penz, at 423-239-7689 ext. 801 or by emailing volunteer@holstonhabitat.org.

Breaking News:

Carter County school board votes to close Little Milligan at end of year