We have been blessed with beautiful weather, family celebrations and productive construction days. First, we want to thank everyone who participating in our home dedication Saturday, Sept. 18 on Dahlia Street for making it so special (including the families, friends, speakers, Girl Scout Troop 335 and pastors). And congratulations to our newest home buyers: Singleton, Dawson, Weems, and Swanson families. See photos from their dedication ceremony.

Every year we are blessed with a wonderful new AmeriCorps crew, and this year is no exception. Please join us in welcoming our awesome new AmeriCorps volunteers: Laurel Morgan (volunteer services assistant) and Noah Yoder, John Peyer and Brendan Murphy (construction assistants). Join us on the construction site to see why we love them so.

And what a better time to join us than during Women Build? Bring a team of friends and colleagues, or take a day for yourself to help build an affordable home with the Carson and Searight families. Progress is going great, and can only get better if you volunteer too.

We're excited to have broken ground on 2011 build sites in a new neighborhood development being built in Covington -- The Groves at Mile Branch. Read more below and see photos from the groundbreaking ceremony.

October is a wonderful time of year in St. Tammany, and we hope you will join us in this fall weather to help build a stronger community of families empowered with the pride of earning and buying their first homes with Habitat.

David Crumhorn
Chairman of the Board, Habitat STW