GRAVETTE -- Lynn Reed, community engagement manager for Habitat for Humanity of Benton County, was the guest speaker for the regular meeting of the Gravette Lions Club Tuesday, Nov. 15. She said there are now three Habitat homes in Gravette and the organization also owns three lots here. Plans are to build homes on these lots after three homes being built in Rogers are completed, somewhere near the end of 2023.
Reed described the process by which Habitat homes are built. She explained that partner families do a budget and credit repair classes, and a silent mortgage, adopted from Habitat International, helps cover the costs the families cannot bear during construction. Occupants of Habitat homes are usually single mothers who have been living in rentals and do sweat equity to have a home of their own. They help each other, Reed said, and are very grateful for the Habitat program.
Reed said that Habitat is a faith-based program and each construction project is started with prayer. A dedication is held when each home is finished, and the home and its occupants are blessed. She said Habitat had received a donation of five acres in Lowell, and it intends to build a home for senior disabled veterans, with a goal for construction in 2026.
Donations of money and materials are helpful, Reed said, and she distributed a flyer about ways to help. She said that Habitat has been partnering with Wayne Thomas of Kind at Heart, which offers repair services for senior citizens and disabled persons. She asked that anyone knowing of persons needing assistance or suitable land available for purchase please notify Habitat.
Lion Snooky Garrett gave the invocation to open the meeting, and her sister, Sue Rice, gave the tail twister, "Nobody's coming to save you. Get up and be your own hero."
A report was given on the cemetery cleanup, held on Nov. 9 at Hillcrest Cemetery, saying it went well. Limbs were removed, and a coat of sealant was put on the benches there. It was also reported that the club's food donation box at Harp's was overflowing, and plans were made to deliver the donations to the food pantry on its next open date.
The club's planned highway cleanup was postponed and members voted instead to set up a booth and sell pecan halves Saturday, Nov. 19, along Highway 59 across from Grumpy's. The highway cleanup was now to be held on Tuesday, Nov. 22. The club is planning for other upcoming activities, including entering a float in the Christmas parade on Dec. 3 and selling pecans and offering membership information at a booth during Hometown Christmas on Main Saturday, Dec. 10.
The group made plans to hold a club Christmas celebration following the regular meeting Tuesday, Dec. 20. Members are asked to bring snacks and a $2 exchange gift.
President Jeff Davis reported the Lions' mid-winter forum would be held in late January or early February, and the state Lion convention is scheduled for April 21 and 22 in Fayetteville.