BRANDON - Victoria Richards could think of no better way to spend the holiday than to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Richards, the volunteer manager of Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough County, stood among a sea of nearly 60 volunteers who had enthusiastically gathered shortly after daybreak on Monday to raise the roof trusses of three new homes out of five in what is being called the Williams Glen community on East Morgan Street in Brandon.
It is the first time the organization, which has built or renovated more than 200 homes in Hillsborough County since 1987, has done a project in Brandon.
The occasion coincided with this year's national Day of Service in remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Similar to King's dream of creating equal opportunity and prosperity for all countrymen, the volunteers, commonly coined "dream builders," were there to fulfill Habitat's mission of constructing homes, community and hope for homeowner candidates of the three-bedroom, two-bathroom dwellings.
The mix of men and women who turned out on their own time were people of diverse backgrounds with the same goal: brighten the futures of folks who never imagined the dream of home ownership.
Employees of Williams Automotive Group, an ardent Habitat for Humanity supporter for whom Brandon's Habitat community was named, Travelers Insurance and Johnson-&-Johnson, were among the volunteers who came together in a brotherhood of unity, an ideal King sought for all Americans.
Eric Johnson, Williams Automotive Group's community partnership director, said one of his company's core values is community involvement.
"Habitat is one of the best ways we get involved with the community and it's really good for our team to interact with the homeowners because it puts the reality into the reason we are here," he said.
"That's also when it really tugs at the emotional heartstrings, especially because most of the families have children and it brings opportunity to those children," Johnson added.
Moreover, the Mission Continues Tampa 1st Service Platoon - a local arm of the national nonprofit organization meant to help veterans find purpose following their time in the military through community impact projects - arrived with a separate contingent large enough to install the entire framework of wooden beams on the roof of one home.
"We are so honored to have the Tampa Platoon on our build sites, especially on this very special national Day of Service, said Nitza Rivera, procurement and grant compliance manager for Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough County as well as a veteran associated with MCT.
In addition, Ada Colon and Gwen Smith, two of the Williams Glen community homeowner candidates, were on hand to help out and earn some of the 300 sweat equity hours required for ownership. It's also essential they have steady incomes, complete a series of home ownership classes and are capable of paying the closing costs on their zero-interest mortgages.
Colon, whose daughter and grandchildren live in Brandon, has amassed more than 200 service hours toward owning one of the homes, expected to be completed by April.
"This is a dream come true and these people are amazing," said Colon, who mainly works from home for a prison ministry.
Smith, the single mother of two grown children and a 13-year-old son, has already logged close to 100 hours although construction on her home has not yet begun.
"Without Habitat I wouldn't be able to afford a home so I was pleasantly surprised when my application was accepted," said Smith, who works for the Hillsborough County School District and whose daughter and sister reside in Brandon.
"It was one, two, three and boom, it happened," Smith said as she stood beside Colon in awe of the volunteers' selflessness.
Nearby, Richards applauded the fact they all are able to set aside their differences for the common good.
"It's a real tribute to Martin Luther King," she said.
Funding for the purchase of the Brandon property was provided by a $100,000 Hillsborough County Affordable Housing Community Development Block Grant.
Habitat's underwriting decisions are based on the applicant's income, debts and credit history. Income limits are 30 to 80 percent of Hillsborough County's median income, determined annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Contact Joyce McKenzie at hillsnews@tampabay.com.
--