On Saturday, Dec. 8, members of the Farmville Area Habitat for Humanity’s Buckingham Build gathered in Dillwyn to break ground on their latest new home construction. This build is in partnership with Doreen Jones and her mother. As you sit in Doreen’s living room with her and her mom, you quickly feel the love shared between this daughter and mother.

Having grown up in the Arvonia area of Buckingham, family has been important to Doreen all her life. For 20 years, she worked for Marriot Hotels in Charlottesville and Richmond, but left her job when her mom’s health began to decline. Desiring a better home for herself and her mom, she applied with Habitat.

Their current home has challenges with substandard floors and poor quality water which makes it necessary to purchase water for drinking and cooking. Accessibility challenges for her mom easily moving through all parts of the home are another motivating factor for a home that can be built tailored to her specific needs.

As part of the partnership with Habitat, Doreen, along with family and friends, will be required to volunteer 200 hours working on her home and another home. When completed, she will pay an affordable mortgage due, in part, to the labor savings made possible by all the volunteers who will help during the build.

Friends and family gathered together Saturday, despite the bitter cold weather, to turn over the ceremonial first shovelful of dirt, marking the official beginning of this build.

During the ceremony, Donna McRae-Jones, Chair of Buckingham Build, thanked all in attendance and invited everyone to come out and volunteer in the months ahead. Musical selections during the event were provided by Sunny Side. Deacon Joe Lewis offered a prayer and house blessing.

Buckingham Build member Bill Kemp made two special presentations of Golden Hammers, noting the volunteer and donor support of both Mary Scott and the Melvin C. Draft Family Foundation. Buckingham Build is the local all-volunteer leadership team working under the direction of the Farmville Area Habitat for Humanity.

Doreen’s build marks the fifth home built by this group in Buckingham County. Ralph Dunnavant, retired contractor now working on his third Habitat house, will lead the day-to-day building as site supervisor.