The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
As a low-income single mom, the dream of home ownership has been elusive for Angela Bennett. Now thanks to the kindness of strangers and her own hard work, the long-time renter will finally get a place to call her own. Later this year, if all goes well, Bennett and her son Austin, 10, will move into the first Flin Flon home constructed by Habitat for Humanity. 'There's no words to explain what this means to me and my son,' said Bennett. 'This is going to be our first real home together and we're just thrilled to be on board.' Step forward Ted Elliott, chair of Habitat for Humanity's local chapter, Habitat 53, said the selection of Bennett marks an important step forward. 'We always knew we were going to help somebody,' he said. 'We didn't know who. Now we can put a face to a project and say, 'Now we know who we're working for.'' Habitat 53 hopes to begin construction this summer on a 912-sq.-ft., two-bedroom home at the vacant property at 63 Green Street. Not only is the site near Hapnot Collegiate and dining and retail outlets, it came free of charge courtesy as a private individual donated it. Bennett will not be given the house. Instead, she will purchase it from Habitat for Humanity with a mortgage that fits her limited budget. See 'Walking' on pg. Continued from pg. Bennett, a parenting instructor for the Northern Health Region, is also required to complete 350 hours of volunteer work in the community before she is handed the keys. She and Austin have already been putting in time with the SPCA _ 'walking dogs and cuddling cats' _ and are looking to help out the Flin Flon Station Museum this summer. Since moving to Flin Flon nearly 11 years ago, Bennett, a Snow Lake native, has rented a place on Hapnot Street. But she always wanted something better for Austin. 'He doesn't have a yard to play in. Where we live is not the best, so we have a lot of riffraff that comes around,' said Bennett. 'So for him to be able to go outside and play with his friends in a yard is like, I can't even describe what it means. It's exciting. It's everything that I've wanted, being a mom.' When Bennett applied for the first local Habitat for Humanity home, she was doubtful she would be selected. But of the three applications received, the Habitat 53 family selection committee saw Bennett as the best candidate. After learning last week that she had been selected, Bennett said she has been overwhelmed by generosity. 'Sometimes it doesn't seem real to me,' she said. Habitat homes are constructed by a combination of hired tradespeople and volunteer workers. Where she can, Bennett herself will be able to lend a hand. For Habitat 53, the focus now shifts to preliminary work on the Green Street property and, more importantly, bolstered fundraising efforts. 'Now that we have a family...we will start some major considerations on how to raise the funds we need,' Elliott said. Tom Morrison, chair of the family selection committee, expects support from the community will increase. 'I think the way this community is, once they know this is going on, they'll jump in,' he said confidently. Indeed many tradespeople have already come forward to offer their help when the time comes. 'So now we can start all of the scheduling that goes into a construction project,' Elliott said. The best-case scenario will see the new home built and Bennett ready to move in by Christmas. Bennett's payments will then give Habitat 53 a steady stream of revenue that will help construct the next home for a family in need.
