Raritan Valley Habitat for Humanity’s (RVHFH) Women Build Program is ready to break ground for the Women Build house in Franklin Township. The Women Build program has been raising money for the last year to fund the house.

About a third of the $100,000 cost has already been raised from pledges on Build days and from fund raising events including a “Girls Night Out” at the Bridgewater Commons Mall. Men will not be excluded from building the house, but an effort will be made to include as many women as possible including eight Women Build days and build days for women’s organizations and women from businesses and corporations.

The next Women Build days are Oct. 11, Nov. 1, and Dec. 6, 2008. Women do not need building experience to build for a day.

Organizations have joined the effort to raise money for and to build the Women Build house. The Executive Women’s Golf Association, Mount Saint Mary’s Academy’s Senior Class, Norris McLaughlin & Marcus and New Jersey Adventure Bootcamp are all participating in their own build days.

The Women Build program has grown very popular because women have a great day while helping to build a home for a deserving family, according to the organization.

The Women Build program challenges women to build a better future for the children of central New Jersey by addressing the problem of substandard housing. More than 250 women have participated in RVHFH Women Build days.

Women Build Coordinator, Kathy Tanaka spoke of great times at Women Build.

“I am always amazed at the ingenuity and drive of these women who seem to have a great day whether they are carrying heavy cinder blocks on a sweltering July day or roofing a porch on a cold March day.

Some of my favorite memories of Women Build are: helping 25 women raise the walls of two houses on our very first Women Build day; working three stories high with eight new roofers on a perfect October day; sharing the first meal with the future homeowner on the floor of her new home; being awed by the inventions teams of women created to make hauling and dumping stone easier; and being hugged by a future homeowner who thanked each woman who worked on her home.”

For more information, call 908/704-0016 or visit www.rvhabitat.org.

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