Two non-profits and a police department combined Friday to bring a group of humanitarian-minded teens to the Presidents Hall of Fame in Clermont. It was a workday for the 13 teens, ages 14-15, who were on Day 9 of a 10-day trip. Original plans for the day included exterior cleanup, landscape installation, some astroturf installation, and a certain amount of painting in the parking lot. Inclement weather meant that the landscape installation and the painting will happen later, sometime in the next five weeks, with a different group of like-minded teens, all on trips organized by the same company.

The teen trips to Lake and Sumter counties, nine groups over a nine-week period (ending August 7), are run by Humanitarian Experience For Youth (HEFY). HEFY is based in Utah. The teens at Presidents Hall on Friday were from Washington state, and from Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, California, Virginia and Missouri. HEFY typically runs international trips, but with covid-19, the organization decided to organize domestic trips. They reached out to Habitats for Humanity all over the country, and ended up in Central Florida, staying in Habitat’s volunteer village in Eustis. As explained by Carlos Beren, director of volunteer services for Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, the relatively young age of the volunteers means that they are not allowed to use power tools. So the best fit for their efforts is Habitat’s Preservation & Repair Program. The Program is for private homes and for community gathering places. The Presidents Hall was nominated because some in the Clermont Police Department noticed that there was a lot of vegetation in the front (facing US 27) and rear that needed attention.

As for the teens, they are here to grow and to serve.

“I’m here to meet cool people from all over the world and to have a strong connection with them and to build my testimony,” said Julia Mansfield of California.

“I’m here to meet new people and make connections from around the world and get to know my God better,” said Anna Hampton of Washington.

As a bonus, they all got tours of the Presidents Hall of Fame and its well-known White House in Miniature.

“I think it’s really cool,” said Keely Carter, speaking of the miniature.

But for at least one member of the team, the most memorable part of the trip has been the time spent sprucing up a private home in Mascotte.

Chaperone/parent Charles Carter from Portland, Oregon describes working at “Miss Donna’s.” Donna is a single mom, a work-at-home mom with an adult disabled son. For years part of her income stream has been from gardening, selling plants that she raises herself. Health challenges, plus lingering damage from Hurricane Irma made that difficult. But she is now healthy, and the work the HEFY crew did has given her a jump start at getting back to her gardening.

Kevin Tucker of Habitat for Humanity is positive that at some point before the HEFY program in Lake-Sumter is done, another crew will be back to finish the job at the Presidents Hall of Fame. Besides that though, the teens will be spending time in Leesburg and will end up in Wildwood, all working with Habitat’s Preservation & Repair program.

According to Habitat’s Web site, the Program started because “we found that there were individuals and families who already owned an affordable home but needed a little extra help in maintaining and preserving the safety of that home… [The] Program works to preserve the existing affordable housing stock, improve accessibility and safety of the homes through exterior repairs, and revitalize low-income neighborhoods and community spaces.”  The Program is not currently taking applications, according to the HABITAT FOR HUMANITY Web site.

To Learn more about Humanitarian Experience For Youth (HEFY), visit HEFY WEB SITE

To learn more about Clermont’s Presidents Hall of Fame, located at 123 N U.S. Hwy 27, visit THE STORY or visit the Presidents HALL OF FAME WEBSITE.

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Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter started the Youth Construction Academy, partnering with high school construction students. The vocational program, began approximately 3 years ago to introduce students to the field of construction. Students graduate the program with access and opportunity for internships and employment.

On Friday, May 7, a dedication ceremony was held at the newly constructed home in Mascotte. Construction Program Head Jarod Fullerton and his Groveland High School construction students Ernesto Lea, Aaron Dudhnath, Samuel Smrekan, Jonathon Cherry, Christopher Sherman, Nakoma Payne, Georgia Turner, Hayley Kintner, Dayton Driggers, Alexander Valentine, Jacob Willis, Elizabeth Singh, Jacob Myrland, were recognized and asked to present the keys to the house to new homeowners Mark and Mindy Owen.

Habitat has plans to build a total of four homes in that one block on Thomas Street in Mascotte, one house a year, in cooperation with the advanced construction students of South Lake High.

There has been a construction program at South Lake for well over 20 years. The program was revitalized through a workforce grant. Program head Jared Fullerton is himself a graduate of South Lake, where he was a construction student. Fullerton says he was 18 when he took part in building his first home. After graduating from South Lake in 2001 and spending two years studying at Lake-Sumter State College, he went on to earn a degree in Building Construction from the University of Florida. He worked several years in the industry and now has returned to South Lake High School, home of the Eagles, to reenergize the construction program for a new generation of students.

Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter sells affordable site-built homes to individuals and families within the service area who demonstrate a need, who are willing to partner with Habitat, and who have the ability to sustain a monthly mortgage payment.

Families partner with Habitat through a term called “sweat equity,” which shows they are invested in the outcome of their new home and the future of their housing status. Sweat Equity can be earned through several different activities such as volunteering on a worksite, in the office, or through educational courses such as a First Time Homebuyer, Financial Literacy, or Credit Counseling classes.

Each homeowner has different needs when they enter the program, so the staff works with them to offer the specialized support they need in order to become a successful homeowner.

Humanity of Lake-Sumter, Florida has been a local Hometown Habitat serving individuals in Lake and Sumter Counties with access and opportunity to affordable housing solutions since 1989.   As an affiliate of Habitat International, they empower local families to achieve strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter and are united by a shared vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live. 

See the video by visiting – https://www.facebook.com/southlaketablet/videos/203474611430950/

To learn more, visit HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

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Students from South Lake High School are working with Habitat For Humanity of Lake-Sumter to help launch a new Habitat for Humanity home in Mascotte.

Monday was a big day for the local Habitat for Humanity, as well as for some future homeowners and a group of students at South Lake High School. Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter started its program of partnering with high school construction students two years ago with The Villages Charter High School. Last year they added Leesburg High to the program, and this year they have added the Construction Academy of South Lake High School. The Villages school, located in Sumter County, started its home-building project in August. But Monday was the start day for students in Lake County. Eight students were accepted to the construction team in south Lake — six boys and two girls — and most of them were on hand in Mascotte for their first day on the job site. The plan is that students will spend three days a week at the job site, and two days in the classroom.

Speaking of the Habitat project, student Ernesto Leal (senior) said “It’s humbling. It’s a great feeling knowing we’re going to build a home for someone who’s going to live in it, call it a home.”

Speaking of the construction academy in general, student Elizabeth Singh (sophomore) said “I really like to get my hands dirty. I like to work with my hands.” Fellow student Hayley Kintner (junior) said “I really enjoy creating.”

The future homeowners are Mark and Mindy Owen. Both will be contributing their own sweat-equity to the project. The two are excited about their future home and pumped over the student involvement. As Mark Owen says, “I think that will be ideal, because you’re going to have an instructor looking over everybody’s shoulders, and it’s a wonderful chance for the students to learn.”

There has been a construction academy at South Lake for well over 20 years. The program was revitalized last year through a workforce grant. Program head Jared Fullerton is himself a graduate of South Lake, where he was a construction student. Fullerton says he was 18 when he took part in building his first home.

Habitat has plans to build a total of four homes in that one block on Thomas Street in Mascotte, one house a year, in cooperation with the advanced construction students of South Lake High. As school district representative Lynnea Weisman pointed out, the students not only learn their crafts, they develop mentoring relationships with persons in the industry and, in many cases, they gain employment.

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