What is the most important thing to do on Mother’s Day weekend?  For most people, sending cards or flowers to Mom or spending the day remembering their mother is the traditional way to celebrate.  In the Mount Washington Valley, Mother’s Day weekend has come to mean Habitat for Humanity Women’s Build.  This is the 5th year that Lowe’s has sponsored participating Affiliates to put together a team of at least 75% women to qualify for a $5,000 store credit.  This is also the 5th year that the Mount Washington Valley Affiliate of Habitat for Humanity has been chosen to be Lowe’s Women’s Build site.

We were invited to Lowe’s for a clinic to familiarize the participants with hand and power tools to safely frame a house.  Lowe’s offers these clinics so that women can get comfortable with tools and can work safely at the build site.  This year, Bob Howe, the foreman on Women’s Build day, said that, “the women seemed more comfortable with the tools and were able to jump right in to start work”.  Much of this is due to Lowe’s clinics and the fact that many women are repeat builders for this event.

Once again this year the women from Carroll County Altrusa provided us with snacks and a delicious lunch.  These women baked goodies for our morning break and bought lunch for the entire crew.  Many of the women were inspired by what they saw at the site and have asked to join the building crew next year.

Several women sent out emails expressing how much they enjoyed the day.  Here is one that expresses the general attitude:

“Thank you for this very rewarding endeavor.  Today I am once again reminded that the GETTING IS IN THE GIVING!  Bravo to all you ladies…it was my pleasure working beside all of you today…and of course the gentlemen not receiving this email.  DV    PS.  See you next year.”