Remembering Jimmy: Fox Valley Habitat dedicates new home to cancer victim
MONTGOMERY, Ill., Sept. 22, 2015 - Bittersweet.
That was Montgomery-based Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity's dedication of the Alma Gonzalez family home on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 1559 Solfisburg Ave. in Aurora.
The ceremony was bittersweet because Jimmy Gonzalez, 16, Alma's son, had died of cancer recently He had been an East Aurora High School student.
During ceremonies on the home's front porch, Rev. Jeff Barrett, Habitat chief executive officer, said the home would be dedicated to Jimmy's memory.
Rev. Barrett presented Alma Gonzalez with a framed photo of Jimmy's autograph. With other volunteers, he had signed a board at the home during construction over the past 14 months..
The Gonzalez family includes mother Alma and daughters Cytha, 18, and Emma, 11, with Gonzalez' mother, Ofelia Barraza.
The family is expected to occupy the three-bedroom, 1.5 bath, 1300-square-feet home with detached two-car garage by December. The home is Fox Valley Habitat's 52nd since its founding in 1989.
Rev. Barrett, Habitat CEO and pastor of Genesis Community Church in Montgomery, opened the program with a prayer.
"Unfortunately," he said, "though Jimmy worked on this home, he will never get to live in it.
"But he wanted this for his mother, sisters and his grandmother.
"We will honor him with the dedication of this home.
"This will be a bittersweet event, but it is a time to remember Jimmy and to be there to support and love those he loved the most."
Diagnosed with cancer in February, he died three days after discontinuing radiation and chemotherapy treatments.
Yorkville resident Ron Kelso, Habitat executive coordinator, presented Alma Gonzalez with a copy of his book "Habititus Fever: Infected with a Desire to Help," a juvenile fiction book about social issues.
A butterfly release and open house with refreshments closed the event.
Ground was broken for the house in July 2014. Since then, hundreds of volunteers contributed labor on Thursdays and Saturdays.
Volunteer groups were led by the Illinois Realtors Association which staged a six-day building blitz in July 2014.
About 50 IRA members, assisted by Aurora Police Department volunteers, framed and erected walls and installed roofing and siding on the house and detached garage.
Funding for the project was led by the IRA, including $75,000 from the state group and $10,000 from northern Illinois realtors.
Funding also came from Nissan Corporate in Aurora and the Habitat ReStore, a retailer of homebuilding and other supplies, at 4100 Fox Valley Center Drive in Fox Valley Westfield mall in Aurora.
Major material and labor donors included Alexander Lumber Co., Youngren's Heating, Wallace Paving, First Light, Lumber Liquidators, U.S. Gypsum and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 451.
Other Fox Valley Habitat projects underway at 911 W. Galena Blvd. and 572 S. Webster St., both in Aurora. Dedications are tentatively set for this year.
About Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity
Founded in 1989, Fox Valley Habitat is based at Genesis Community Church, 1300 S. Broadway in Montgomery. Fox Valley Habitat is a local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, Inc., a nonprofit housing ministry that partners with low-income families needing basic shelter.
Since its inception, Fox Valley Habitat has built or rehabbed 51 affordable homes for more than 200 persons in Aurora, North Aurora and Montgomery. About 1,000 volunteers have contributed labor since Habitat's founding.
Habitat sells houses to qualified, partner families at no profit. Families contribute up to 500 hours of sweat equity and repay a 20-year, no-interest mortgage. Loan payments are used to build more houses.
Donations of materials, land, funds, and volunteer services are needed to continue the Habitat ministry.
For more information, call (630) 859-3333 or visit www.foxvalleyhabitat.org.