One of the most delightful aspects of working on this build was the amazing outpouring of generosity and humanity displayed by the volunteers, the community and everyday citizens. Yes, there's war, poverty, hunger and global warming, but all of those melted away for a period of eight days as we witnessed first-hand just how much humanity can be experienced locally and up close on 'the front lines'. Here are just a few of the stories:

Mr. Underwood

Mr. Jeff Underwood is a retired contractor who lives in the local community. He stopped by the very first morning, indicating that he had heard about the build and wanted to help. We welcomed his intention, time and experience. After signing a few forms, he jumped right in and became a loved part of the Fabulous Formosa Build Crew. He showed up promptly every morning and worked all day with us, joining us for lunch each day and several of the evening dinners. Thanks, Mr. Underwood!

The Local Business Community

We set out to conduct a normal build - we ended up with the most successful build ever in part due to the overwhelming generosity of the local business community. They freely donated materials and/or provided a significant discount to their labor. A complete list of contributors and donators, and what they provided, is available on the Sponsors and Contributors page.

Marshall Flooring

Marshall Flooring is a local floor installation company. A crew was working in the neighborhood and stopped by one afternoon to ask if we needed any help. We indicated that we were just about to install the floor and inquired about their availability. Of course they were available, they indicated, then asked about who would be paying them - Formosa or Habitat. Darren Downs made an empassioned pitch that this was for good people for the sake of humanity and that how much other labor and materials were being donated for such a good cause.

The crew drove away, but returned about 30 minutes later. The leader said that he thought about what Darren had said, talked about it with his crew and decided that donating that evening to install the floor would be the right thing to do. They had dinner with us that night, then went back to the house and worked until late in the night to install the floor.

The Fabulous Formosa Build Crew

Of course, the crew of almost 40 Formosa employees from four states volunteered between four hours to eight days (not including travel) to build a new home for a deserving family. Even more amazing is the generosity the crew displayed in transforming a mere house into a warm, loving home. The crew donated their time, and often personal funds, to provide the new homeowner with all of these 'extras' over and above the standard so as to make the home complete:

• concrete driveway and walkway
• shrubs and flowers
• installing 11 pallets of sod
• assembling a swingset
• home towels, towel bars and candles
• a Texas star (what home in Texas is complete without one?)
• washer and dryer
• laundry shelf
• front door mat
• a backyard shed (with a Texas star, too).

What more can we say? As the build logo tagline indicates, One week. One home. One dream. That's what it's all about.