"[This is] the day I have been waiting for!" Jean Neely beams. This evening, Jean, her son Howie (14) and daughter Tori (10), have planned a Groundbreaking Ceremony for their Habitat for Humanity home. The home will be built in the coming months by Jean's friends and family, churches and many others in Millersburg. Nearly 20 of Jean's friends will be involved in actually breaking the ground, a testament to the strength of the Neely family's wonderful support network. Funds for the land were provided by an anonymous donor.
Jean has been a Sales Coordinator at Forest River since 1993. Many of those supporting her throughout the building of her house are close friends she has made through the company. "They are very understanding— a great group of people to work with." When she's not at work, Jean says, "I love to travel when I get the chance...I get to see more of the U.S., see how other people live." She has visited Chicago, Philadelphia, Haiti, and Costa Rica. Many of these trips have a mission, whether with youth groups or through other church projects.
Jean has passed this interest in helping people to her children. She and Howie have donated many hours to "Feed the Children" and "Stamp Out Hunger" efforts. Jean and her kids are very involved at First Church of God in Goshen. Through the youth group, they sell concessions at Notre Dame games to raise money for mission trips.
The family enjoys canoeing, biking, soccer, and exchanging water balloons by slingshot with the neighbors. (It's all in good fun, and the neighbors started it, Jean insists with a laugh.) The kids play video games— Howie sticks to racing games and street basketball, while Tori enjoys playing Pokemon or Webkins on the computer. Howie has also discovered a talent for working on small engines, and hopes to take a class next year to enhance his skills.
As the reality of owning her own home slowly sinks in, Jean thinks about her journey to this point. "We moved in to my mom's house 6 years ago, thinking we'd only stay a year," she says. Now she has all the tools and support to be a successful homeowner. To her and her family, a Habitat house means, "Freedom. A chance at a new life. A fresh start."