As Bonita Hall cut the ribbon on the front door of her new home, the lyrics “I once was lost but now am found” were sung among a crowd of about 75 people.
Habitat for Humanity?s national blitz build concluded Friday morning, and on Baltimore Street in Aberdeen one more family entered the neighborhood after a 45-minute house dedication.
“It means a lot with all these people that showed up and helped work,” Hall, a single mother, said on her front porch after the ceremony, her children inside exploring their new home. “It?s a special day.”
Later this month Hall and her four children will move out of her mother?s town house in Edgewood, where they had been living tightly since November.
Locally based Bob Ward Companies built the 1,176-square-foot house in an unprecedented four days, complete with central air conditioning, a washer, dryer and dishwasher. It has four bedrooms with ceiling fans, one and half bathrooms, a front porch and a patio to the backyard.
Small shrubs and flowersline the front of the gray house that is backed by forest and train tracks.
“It turned out beautiful,” Hall said. “I couldn?t ask for nothing to be changed.”
With affordable housing the biggest obstacle for Harford County families like Hall?s, Habitat is selling her the home for $65,000 without interest, Harford Habitat executive director Joann Blewett said.
Aberdeen Mayor Fred Simmons announced at the event that for every twenty houses built in the town, builders will now donate one lot to Habitat.
Hall?s supervisor and co-workers from the state department of probation in Bel Air came to show their support.
“Bonita is the nicest person,” said Sharon Garrett, her supervisor. “Where do you find the words? She deserved this blessing.”
Habitat for Humanity is a Christian-based, nonprofit group.
Hall?s pastor, Leon Alston, opened the ceremony with a prayer and stood with the family throughout.
“Even from the beginning, I still couldn?t believe it was going to be built in four days,” Hall said with a laugh and a smile. “But I still had faith.”
Hall was required to put in 250 hours of “sweat equity” working on other peoples? homes for Habitat prior to receiving her own.
