Habitat for Humanity plans for house in Hudson
By Angela Greiner Community Reporter

PHOTO/ANGELA GREINER During a meeting March 17, members of Habitat for Humanity plan for the upcoming Spring Auction to be held Saturday April 5. Planners include (back, l to r) Franci Martel, Marge Thomas, Cindy Cormier, Danielle Moskowitz, Rosemary Schantz, Kathy Kielbowicz, Bonnie DeRusha Michelle Monteiro, (front, l to r) Scott Goldor, Jill Schafer and Wendy Cohen.

Hudson - How about a chance to win a Bose radio or a weekend at Plum Island while helping a local family get a home? These are just a few of the items up for auction at the local Habitat for Humanity's spring auction Saturday April 5 at the Elks Lodge in Hudson. Danielle Moskowitz, co-chair for the event, is inviting the community to attend the group's first major fund-raising eff ort, with all of the proceeds going directly toward the town's first Habitat for Humanity building project.

Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing low-income families with adequate housing. The program, which operates throughout the world including three houses recently built locally, has teams of volunteers, from fund-raisers to builders.

"As a homeowner, I know how much pride it is to own a home and be part of a community," Moskowitz said.

When she heard that there were other community members interested in building a house locally, she wanted to help.

"Hudson may have its 10 percent quota of affordable housing, but there is an obvious need for aff ordable housing," Moskowitz said. "I have always been interested in eliminating substandard living."

The first step is to secure a buildable piece of land through a donation from the town or a resident.

"What we are doing while we wait is to begin the fundraising, so when we do have land we have the money to begin the process," Moskowitz said.

In the past, all local chapters of the organization have built on donated land. This group has decided to move forward with a more aggressive fundraising campaign in the event that it will have to purchase land.

The April 5 auction is the first event of the campaign and Moskowitz is hoping to raise $10,000. The benefit, which will open its doors at 6 p.m., will include both a live and silent auction, a disc jockey, live

" music, hors d'oeuvres, dancing and a cash bar. Tickets are $20 per person and $30 per couple in advance and $25 at the door. There will be over 150 items to bid on, including signed Red Sox collectibles, Huntington Theater tickets and hot-air balloon rides.

Volunteer Rosemary Schantz explained that she has worked in other communities as far away as New Orleans building houses.

"It is amazing to work so closely with the family who will one day live in the house you are building …," Schantz said. "It is a pretty emotional experience."

The local organization currently has nearly 100 volunteers.

"Everyone wants to get swinging that hammer, but it is a long process and there is a lot to be done before that begins to happen," Moskowitz said.

For more information, contact Wendy Cohen at 978-618-5672.