Dear Carolyn,

Tomorrow is a remarkable day -- on October 1st President Jimmy Carter will turn 100! President Carter first volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in Americus, Georgia in March of 1984. Since then, the President and Mrs. Carter have worked alongside nearly 104,000 volunteers in 14 countries to build, renovate and repair 4,390 Habitat for Humanity homes. We will have a door displayed tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the common in Leominster for everyone to sign with best wishes. Please stop by if you are in the area.

This month we had a number of events including closings for the home at 12 Roche Avenue (picture above right) and land on Tenth Street in Leominster, four projects to commemorate 9/11 and to Remember Everyone Deployed, and a groundbreaking for our newest project in Ayer (picture above). We are so excited that the Santiago family is now settled into their new home and that we will have the opportunity to house another family in Leominster as well as two more families in Ayer!

I mentioned last month that we are starting a Local Project Committee (LPC) for our duplex build in Ayer and all are welcome to join. The LPC helps to drive our builds and members of the committee will assist with family selection, family advocacy, events and ceremonies, volunteer recruitment and development. The second meeting is scheduled for October 2nd at 6 p.m. at St. Andrews Church in Ayer. Please join us!

The Building Dreams Golf Tournament was held on September 10th and we had a beautiful, sunny day for golfing. Thank you so much to our major sponsors including Leominster Credit Union, Rollstone Bank, Total Mortgage, Law Office of David Rocheford, The Majestic Group, Doors Unlimited, Main Street Bank, James Monroe Wire and Cable, DMH Electric, Package Steel Systems, Optiline Enterprises, and Hakala Foundations. It was a great day!

Our next event is the Toast to Hope planned for October 17th from 7 to 9 p.m. at Devens Common Center. Tasting tables will include Jack O'Lantern Liquors, Alltown Fresh, Marty's Corner Cafe, The Pauper's Panty, Evviva Trattoria, KJ's Cafe, Kith and Kin Hudson, Wachusett Brewing Company, Spicy Water Distillery, Moon Hill Brewing and Gardner Ale House, Boston Harbor Distillery, Berkshire Brewing Company, Texas Roadhouse, JJP Party Planning & Catering, Stateside Vodka, Grizzly Ventures: Food Encounters, NY Pizza (Leominster), M.S. Walker, Elijah Craig, Tip Top Cocktails, Rudy Wines, Tito's Handmade Vodka, Baystate Wine & Spirits and more. Please plan to join us and you can get tickets here.

Thank you all for all the good that you do and for helping to bring and keep local families home.

Carolyn

A Toast to Hope, our wine, beer, spirit and food tasting event, will be held on October 17th from 7-9 p.m. at the Devens Common Center. We will have over 25 tasting tables, great silent auction items, a wine pull and more all at a beautiful venue. Get tickets or become an event sponsor. Register today!

Thank you to Nashoba Valley Neighbors Club, Axis, Phillips Medisize, Intel, Luk with United Way Day of Caring, Bentley University, Team Rubicon and the Fitchburg Police Department and our great individual volunteers Amanda, Luke, Nick, Noel, Pamela, Eileen, Brett, Katey, and Sharon who helped us to build and repair homes, stock the ReStore shelves, and run the office this month. Thank you all so much!

To help us on any of the sites or at the ReStore, register online or send an email to tara@ncmhabitat.org with any questions.

It's time to visit the ReStore! Store hours are every Tuesday through Saturday, 10-5. Also, keep us in mind for your donations! We have free pickup, can help with estate cleanouts and cabinet removal, and you can schedule through our website.

You will also find the Wall of Honor at the ReStore where you can post a brick in honor of service members and local first responders. Stop by and post a brick!