City Commissioner Betsy Benac addressed hundreds who were gathered at Bradenton Riverwalk to celebrate Manatee County Habitat for Humanity’s 25th birthday. As she read a proclamation, the excited voices of children could be heard as they built birdhouses and learned how to use hammers and nails. When finished, she said, “We never want to quiet the sounds of children building something” to laughter and applause from the crowd. This was the atmosphere of fun and learning that continued throughout the day as the community gathered to celebrate the importance of home while enjoying music provided by Lulu of radio station WCTQ, delicious Boars Head hot dogs, cupcakes, games and more. Highlights of the party included hearing from the people involved in Manatee Habitat’s very first home build including Susie Walters, the organization’s founding president; Dick Gross from Kiwanis Bradenton who helped fund the first home; and the very first Manatee Habitat homebuyer Hilda Futch Reaves – whose mortgage is now paid off. Several Habitat homeowners celebrated by shredding their mortgages – now paid in full, and the and the winner of the Habitat ReStore Family Room Makeover was announced. Giant Jenga and corn hole toss games as well as tours of a Bradenton Fire Department truck added to the fun, and representatives from the Manatee County Neighborhood Services, City of Bradenton, Bradenton Kiwanis, Manatee Technical College, United Way Suncoast and others provided information about the services the community offers. It Works! Foundation was the presenting sponsor of the event.

Since 1994, Manatee Habitat has built 135 homes and recently broke ground on its 25th Anniversary Home Build. For more information about the anniversary home build, contact Diana Shoemaker, CEO at Dshoemaker@manateehabitat.org.