Bianca, 3, already has picked out her bedroom and Emilio, 1, has his.

Monday, June 25, 2001

Bianca, 3, already has picked out her bedroom and Emilio, 1, has his.

The third will be for their mother, Jessica Gerrero.

There is excitement in the young mother’s family: Soon they will move into their new home built by strangers who are becoming friends.

The Freeborn/Mower County Habitat for Humanity affiliate dedicated its 14th house Sunday afternoon. It was the ninth in Mower County.

The affiliate’s president, Louis Anthonisen. The Gerrero house at 807 12th St. NE is not yet ready for occupancy, according to Anthonisen, but the family should be able to move into their new home by mid-July.

The Rev. Hubert Boschert, pastor of St. Edward’s Catholic Church, blessed the Gerrero home, saying "Peace be with this house and all who live here."

The new homeowner was presented with keys to her home and a Bible. The Habitat homes are built by volunteers, who donate their time and talents to each project. In addition, contractors generously donate both labor and much of the home’s infrastructure.

"I want to say thanks to everybody. This would not have been possible without you wonderful people," the new homeowner said.

Gerrero has lived in Austin for eight years, joining her mother and uncles, who moved to the city earlier. She will be moving from a two-bedroom duplex into a new one-story three-bedroom home soon.

She works as a nurse’s aid at St. Mark’s Lutheran Home and will repay the Habitat organization with "sweat equity" and a no-interest home mortgage for the new three-bedroom home.

Speaking of the organization’s continuing string of successful volunteer projects, Gaylord Jensen, a Habitat volunteer, observed, "I don’t know if people actually know what a great town this is or are aware of all of the acts of kindness that take place every day."

Debbie Amdahl does. She and her son, Tim, 13, live in a new Habitat home completed last fall along Oakland Avenue East. They came to Sunday’s dedication ceremonies to congratulate Gerrero.

"It’s exciting. I know just how Jessica feels at this time. The Habitat people are wonderful and do so many good things. They even help you after the home is built and you move it. My sponsor is Ruth Seavey and they have a family support group to help you along the way," Amdahl said.

Coming next will be another home-building project on Fifth Avenue NE. Anyone interested in volunteering for this project may call 433-1349.

Call Lee Bonorden at 434-2232 or e-mail him at lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com.