Contact: Allison Matthews
Photo by: Russ Houston
STARKVILLE, Miss.--An Oktibbeha County family is in their new home in time for the holidays and is grateful for the team of volunteers who helped make the new Maroon Edition Habitat for Humanity house possible.
In partnership with the Starkville Area Habitat for Humanity, Mississippi State University's Maroon Edition First-Year Reading Experience called on volunteers, primarily MSU students, to raise the house in about four months' time.
After a ground-breaking ceremony in August, nearly 600 MSU students, faculty and staff, as well as volunteers from the community, contributed sweat equity to the home construction at 84 Murdoch Lane. Angela Lindsey is the benefitting homeowner, and Habitat for Humanity officials said she put a great measure of her own work into the project, along with her four children. MSU and Starkville Area Habitat for Humanity officials dedicated the home at a Tuesday [Dec. 16] ceremony.
Lindsey said her daughters, Lakedria Tate, Cedrianna Tate and Mya Elliott, and son Dellveon Lindsey, are especially happy to be in the new house. Previously the family lived in a cramped two-bedroom apartment.
Her pastor, the Rev. John Toliver of Faith & Works Community Church, said Lindsey is a deserving recipient of a Habitat for Humanity home.
"Angela is working hard. She's dedicated to her family, and we're very grateful for her," Toliver said.
Cade Smith, MSU director of student leadership and community engagement and interim associate dean of students, gave remarks on behalf of MSU President Mark E. Keenum who was attending the out-of-town funeral for Rose Cochran, wife of U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran.
"The hundreds of students, faculty and staff of Mississippi State who contributed an estimated 3,000 hours to raising this house during the past four months are grateful for the privilege of helping make this new home possible," Smith said.
Volunteers worked on the house each Friday and Saturday throughout the fall semester, with the university's Maroon Volunteer Center coordinating their efforts.
"Congratulations, Angela, to you and your loving family. We wish you peace and happiness in your new home," Smith said.
Smith presented Lindsey with a homeowner Bible, and Danny Setaro, president of Starkville Area Habitat for Humanity, presented a homeowner manual. Starkville resident Dot Livingston also presented a quilt made from MSU T-shirts donated by the volunteers who worked on the home.
"Thanks to each and every one of you for allowing me and my kids the blessing of a home," Lindsey responded. "I love my home."
Starkville Area Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Joel Downey said Habitat houses help build strong communities.
"You can't have a strong community without strong neighborhoods," he said.
He also emphasized that while Habitat homes are built by volunteers, they are built to the same standards as other homes by professional builders.
Pinks Dudley, a member of the Starkville Area Habitat for Humanity board of directors, said the partnership between Habitat and the university has brought many benefits to all involved.
"It's good for the home-owning family, but it's vital for the MSU students to know that they are their brother's keeper, and this is a chance to do some of that keeping. That education will last all of their lives," Dudley said.
MSU student-athletes Jeffery Johnson and Johnny Zuppardo agreed that the experience of helping with the project had been a positive one.
"It's amazing to see how my team smiled and laughed as we spent time out here," Johnson said. "We love seeing wonderful people come support and offer their heart and love to others."
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