On Sunday, July 7^th, the Habitat for Humanity broke ground at a new house in Monroe, Oregon and our crew was there to help. While it was a long 12-hour day, we completed the rough install of a heat pump and had plenty of fun and laughs along the way.

The house is being built to honor Monroe High School graduate John Gray, who before his passing donated $2 million to Habitat for Humanity and another half million to the recently opened Monroe Library. Before Gray became a developer and philanthropist he served in the U.S. Army’s 82^nd Airborne Division in World War II. As a builder himself, Gray was fascinated with all stages of construction and would have loved to see this groundbreaking, according to his son, Jack Gray.

“There are all sorts of things that roll into making this a wonderful tribute to him,” he said.

The home is being built for Jessica Jones-Nowlin and her partner Corey Youngren and their six children. They’ll be able to move the clan in during October this year after construction is expected to wrap up in September. Jones-Nowlin’s daughter, a six year old with numerous health issues, is expected to be wheelchair bound following upcoming required surgeries. The home was designed with this in mind and will feature a wheelchair-accessible bathroom and is built on a single level.

This is the 17^th home that has been built or remodeled by the Junction City/Harrisburg/Monroe Habitat for Humanity since its inception in 1996.

Here at Hunter-Davisson, we’re proud to have donated our time, expertise, and equipment to help out for such a great cause.