The Familes We'll Be Working With

I have just gotten this information from the Habitat office in Moloka'i and wanted to share it with you. It looks like we will be working with up to three different families this year in different stages of construction.

1.  Tasha M. is a single woman who is the caretaker of disabled children. She currently cares for an autistic girl and is heavily involved with the Special Olympics.

2.  Kanoe Kekelaia is a single mom who has a minor developmental disability. A recovering addict, she has pulled herself together almost no support from her family or friends.  The office has worked with her for almost 3 years to get to this point of home ownership. There is finish work and landscaping to be done on this house. Apparently, she is so happy, she has painted the house purple!

3. Aunty Lani is a rehab/renovation.  This is still tentative.
She had to shut one section of the house because the rats had eaten the floor boards and it was dangerous for her grandchildren who live with her occasionally.  Her two sons and their families live in shacks in the backyard.  Her homestead is on an acre or so Hawaiian Homelands,  with an outdoor kitchen.  If we can fix  Lani's house then
we can improve the lives of 3 generations.

Itinerary - Subject to Change!!

Arrival day, December 25^th, 2010

Team arrival all day- transportation will be provided from airport/ferry terminal

Dinner TBD

Sunday, December 26^th

9:00 AM Breakfast & Team Introductions

10:30 AM Depart Hotel Molokai for Cultural Activity TBD

*** Lunch will be provided***

5:30 PM Orientation/Hotel Molokai

6:00 PM Dinner Hotel Molokai

Monday December 27

7:00 AM Breakfast (Set up by Team Volunteers)

8:00 AM Depart Hotel Molokai

8:15 AM Arrive Build site

10:00 AM Break

12:00 PM Lunch

5:30 PM Arrive Hotel Molokai

7:00 PM Dinner

Tuesday December 28

7:00 AM Breakfast (Set up by Team Volunteers)

8:00 AM Depart Hotel Molokai

8:15 AM Arrive Build site

10:00 AM Break

12:00 PM Lunch

3:30 PM Clean up site

4:00 PM Depart site

4:30 PM  
6:00 PM Evening Activities *
    *TBD

 
Wednesday, December 29th
7:00 AM Breakfast
8:00 AM Depart Hotel Molokai
8:15 AM Arrive Build Site
10:00 AM Break
12:00 PM Lunch
3:30 PM Clean up site
4:00 PM Depart 

3:00 PM Depart Residence for Kuma Farms

3:30 PM Arrive Kuma Organic Farms * 

6:45 PM Team Volunteers Prep for Dinner
7:30 PM Dinner

Thursday December 30
7:00 AM Breakfast (Set up by Team Volunteers)
8:00 AM Depart Hotel Molokai
8:15 AM Arrive Build Site
10:00 AM Break
12:00 PM Lunch
3:30 PM Clean up site
4:00 PM Depart
6:30 PM Evening Activities TBD

Friday, December 31st Day Off 
9:00 AM Breakfast (Set up by Team Volunteers)
10:00 AM Depart Hotel Molokai
All Day
Maunaloa Exploration/Maunaloa Town & Hale O Lono Beach
West End Exploration/Dixie Beach, Papohaku Beach, Kaluakoi Beach
(We will be doing one or two of these activities. Lunch will be provided)
Local New Year’s Celebration!


Saturday, January 1, 2011

Team Beach Day


Sunday, January 2nd, 2011 Departure 
R & R for those staying on...
Transportation will be provided to airport & ferry terminal

7:00 AM Breakfast (Set up by Team Volunteers)

8:00 AM Depart for Kalaupapa Hike & Guided Tour of Father Damien National Historic Site *

*This is a long downhill hike. We are working on transportation out of the valley for those who do not want to hike uphill! The options are really fun...

Lunch will be provided

 

Details, Details

So, I'm 24 hours away from flying off to Cairo & Kathmandu. I do love saying that! Part of the Habitat Global Village fun!


I wanted to highlight a few things before I leave since I won't be able to check my email with as much frequency as I do now.


1.  TRIP COST IS SET AT $1500
This includes:
*Transportation to and from the airport or ferry
*Three meals per day plus snacks & water at the job site
*Transportation to and from the job site
*Double Occupancy hotel room with linens & towel service once every two days.
*Saturday night stay 12/25 through Saturday night stay January 1st, 2011


This does not include:


*Tips
*Alcohol
*Multiple Mocha Mama's at Coffees of Hawaii


2. TRIP PAYMENT IS DUE IN FULL NOVEMBER 15th, 2010


This is very important. We advance funds to the affiliate in Molokai to help pay any deposits we need to advance before team arrival.


Some of you are doing GREAT with your fundraising! I will be able to provide at least one update for you while I'm gone.  


To make a payment or mail in donations, please refer to the official invite letter I sent you OR click on the Page Link "Donations & Payments" to the right. 


3. FLIGHT ITINERARIES


Many of you have gotten your flight information to me and I thank you. I will be arriving on the 22nd of December and leaving on the 3rd.


We have January 2nd posted as a departure day, however, if you are leaving the 3rd, we may plan a hike or beach day/whale watch that day for those people that are staying.


4. EXTRA ACTIVITIES


I am researching the Father Damien hike. It is very hard and steep to go down to the valley. Emillia and are looking into the flight school to charter some flights down if you are into that. It may cost a bit beyond the cultural activity allotment however.  We are planning many fun things to do during the week you are there, so believe me, you will be immersed in Hawaiian culture!

What to Bring & How to Pack It

For the Work Site:

Sturdy closed toe shoes – work boots or strong sneakers are fine. No sandals!

Don't forget socks.

Old clothing that can get dirty/stained. 

Personally I love my overalls!

Bring a combination of shorts and long pants. Most people bring pants that can zip off at the knee.

2 pairs of work gloves.  I recommend the leather gloves. For women, you may want to pick up leather gardening gloves. I find that they fit much better. Additionally, we will be doing some gardening, so they can be multi-purposed.

Hat or bandanna – for sun protection

Water bottle.  There is fresh, mountain water on site.

Let’s respect the Molokai initiative to be green - please bring a SIGG or Nalgene bottle for your water fill ups.

Daypack or small backpack. It’s very helpful to carry a simple day pack for the site.  You can also use that bag for your usual "purse" items and camera.  In other words, figure a way to keep it all together in one place.

Raincoat or poncho.   Remember we will be in Hawaii where every day brings a here a light rain.

Small zip-lock bag with your own Band-Aids, ointment

(I will have a larger first aid kit for team use.)

Anti-bacterial wipes (large “Wet Ones” are great to help get dirt off)

Anti-bacterial gel. Personally, I don’t use this as I find it irritating to my skin.  If you have the time, I would recommend myself to make your own natural gel.  I found  recipe this through Mary Jane’s Farm Magazine:

Antibacterial Gel
1/4 c. witch hazel
1/4 c. pure aloe vera gel
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 tsp. vegetable glycerin
10 drops tea tree essential oil

Combine all ingredients in a container with a lid and shake well. Use as an antibacterial rub on your hands when you aren't able to wash your hands.

Nifty Thrifty Tip: Use an empty trial/travel size lotion bottle so that you can create your own purse-size antibacterial gel container. Cool, eh?

You can find witch hazel and glycerin in the pharmacy and/or health & beauty section of most stores that carry personal care products. You can find pure aloe vera gel and tea tree oil at your local health food store, and thankfully both are fairly affordable as far as natural products go. Cider vinegar (aka Apple Cider Vinegar) can be found at your grocery store near the regular vinegar.

For Evening and Other Activities

Jeans and a clean shirt will be appropriate for you to wear throughout your stay. The sun can be intense, and keeps things warm throughout the day.  Wearing layers is the key! Make sure to bring long sleeve shirts, a sweater or fleece for evening. Temperatures can drop to the 60s in the evening.

Comfortable shoes for walking/hiking

Flipflops

Casual clothing - Bring a nice outfit for our dinners with the affiliate and the partner family. It should not be too fancy. Women usually bring a casual skirt and top. Men can wear jeans & button-down.

Yoga Mat and appropriate clothing

Other Items That are a “Must”:

Sunglasses

Sun screen

Toiletries

Laundry bag with your name on it (mesh or old pillowcase)

Insect repellent. I’m recommending this, but I don’t think you’ll need it.

Bathing suit & towel for beach

Camera

Motrin, Advil or other anti-inflammatory for muscle aches

Alarm clock

Optional:

Flashlight/batteries

Bathrobe

Reading and writing materials/journals

Materials to lead spiritual focus (favorite poem, speech, song, story, insight, etc.)

A few photos to share with your new friends - Remember that you may be sharing these with homeowners, or others who live very simply... we want our pictures to show who we are more than what we have. Please be aware when choosing them.

Binoculars – some people enjoy having them, but remember that I cannot guarantee security.

Tools: Label all of them with your name.

Nail apron or tool belt

25 foot tape measure

Work gloves (2 pairs)

Eye protection (goggles, clear or tinted plastic glasses)

*****************************************************************************

Tips on Packing and Traveling

• You will need mostly work clothes.  Your other activities are quite casual. Don't let the weather keep you from doing an activity just because you don't have the proper clothes.  Be prepared.  Temperatures in December/January average a high of 81 and low of 65 F.

• We are also in a tropical environment, so count on some rain & humidity.

• Think "layers"  - for the work site all of them should be suitable for work and getting dirty.

• Jewelry – It is recommended that you not wear jewelry at the work site, especially earrings and necklaces that dangle.  Please don’t bring anything of value to wear at other times because security for it cannot be guaranteed.

• Bring all of your medications clearly labeled. Make sure you have all of your prescriptions and let me know in advance if you have any medical conditions I need to be aware of.

• Have a carry-on with whatever you'll need for 24 hours after arriving in Molokai, just in case your baggage does not arrive with you.

• Pack ALL of your tools in your checked luggage! 

• If you are extending your trip in the area and think you might do some shopping, pack lightly or try to keep your luggage to one piece. If you only bring one piece, you might want to pack a lightweight roll-up duffle to use as your second piece on the way home.  

• Travel light, but DO bring enough for the entire trip (you COULD get dirty enough that you will want to change work clothes each day).  There is a laundry mat in town, and we will recruit two of you to handle the team laundry day on Wednesday or Thursday.

• Pack leaky items (shampoo, lotions) in zip lock bags - and tighten the cap right before you put them in.

• Keep your airplane tickets in a safe place.
  

Meet the 2010/2011 Team!

Louise Hoppe-Mermond     San Rafael, CA

Hello All, My name is Louise Hoppe-Mermod.  San Rafael is about 17 miles north of the GoldenGate Bridge. I am a retired nurse. I grew up in MN, and moved to San Francisco many (too many to talk about) years ago. After a short visit with friends who were living there at the time I decided it was the place for me!! It is a world class city -- I still love going there although the weather in San Rafael is infinitely better. I enjoy cooking - for others - reading, gardening among other things. I am very excited about being on Molokai, meeting all of you & the recipient family and getting to know everyone. Unlike some of you this will be my first experience with Habitat and perhaps not the only one for I am a firm believer that Habitat is a most worthwhile endeavor. See you soon.
 Caroline Reynolds   Amherst, MA

Hi, I'm Caroline and I live in Amherst, Massachusetts with my dog, Sadie. Currently, I am student preparing to teach earth science to middle schoolers some day (soon, I hope!). Previously, I had been working in environmental engineering and alternative energy research... with a bit of a sustainable design/build hobby on the side. I enjoy yoga, running, tennis, crafts, theater, and live music. I'd advise those with a discerning palate to avoid my cooking. 

Occasionally I've been caught singing narration to my activities.... usually off key. You're welcome to point and laugh.

This will be my second trip to Moloka'i and my second trip with Habitat GV. I'm looking forward to getting back to the beautiful people, scenery and food in Moloka'i this December, and meeting all of you there!

Phil Weiner    Newport Beach, CA

Hello, my name is Phil Weiner, I am a professional Video Cameraman based in Orange County, California.  I couldn't be more excited about this trip and I look forward to meeting each and every one of you. I have a passion for everything I do and this will be one more adventure to add to the list. I am blessed to be invited by Kat and can't wait to experience the new friendships and to help where help is needed.

Alex Teitelbaum    Manhattan Beach, CA

Hi! My name is Alex and I am a freshman at Tulane University in New Orleans, originally from southern California. The Moloka’I build last year was one of the greatest experiences of my life, and there’s no reason why this year will be any different. I can’t wait to go back this Christmas, see the finished house from last year, and start the process again. It was an amazing time will be amazing again!

Bob & Diana Kelly     Alpena, MI      

We just recently celebrated our 50^th wedding anniversary by spending a month in Europe. We flew to Amsterdam on our anniversary, spent a week on a bike a barge trip, then a week in Germany with our daughter and grandsons, and then flew to Portugal for a two week Habitat build in Braga in Northern Portugal. This build was a reunion of most of our team from Hungary 2008, so we all knew each other and it was great fun working together again.  We are getting to be experts at tying re-bar, mixing concrete and digging foundations. (We call ourselves “TEAM REBAR”)  We have been hooked on Habitat for a number of years.  I began going on GV builds in 1999 and the build in Molokai will be my 20^th.  Bob began going on builds after he retired from teaching 7 years ago. The Molokai build will be his 12^th.  We are going to Guatemala in November for another build.

We are looking forward to returning to Molokai and renewing friendships from last year and meeting the new team members.  It will be great to see the  completed house that we worked on last year.

 

Mary Ann De Jesus      Ozone Park, NY

Aloha!  My name is Mary Ann and I’m a lifelong resident of Queens, NY.  I am the Director of Human Resources at a financial communications firm in NYC, but my passion is volunteering.  I began volunteering with Habitat in 1995 and since then have built with Habitat in 13 states, plus Hungary and Poland.  I also have built or otherwise volunteered in 5 other states and Poland through other organizations.  My goal is to volunteer in all 50 states – Hawaii will make #19. While I love all GV trips, this one will be particularly special because my husband is joining me.  Jose and I were married 7 years ago on a beach in Maui, and spent a day of our honeymoon in Molokai.  I’m very excited that we will return for the first time to each of these islands during this trip.  I’m looking forward to seeing Kat again and meeting all of you. 

 Jose De Jesus     Ozone Park, NY

I am a lifelong New Yorker, having lived in Manhattan, the Bronx and Queens.  One of my favorite things to do is riding my motorcycle.  I also like to ride my bicycle, and have done two long-distance bike rides for charity.  I enjoy working with my hands, but building a house is new to me. 

Julia Cohen   Arlington, MA  

 I’m Julia and I’m 18! I have lived in Pittsburgh PA, Durham NC and most recently Arlington MA. I enjoy art, music and physical activities. I enjoy cats, too, and will miss my cat when on the trip. I’m a huge Duke Men’s Basketball team fan. I am very excited to go to Molokai for my very first trip to Hawaii and first build for H.F.H.

Kayathiri (Kaya) Subramaniam    Toronto, Canada
My name is Kayathiri (Kaya) Subramaniam and I’m 21 years old! I live in Toronto and I am currently a third year nursing student. I also work part time in a hospital and volunteer some time with children at the Hospital for Sick Children. This is my first (of many more) Global Village trip. I am thrilled to meet you guys and help build homes for people in Molokai. I enjoy travelling and learning about new cultures and tasting new cuisines. Some of my hobbies are reading, cooking, baking and mediating. Lastly, I love to try out new things and hope to do so during the trip!!

Patricia Sullivan  Pasadena, California
 I was asked to take early retirement in 2000 which turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to me.  I was living in New York City at the time, and I love the city but after 20 years there, I decided to spend time exploring other places - lived in the suburbs for a few winters shoveling way too much snow, spent a great winter in Charleston, SC one year, drove Route 66 and around the country for 25,000 more miles in 2005 and have been in Southern California for the past few years.  Working again part-time in a community college which gives me time to do a lot of reading, mainly mysteries and some weaving (have my own loom).  I still travel as much as I can, back to NY, to weaving conferences and also trying to do a Habitat Global Village at least once a year (Molokai will be my fourteenth one).   I enjoy movies, museums, theatre and dance performances (ballet is a favorite). And I like taking classes to try new things – trying tai chi this semester.  

Rachel Clancy   Santa Clarita, California

 My name is Rachel Clancy and I couldn’t be more excited about my first ever work trip to Molokai, Hawaii.  I’m 16 years old and a junior in high school.  I live in southern California, and I love it.  To occupy my spare time I listen to music, go to concerts, and participate in student government activities for my school.  I hope this trip will show me different ways of living, and allow me to experience a new culture.  I can’t wait!






Jill Goldberg   (Vancouver, Canada)
I'm a Montreal (Quebec) ex-pat living in Vancouver, B.C. where I teach English Literature at the college level, go on long bike rides and run near the ocean.  I am also a writer and a shiatsu massage practitioner and use massage as a tool for outreach by offering it on a volunteer basis at a women's drop-in center for women who are mostly sex trade workers and addicts.  I'm delighted to be going on Habitat's trip to Molokai and am looking forward to meeting fellow volunteers!


*from Kat - check out Jill's website: Blissful Shiatsu

Welcome to the Moloka'i Christmas Build 2010!

Extra Information

Typically, on domestic builds, we prepare our own meals. Emillia has done a great job having local organizations like Coffees of Hawaii and Kuma Organic Farms donate fruits and coffees for our breakfast. Local volunteers will be providing lunches on site for the team, and there are several nights where will be dining out. Pretty wonderful!

When we get to the island, I will need a few people to volunteer to set up breakfast in the morning and on the evenings, a few people to volunteer in prepping dinner.
These will be simple, easy meals as I've said. We will have cereal, granola, fresh fruit, coffee, tea & juices in the morning and for dinner, Kuma Farms is providing some delicious fresh pesto & pasta and fixings for salad, so it looks like we have most of the work cut out for us.

There is a bonus for these options. My mother, Sally, will be volunteering with the office team and will be on hand to help with meals.

We will also have a laundry run on Wednesday or Thursday. Usually, two people from the team will volunteer for this job instead of going to the build site. This is why it is important that you bring your own laundry bag with your name clearly labeled on it and it's when we really get to know you!

So, when you're on your long flight to Hawaii from Ohio, Alaska, New York, etc, think about which side volunteer work you think you'd like to help out with. Personally, I'm a coffee person. You'll quickly come to learn that I need my java in the morning, preferably before speaking, thus, making the coffee tends to be my side work!

Many of you have asked about internet connection. I am still working on that aspect. I believe that I can bring an airport to the retreat center, but if not, I will better have that information once I get to Molokia. I arrive on the 22nd of December to advance the team, so I hope to have answers for whatever questions you have.

Lastly, the Pau Lana Inn is a retreat center - very simple. Each room has two beds, with linens, night table, lamps and a separate, private bathroom. There is a pool that should be open for us as well as a full commercial kitchen and lanai where we take our meals and conduct team meetings.

The beach is lovely, and the Inn is providing kayaks as well.

I hope this answers some of your questions and I look forward to meeting you all in person.

Mahalo!

December 4th Already!

Well gang. Here we are... only three weeks away from our Hawaiian adventure.
Thank you so much for getting all of your information into me on time. Believe me, it is much appreciated.

I have a couple of updates to share with you. First, Chantell Murphy will no longer be able to join us on this trip. She has been offered a great job in New Mexico which requires her to begin during the same week as our build. We wish her luck in her move and her new endeavor! Tracy Roberson of Los Angeles will be taking her place on the team. She has promised to get me a bio & photo this weekend so you will all have the chance to meet her virtually before arriving in Molokai.

Ok - remember our first conversation way back over the summer? One of the adjectives I used when describing Habitat trips was "flexible". You vets of past Habitat trips will know EXACTLY what I mean.

Our fabulous affiliate host, Emillia, has been pulling out all of the stops to ensure that this first Global Village build is a super fantastic experience for you. Wait to you see her itinerary! One of her accomplishments has been securing bamboo housing for the island in tradition with the sustainability initiative.

Unfortunately, the house, which is assembled in pieces, will not be ready in time for our trip. I believe we will be doing some prep work for it's arrival to the island. I know some of you were really looking forward to working on this house, but I assure you, there will be LOTS to keep you busy!

We are going to be working with the Stone Ohana, other pictures of which are posted on the blog already. Part of this Habitat adventure will be foundation and framing work, roofing and installing a garden with taro & banana trees and other native vegetation.

We may also be called about to work on the Hawaiian Homestead project in tandem with Habitat for Humanity. This project specifically works on houses that need repairs and rehabilitation. Another opportunity for those with a penchant for gardening will be to help other Habitat homeowners put in their gardens.

I ask you to keep in mind that as the first Global Village trip to work with the Molokai affiliate, we are going to be the team that sets the standard for others that will come to the island. Who knows? Perhaps one of you will even Team Lead a group here. So, although Emillia and I are rocking and rolling, things can change and in closing... the word of the week will be FLEXIBILITY!

The Stone Ohana

Gang:
Wanted to give you a little background on one of the families we'll be building for as well as some photos of their homestead lot.

The Stone family consists of 8 members: Helene (60), Marlo (40), Keanu (10), Akeo (10), John (8), Healani (8), Kanoe (6), and Jasmine (5). Helene Stone and her husband moved to Hoolehua in 1981 to raise their 8 children, but after her husbands’ death 13 years ago, Helene has had to take on both mother and father roles for her children, as well as a “tutu” (grandparent) role to her grandchildren—six of whom she currently looks after.

All of her grandchildren attend the elementary school in their area, and Helene is the sole provider for them. Four of the six grandchildren suffer from asthma, and one of the four require special needs.

Helene’s current house is more than 60 years old and suffers from the following problems: only 3 small rooms and 1 bathroom, electric is faulty, plumbing barely works, wood from the house is infested with termites, heater doesn’t work, and the foundation of the house is cracked and broken from the house shifting.

The Stone family is well deserving of having a home (not a house) built through Habitat. This single mother gives herself selflessly to not only her children and grandchildren, but also to anyone she comes into contact with. This future home will provide her with a feeling that her children, grandchildren, and herself can have safety, comfort, and love.

Fundraising Ideas

We are approximately 100 days away from our Hawaiian Habitat Holiday Experience!


Many GV participants decide to fund raise for part or all of their trip cost, and I highly recommend trying this route.


If you are fund raising, I encourage you take a few minutes to create a fund-raising Web page at www.habitat.org/gv/create.html


What I've done in the past is to send out a heartfelt email letter with the trip cost, emphasizing the fact that any contribution is 100% tax deductible to friends, family, co-workers and beyond. I encourage everyone to this message onto to others they think would like to contribute. You'd be surprised at some of the donations I get from strangers!


It's also a GREAT time to start asking for donations, since most people being getting these requests around the second week in November. Get out there early!


You also want to make it as easy as possible for your donors. Set up a fundraising link on the Habitat website and include the link several times in your email or snail mail flyer.


Make your pitch as meaningful & colorful as possible. Most of the photos off this blog are from Flickr.com. Emillia is going to send me photos as well from Habitat houses which will be helpful.


One of our team members, Todd, sent out a mailing and included an addressed stamped envelope to the Habitat Americus office. This is a great way of making it easy for your potential donors... just don't forget pertinent information like your Team #10035 and your Habitat ID#.


*See my link: GV Member Donation Page  at the bottom of this page, you will see my name, Trip # & Habitat ID #. 


Please let us know how your fund raising is going, what ideas you've come up with and if you need support in any way.


Everyone must have their funds in total by November 15th so that we can prep the build.

Meet the Team!

Rachel Edelman New York, NY

Hello, I'm Rachel Edelman, and I am thrilled to ring in the new century with this Global Village team in Molokai! Last year was my first Habitat build, in Nepal, and I couldn't have asked for a better introduction to the program. Other locations I've visited in a volunteer or educational capacity include Belize, New Zealand, Australia, Israel, Italy and Tahiti.

After graduating from New York University two years ago, I stayed the course in the big city, first working for a children's art museum, then accepting a job as an artist's assistant, managing multi-media archives. Interests of mine include bicycles, photography, amateur cooking and used bookstores.
I can't wait to meet the team & the local family in December, and experience the spirit of aloha!

Dorothy Kennedy Perry County, Ohio
(with granddaughters)
I am the oldest of 8 children (7 girls and 1 boy) born in Perry County (the Appalachian area) in southeastern Ohio.  When I was a teenager the girls’ bedroom was an old school bus.  Our kitchen was a converted chicken house, and the living/dining/master bedroom was an old lumber shed.  My dream was to have a real house to live in.

Summers, during my high school years, my brother and I helped Dad dig and blast a hole in the ground for the basement of the house he was building. During my senior year of high school we moved into the basement of that house and I had warm feet that winter for the first time in years.  We also had a flush toilet with a curtain around it and running water at the kitchen sink, where we took sponge baths. It was wonderful!

I currently live in Perry County, only 15 miles from where I grew up. I have been on 7 previous Habitat builds; Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala 3 times, and twice to Mexico.

I have 2 adopted children, 5 granddaughters and 3 great-grandsons, 2 greats on the way. My (second) husband, Charlie Kennedy, was originally from Scotland; Charlie died in 1996.

I like traveling, flower gardening and backyard birds, playing golf, reading, sewing, and making crocheted rag rugs.

Maxxe Sternbaum New York, NY
(On the left)

My name is Maxxe Sternbaum and I am 23 years old. I grew up in Los Angeles and moved to New York to attend NYU as both an undergraduate and graduate in philosophy. I met Kat on my first HFH trip in Pondicherry and made a subsequent visit to New Orleans working in the Musicians' Village. Ive been lucky enough to spend some time in Guatemala with Common Hope and to study abroad in both Paris and Buenos Aires with NYU. I do looove adventures in culture and language and really appreciate the opportunity to step outside modern society and get back to nature!! I enjoy books, coffee-kona!!/http://www.molokaicoffee.com-, biking, barefoot running/hiking, farmers markets, etc. etc. See you on the island!!

Robert & Diana Kelly  Alpena, Michigan

We live in Alpena Michigan on the shores of Lake Huron. (Alpena is 100 miles south of the Mackinac bridge.)We moved here from Ohio right after we graduated from Albion College in 1962. We have 2 children..a son who is a teacher in Sandusky Mi and a daughter who lives in Germany. We have 2 grandsons( 5 &  8) in Germany and so we visit Germany 2 or 3 times each year.  This past August our daughter and grandsons spent the entire month visiting us. Along with our son we all went camping in the U.P.

Bob is a retired teacher. He taught English at Alpena High School for 20 years and then was switched to Spanish for the next 21 years.  I taught for one year while Bob was finishing his degree and then gave it up to have kids.(It wasn't a sacrifice because it really wasn't my thing.)  I was one of those stay at home moms, did a lot of volunteer work at my church, and around the community.  Along the way I learned to use a computer( before Windows) and got recruited to help Habitat set up its database on their donated computer in 1990 when our affiliate was just getting started. I ended up as their treasurer for the next  7 years and then was exec director until 1999 when we went to live in a small town in Mexico for 6 months on a Fulbright teacher exchange.  1999 was also the year I began going on GV trips..The first 2 trips were to Guatemala. Next was Nepal, Bolivia, Sri Lanka, Romania, Paraguay, Guatemala again, . Then Bob retired and decided he was missing out on all the fun so we went back to Guatemala again and then to Chili, Armenia , Bolivia, Costa Rica,  Argentina,  and Hungary.  This Friday we are headed back to Hungary, this time to work on a Red Cross homeless shelter..a different type of project for Habitat.

Although Habitat is our favorite type of travel, we have also gone on  a bike trip in Europe every year since 1995.  Until Bob retired we had to restrict our travels to summer vacation or Christmas. but now we travel as much as we can. The picture we are including was taken last year when we were on a tour in Bangkok and Vietnam. Our Motto is "do it while we can'.

2010 is a special year for us and we plan to make the most of it.  We will be celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary and we plan to celebrate all year by traveling as much as we can.
We look forward to meeting everyone  in Hawaii for what looks like an exciting build.

Hyeon Yun & Niraj Marfatia New York, NY
Aloha! This is our first Global Village experience. As avid travelers, we signed up for this experience to briefly place our lives in a different perspective, interact with other people from various walks of life, and ultimately better know ourselves. After Molokai, a small group of family and friends will be joining us in Maui for our wedding. Such as it is, this Global Village opportunity gives special meaning in building homes and our relationship.

Hyeon, a native New Yorker, has served in the field of education and human resources for over a decade. She is currently an education administrator, recruiting and training dedicated individuals to become teachers in the NYC public schools.
Niraj, on the other hand, works for a software company focused on the capital markets and financial services industries. He also teaches a database class to graduate students at Touro College. Originally from Philadelphia, he has lived in a variety of places which include Richmond VA, Washington DC, Boston, The Netherlands, Mumbai, and now in New York. He claims to speak French and Dutch, but definitely can speak English :-)

We are both looking forward to meeting all of the interesting people on this trip, and making it a success.Hyeon and Niraj (left and right)

Teri and Rachael Rochioli  Healdsburg, California
Rachael, her mom Teri, her brother Ryan and dad Tom are part of a 4th generation grape-growing family in Northern California. We all play sports, and we love to travel when our schedules allow. We are a very community oriented family and all volunteer on some level year round.

Rachael is a senior in high school and has chosen to work with Habitat for Humanity for her senior year project. She is currently working with the local HFH in Sonoma County which will begin a build in our community in just a few weeks. In addition to this Rachael and her mom, Teri, decided to apply to the Global Village program and pick out a trip to do together. Molokai looked like the right choice and we are really happy be a part of this team!

Todd Roisman  Los Angeles, California
Hello, I'm Todd Roisman. I live in Los Angeles with my wife Kelli and my daughter Amelia. They will both be joining me on this trip but I will be building while they are exploring the island. I have worked with Kat for many years on Disney projects but never for Habitat for Humanity. I have always wanted to join her on one of these great adventures and finally an opportunity arrived. I work for a video editing company in Burbank, CA as a post production supervisor. We make behind the scenes stories for feature films. As much as I love my job, I can't wait to be doing something more meaningful for such a great cause. My family donates to a number of charities each year but it is not the same as actually doing the work and seeing the results first hand. I look forward to meeting all of you and working beside you and the new owners of this house. I love photography, so I hope to document this experience with a photo diary that we can all share.
Brett Erickson Wasilla, AK

I am Brett Erickson, growing up in a small town in Nebraska my family and I moved to Alaska.  At the age of sixteen I saw my first mountain and have been going to the tops evers since.  I enjoy any type of competition or challenge that may come my way.  For the last seven years I have been traveling the states working, mostly commercial construction.  I do as much as i can to help others so when I heard about HFH, I was really excited to get involved.  This is going to be my first build that I am going on and I just can not wait to get there.  I look foward to meeting everyone and having a great experience.

Alex Teitelbaum Manhattan Beach, California

 Hi, I’m Alex from Manhattan Beach, California. I’m a senior in high school and this will be my first experience with Habitat for Humanity/Global Village, though I have traveled before. Last summer I spent a week in Alaska (which is where this picture was taken, with a sled dog), and a few years ago I was lucky enough to spend three weeks in New Zealand and Australia with People to People, a student ambassador organization. My family is from New York so I have spent a lot of time on the East coast. I am a huge fan of sports, my favorite teams being the Lakers, Dodgers, and Raiders. I’ve lived here in Manhattan Beach for my entire life and have never been to Hawaii. I look forward to learning a lot, meeting terrific people and working along side a deserving family while having a great time at our build on Molokai, and wish December would come faster.

Cheyenne Willow Gilman Wasilla, AK

 Namaste,  my name is Cheyenne Willow Gilman. I am 23 years old, born and raised in Alaska. I grew up hiking, camping, boating, snow machining, four wheeling, fishing, traveling and playing almost every sport. I've had all sorts of different jobs from construction work to photography. I most recently just started attending school for holistic nutrition, health is definitely something I absolutely love learning about and utilizing in my everyday life. Besides school I usually spend most of my time either traveling, hiking, snowboarding mountains in the winter, running, working out, playing women's rugby, spending time with my family, writing or attending an occasional Kirtan class. I love life and I guess I just try to suck every moment I can out of it!

I have always been an awful cook which I believe has lead me to eating a diet of raw food :), besides the occasional fresh halibut or salmon my family catches.

Molokai will be my first build and I am more than excited! I think this experience will be absolutely great and I look forward to meeting everyone on the team and especially the locals who we our going to be so lucky to help.

Ron Kubek Victoria, BC, Canada

Hello eh! I am proud to be the only Canadian I think on the trip. I am very familiar with Hawaii having owned a home on Maui however Molokai is only 1 of 2 Hawaiian Islands I have not visited.

I have been involved in a one day Habitat build in Orlando and a week long HFH adventure to Comanesti Romania to work on a cool build there in 2009. I am the proud father of 4 and have 3 grandkids and very blessed to have lots of free time in my life. I regularly travel to Romania for two 2-3 weeks per year with Hope for the Nations Romania. I got my inspiration to actually participate in the work, rather than just write a check, 4 years ago after reading Bob Buford’s book, Half Time, which is about moving from Success to Significance. I am really looking forward to a “warm” build after Romania! It will be cool to be some great folks in a great place doing great work! I am really happy about being near the ocean. For me to be on or in or by the ocean is the only way to go! Look forward to meeting all the great team members.

Caroline Reynods, Amherst, MA

My name is Caroline Reynolds and I'm from Amherst, Massachusetts. I have worked for the last few years with my local Habitat affiliate, building some very cool LEED certified homes for some families here in Amherst. This trip to Molokai will be my first with Habitat International!

Marching off with a degree in English literature, I managed to trip and land into environmental engineering... if nothing else, an English degree will at least prepare you to sweet talk your way into an interesting job. Anyway, while I didn't envision engineering for myself for the long haul, I did realize my fascination for the geological environment and the way humans interact with it - especially when designing our built environment. So here I am, after what feels like a whole lifetime out of school, returning for a second go round, this time for environmental studies (and possibly some architecture down the road!). To support this insanity, I work as a research assistant for an environmental microbiology lab at the University of Massachusetts.

Other things I do to keep me going: running, yoga and meditation (OK, also dancing and listening to live music and playing tennis when I get the chance!). Now I can add "looking forward to this trip" to the list - to see Molokai, be outside, and meet all of you this December!

Tracy Roberson Los Angeles, CA

Hello from Tracy Roberson in Los Angeles – a little late in joining the group but glad I did. Like most of you, for the longest time I’ve wanted to participate in a project like this. I’m excited to meet everyone & to get started!

Welcome to the Team

Dear Team Members 10035:
I thought it would be easier to post a blog in which everyone can post, comment or check to see if there are updates not to mention... it's just so much more colorful.

Additionally, it's great way to meet other team members. Please feel free to send me your bio with a photo and I can load it on the site.

I will be posting current information all the time and each time the blog is updated, you will receive an alert.

Your comments are welcome and encouraged!

Mahalo!

Kat

The Stone Ohana