2013 Annual Membership Meeting

If you did not make the annual membership meeting you missed an information filled and fun evening.  We had the opportunity to meet the new families that will be living in the new Habitat for Humanity homes at Channel Cove.  Not only did we meet them but we got to see their new homes that are all but completed.  Roman & Jennifer Rodriguez and Salvio & Victoria Hernandez will be moving in May 1, 2013.  We also met Derrick and Heather Baer whose home will be started in late April.  Maria Rojas was introduced and the construction for her house should begin late this year.  These are wonderful families that are going to be a great addition to Channel Cove.  Flor Hernandez read her comments about what it means to her and her family to be able to have this opportunity to have their own house.  You can read her comments under testimonies on the webpage.

Team ETS from Leadership Skagit gave us an update on the play area that they are developing and installing at Channel Cove.  They have been busy getting play equipment designs and most importantly raising the funds to purchase and install the equipment.  The plan is to install the equipment during the week of May 13th.  May 18th will be the day with most of the work being done.  You have to give Team ETS a big hand for all of the hard work they are doing.  Without their efforts we would not be in the position to have a play area.

The meeting wasn’t over yet as Jane Billinghurst, 2012 Washington State Master Gardner of the Year, gave a most informative presentation on Rain Gardens and Bio-Swales.  It was very timely as we are putting in a Bio-Swale at Channel Cove behind the new homes being built.  When Channel Cove was first built in 1999 as a part of the Wetland Mitigation a swale (ditch) was put in along the west boundary of the property.  It is a rather unattractive feature that provides an important service to the area.  In an effort to improve the swale it was recommended that we put in a rain garden.  This is where Jane comes in as she is the expert on rain gardens and she has been helping us design our rain garden.  Her presentation at our annual meeting not only explained the Who What When etc. of rain gardens but she showed us how the one at Channel Cove would work throughout her presentation.  If nothing else you came out of the meeting with a much better understanding of rain gardens and their benefits.

With all that happened at this year’s meeting you will not want to miss next year’s meeting!

Not everyone can afford to purchase their own home . . .

. . . especially in areas of Skagit County that have seen a large amount of growth, both in terms of population and in the skyrocketing of median home prices.

The Home Trust of Skagit (HTS), a community land trust organization, is incorporated to help homebuyers in Skagit County secure affordable homes and achieve an equity return on their investment, while preserving affordability for the next homebuyer.

The Home Trust of Skagit offers affordable homes now and preserves that affordability for future homebuyers. Our goal is to have homes in neighborhoods and communities throughout Skagit County, providing opportunities for both home ownership and affordable rentals. . .

I am here to say that today is one of the those days that makes me want to dance, sing, cry, shout, and laugh but  I am to shocked to do any of these things because I’m in awe. Today is also one of those days that not only reassures us that everything is possible but it also seems to have wrapped up all of our hopes and dreams into a wonderful gift. A gift that we will be able to call our own because we will be able to build it. A gift that we will call home. Home; a place where we could always come back to, where we will surely smell the aroma of my mother’s cooking, where we would be able to find rest, the place that we will be able create fond memories of hard work and laughter. A gift that we would share.

We are so grateful for all of this. It has always been one of those dreams that we have tried so hard to reach, but have always come out looking disillusioned because no matter how hard we tried, we have always come back disappointed. It has been hard, but I guess that the Lord had everything already planned out.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

Yes he has given us a future and hope. He will be giving us a home, and he has given us friends who will help us. We are so grateful for all of you who will join us in making our dream come true. We don’t know how we will ever be able to repay all of you for your gratitude. Thank you and above all thank you Lord.