THOMASTON — It was a wonderful way to spend Mother’s Day. Midcoast Habitat for Humanity had its annual Women Build Week that traditionally happens around Mother’s Day, all over the world. Midcoast Habitat for Humanity serves all of Knox County and the house volunteers are working on in Thomaston is their 27th for the area.

Nancy Killoran, former site supervisor for Habitat, but now a full time teacher for RSU 13, was on site and ready to get her crew busy to tackle the days work.

“This house was actually donated by a woman in Cushing,” she said. “It was on her property and not being used. We put in a foundation for it here at the site. They brought the house and set it here, so we could renovate it.”

Killoran said that Habitat is in the process of interviewing families.

 “We go through a selection process,” she said. “It’s a ranch house and is a three-bedroom home. The participant family does a certain amount of hours towards the project. They have to follow through with a commitment to help.”

Susan Taylor, board secretary for Midcoast Habitat for Humanity, explained the application process.

“We are having a women build, which is sponsored by Lowe’s,” she said. “It’s a national program they sponsored and we do it Mother’s Day weekend every year. A group of women get together and help build a house.”

Habitat owns the subdivision where the house is located.

“We happen to have this subdivision that was purchased long before I became involved,” said Taylor. “This is our last house here. We have three other houses in this subdivision.

Taylor said she hopes the house will be ready for occupancy by the end of the summer.

“This is a modular home that was donated to us,” she said. “The other three we started from scratch. We moved it from Cushing, which was quite amazing. It’s more of a renovation then a start to finish build.”

Today the workers were painting and building entry steps.Taylor explained the selection process for families in a little more detail.

“We select a family through an application,” she said. “There are two parts to the application. A very simple part one which is income guidelines and we do a credit check.” 

If a candidate qualifies for part one, they move onto part two.

“The second part of the application is much more involved,” she said. “There are references to check and we get into much more detail about their financial situation. They get a house based on need and their ability to put in sweat equity hours. They must put in 350 hours as a couple and 250 hours as a single person. And they do pay a mortgage. It’s not a hand-out, it’s a hand-up. It’s an interest-free mortgage.”

Taylor said a lot of times people think it’s a free house, but they actually pay for the house and Habitat holds the mortgage.

“It’s a very affordable,” she said. “Interest free mortgage for families that otherwise could not afford a house and Habitat holds the mortgage.”

A family has not been selected for this particular house.

“We’ve had 18 applicants so far this year and unfortunately we don’t have one selected, yet,” she said.

Once this house is completed Habitat will move on to the next project.

“We have a house in Rockland with a property next door we’re considering building a duplex,” said Taylor. “That’s where we’ll move onto next.”