HABITAT DEDICATION SET TODAY

Two houses, one a new structure and the other an existing structure that was extensively renovated, will be dedicated today, marking the culmination of two projects by the Cape Girardeau chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

The renovated house at 545 S. Hanover will be dedicated at 2 p.m., while the new house at 1024 Good Hope will be dedicated at 3 p.m.

The Good Hope structure, a 1,200-square-foot, single story house with a basement, is the first new home to be built by the Habitat for Humanity group in Cape Girardeau.

This will mark the third Habitat structure to be completed in the last 14 months in Cape Girardeau, said Janet Ruopp, the organization's treasurer.

The first Habitat-for-Humanity house, a renovated structure at 1221 Ranney, was completed last year.

The house at 545 South Hanover originally stood at 611 Cordelia. It was donated by Grace United Methodist Church and moved to the Hanover site in 1988, Ruopp said.

Since then, the Habitat group has been working to renovate the structure. Volunteers have been working on the structure on Saturdays for about a year, said Vivian Rastl, a member of the board of directors of the local Habitat group.

Construction work was also continuing on the new structure. Although it is being dedicated today, some work remains to be done on the house, she said. The work is expected to be completed within 30 days.

The area Presbyterian churches have furnished money and labor for the Good Hope project, Rastl said.

Both the new house on Good Hope and the Hanover house are three-bedroom homes, said Rastl.

The house on Hanover is the new home of Donald and Tina Hanebrink and their three children.

Perry and Veronica Dietiker and their three children will soon be moving into the house on Good Hope, Rastl said.

Habitat for Humanity is a worldwide Christian housing ministry. The international organization was formed in 1976. The local branch was established in 1985.

Homes are offered to low-income families at no interest and no profit. A key component of the Habitat philosophy is "sweat equity," both Ruopp and Rastl said.

A qualified family is selected prior to the start of construction work and the family must contribute a minimum of 350 hours of "sweat equity."

Rastl said the charitable program encourages those who are helped to assist with future Habitat projects.

Habitat for Humanity seeks to provide quality housing for those low-income families now living in inadequate housing.

Rastl said there are many rental houses in the south part of the city that are in terrible condition. She recalled seeing a house where there was a major leak in the roof. At another house, the roof was in such bad shape that one could see daylight through it.

"It bothers me to see children in these conditions," said Rastl, who has devoted her Saturdays to Habitat construction work.

"I have worked every Saturday almost for about five or six years," she said. "I just do it all.

"My dad was a carpenter. I'm an upholsterer by trade. I enjoy redoing houses," she said. "It's rewarding. I just enjoy helping people."

Rastl said the local Habitat group wants to eliminate the situation of area families living in substandard housing.

Families who move into Habitat houses pay rent to the Habitat organization for the first year. If all goes well, the rent paid will go toward the purchase price.

Families then make loan payments to Habitat, which plows the proceeds back into renovating and building more homes, Ruopp said.

With the two houses being dedicated Sunday, the local Habitat group will have five houses from which it will be receiving rent or loan payments.

In addition to the three houses in Cape Girardeau, the Habitat group receives payments from two houses in Hayti that were originally projects of a different Habitat chapter that is no longer in operation there.

Rastl said the families that move into the homes are really appreciative of the Habitat group and its work. "We don't stop at just selling the house," she explained.

After the family has moved in, Habitat members work with the family to "try to change their lifestyle to where they can set their goals higher."

Rastl said the local Habitat group currently has three undeveloped lots on which it hopes to build new homes.

Ruopp said the next project will be construction of a house in the Red Star neighborhood.

"We really need good applicants," she said.

Ruopp said it has taken some time for the public to become acquainted with Habitat for Humanity.

"Nobody was interested at first," she remembered. "It was really tough."

Rastl said, "People are beginning to get more confidence in us." The Habitat chapter became a United Way agency in January.

The local chapter has 16 board members and a core of about 15 volunteers. "We always can use volunteers," said Ruopp.

A number of local churches have aided the organization's efforts over the years, Rastl said.

She said the Habitat group can use both money and volunteer labor. She said the group ends up investing about $20,000 to $30,000 in each housing project, which doesn't include volunteer labor.

Rastl said the Habitat houses meet all building code requirements and are well constructed. "We insulate them heavily. We do everything we can to keep down utility costs."

Permanent siding is installed on the houses to help make them as maintenance free as possible, said Rastl.