Habitat dedicates 11th home

"This is a house built by many hands," Ken Osborne, Nevada, Mo., Area Habitat for Humanity president, said during the dedication ceremony for the affiliate's 11th house. Joe Habjan, left, Robert Palmer and Joe Sunthimer, far right, present Kasha Belcher and her son Kason the keys to their new home built by the Nevada Mo Area Habitat for Humanity. "They were in charge of the construction and kept everyone moving in the same direction. In volunteer work that can be like herding cats," Osborne said. This house is energy star rated to keep utility bills low and is the first home they have constructed to have a tornado shelter, which was sold to Nevada Habitat at cost by Twister Safe, included in the house. Osborne said they included the tornado shelter because the house is built on a slab and there is no basement or crawl space under the house. Habitat for Humanity affiliates select "partner families: to become Habitat homeowners. They are selected based on their level of need, willingness to become partners in the program and ability to repay the non-profit, no interest home. Habitat is not a giveaway program. In addition to a down payment and monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor (sweat equity) into building their Habitat house and the houses of others. --Ralph Pokorny/Daily Mail