Carrying Legacy Forward
Carrying Legacy Forward
When 13-year-old Aubryn heard her church was raising money for Habitat Home 401 (yes, the 401st home built by our Affiliate!), she decided the community needed something bigger than another fundraiser.
Not a bake sale. Not an art show.
A gala.
When her mom came home from a Home 401 committee meeting talking about fundraising ideas, Aubryn’s response was immediate, “I was like, ok, well, what’s something that would be really fun for everyone and would also raise money? I just immediately thought of a gala or a ball.”
More Than $10,000 Raised for Home 401
That decision led to the Hollywood for Humanity Charity Gala, an event that brought together children, families, church members, local businesses and community supporters to raise more than $10,000 toward Habitat Home 401.
Pictured: Hanna, Marketing Coordinator at Fox Cities Habitat (left) and Aubryn (right) presenting check from Gala fundraising
Aubryn’s advice to other young people who want to make a difference,
“If you see a way you could help and fundraise, just go for it because waiting around for it to happen isn’t going to do anything.”
But this story didn’t begin with a gala. It began more than 30 years ago, before Aubryn was born.
Where It All Began
Long before Fox Cities Habitat became one of the nation’s top Habitat affiliates, it was simply an idea shared around the tables of Congregational United Church of Christ of Neenah-Menasha (CUCCNM).
During the church’s annual planning discussions, members repeatedly returned to one dream: bringing Habitat for Humanity to the Fox Cities. For years, the vision remained just that until someone with Habitat experience stepped forward to lead the effort.
Marilyn, one of the founding members, remembers those early conversations well.
“Habitat came up often, but we didn’t have anybody to lead it. Then one year there was somebody that had an interest in leading it and they volunteered to get it going here.”
That volunteer was Ken Nichols, a member of their church who had previously worked with Habitat in the Carolinas. Inspired by that experience, he joined Don Kleist, Art Wille, Larry Laehn, Marilyn Kostrzak, Carla Rabe, and many others to organize a local working group in 1992 that would eventually become Greater Fox Cities Area Habitat for Humanity. Ken helped launch the effort, but when he unexpectedly stepped away shortly after the affiliate officially formed, Don Kleist step in as the affiliate’s president. Looking back, Don said, “Ken’s passion and leadership during that formative year in 1992 was so important in our later success.”
What started with a handful of volunteers quickly became something much bigger. Meetings were held in church classrooms and living rooms. Other congregations joined in on the effort. Community members donated tools, labor and encouragement.
No one imagined where it would lead.
The First Habitat Home Wasn’t Easy
We received a donated house that needed to be moved across town. Then they discovered it wouldn’t fit beneath utility lines. Instead of giving up, they cut the second story off. Moved the house. Then rebuilt it.
As Don recalled:
“When we were about to move the house, we realized that it was too big to move under a phone line. We found out it would have cost $7,000 for them to move the cable that was hanging over the road. We wanted to abort the project when we found out how much it was going to cost, but we didn’t want to give up. So, we looked at the facts, it’ll cost us less than that to knock the top of the house off, and we’ll move them in two parts.”
That determination became part of Fox Cities Habitat’s identity.
The affiliate would later help pioneer Habitat homes with basements in northern climates, adapt homes for families using wheelchairs, and continue finding creative solutions whenever obstacles appeared.
A tradition carried forward
Over the decades, Fox Cities Habitat continued to grow. So did CUCCNM’s commitment.
The church sponsored Home 101. Then Home 201. Then Home 301.
Now they’re preparing for Home 401.
For Stephanie, Habitat’s Home 401 committee member, that tradition of sponsoring every 100th home means something much bigger than fundraising.
“It’s a beautiful thing when you have that history and tradition, carrying forward a tradition, when so many traditions have died out in churches, families or culturally. If you can keep it going, it honors those before you.”
A New Generation Steps Forward
The Hollywood for Humanity Gala looked different than most charity events. There were grandparents, parents, teenagers, and young children, all together under one roof for the same mission: to help fund Habitat Home 401.
Heather, Aubryn’s mom, remembers looking around the room and realizing something special was happening.
“We had kids from as young as maybe four or five and then people all the way up into their 80s and 90s… the kids were big into helping with picking the raffles. It was really cool that there were kids at a charity event because you don’t often see that.”
For Aubryn, the evening became proof that a community can accomplish incredible things when everyone comes together.
“It was really amazing to see the whole community come together, all the different friend groups and neighborhoods come together for this night and all be friends.”
Looking Towards Home 401
Thirty-two years ago, members of Congregational UCC dreamed about bringing Habitat for Humanity to the Fox Cities.
Today, that dream has grown into hundreds of homes, thousands of volunteers, and countless lives have changed.
Marilyn hopes that growth never stops.
“I hope there is enough community support. That corporations and families continue to see this as something that helps the whole community and that it continues to grow and be bigger than what it is now.”
When we asked Marilyn why Habitat’s work is so important she explained,
“Housing is not getting better. It’s getting worse, the struggle, and the challenges are getting worse. This is one way that we can help families thrive, to help set them up with a safe place to go home to, and where their kids are safe.
Habitat is there to help people get on the right path. The beauty of that is, Habitat not only just gets them in a house, but they keep working with them so that they stay their house. It’s long-term affordability and sustainability, and that’s helping our community.”
As Home 401 comes into view, one thing is clear. Buildings can last for decades and traditions can last even longer.
When they’re passed from one generation to the next, they become something far greater than a house.
They become a legacy.
Help Build Home 401
Congregational United Church of Christ of Neenah-Menasha is currently raising funds for Habitat Home 401.
If you’d like to be part of this next chapter, you can:
- Donate directly through Fox Cities Habitat’s Home 401 campaign
- Give through Congregational UCC: (please designate your gift for Habitat Home 401)
Donate today by using the buttons below!
Together, we can help another local family build strength, stability, and self-reliance through affordable homeownership.
