Bucks Habitat Celebrates--Morning Call--essentialjustin.com

Through the voluntary efforts of members of the Home Builders Association of Bucks and Montgomery counties, the four homes were built from the foundation up in seven days. The homes are off Main Street in Trumbauersville in the Habitat for Humanity development called Emerald Hollow.

At least 200 people attended the noon event, called the Blitz Build Celebration, that included speeches from American Idol star and Bucks County native Justin Guarini, U.S. Rep. Jim Greenwood and Bucks County Commissioner Mike Fitzpatrick, accompanied by the Central Bucks High School East Marching Band.

Trish Kriger, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County, said the fast construction was accomplished through the labor and materials of 600 volunteers and 130 companies, all associated with the Home Builders Association.

The association's donation, she said, is equal to about $300,000 in labor and materials.

''They <THE association>came to us eight months ago and said they would like to help Habitat for Humanity and there it is…a week ago there was nothing there but a foundation,'' Kriger said, looking at the completed town homes.

She said the association had helped Habitat for Humanity at projects in Lower Bucks and also worked with Habitat of Montgomery County.

During the celebration, Peter Rotelle, chairman of the Blitz Build Committee, said building houses is what the association does for a living, but that it was especially heartwarming to see people ''complete a dream for someone else.''

Natasha Brockington, who will move into one of the homes with her four children, said she woke up around 4 a.m. and began trying to compose a speech for the day but realized, ''Words from the heart need no rehearsal … thank you so much."

Brockington, 28, cried and repeated, ''Just thank you so much. We appreciate you from the bottom of our hearts.''

About her remarks, Greenwood said, ''To me it's worth sitting here in the wind to here her speak from her heart.''

''Seeing the stories in the newspaper and television tomorrow, one might tend to despair, but a story like this renews our sense of hope …

Life is good today,'' the congressman said.

''Like Dorothy, there's no place like home,'' he said, quoting the heroine in ''The Wizard of Oz'' because the development's name, Emerald Hollow, reminded him of the famous movie.

Of Los Angeles, where he has been living, Guarini said, ''Life there is just 'me, me, me'…it's a blessing to come home to see so many caring people, people helping to build a community.''

Last year Guarini's fan club donated $6,500, which he matched, to Habitat.

As for what the recording and television star has been doing, he said, ''I'm writing my next album, auditioning for film and television and toying with some Broadway theater. Basically doing some hustling.''

Standing in the driveway of one of the homes was future homeowner Sergio Grossov. He and his wife and two children hope to move in by May or June.

''I am just amazed at the skill and coordination that went into this,'' the 39-year-old Grossov said. ''Just days ago this was nothing.''

With 37 townhouses, Emerald Hollow is the largest Habitat for Humanity project in the Northeast. Except for 12 units sold on the open market, the homes are meant for people with lower incomes, and cost between $80,000 and $90,000.

Chuck Malinchak is a freelance writer.