ORONO, Maine — One fortunate Maine family received the keys to a brand-new home in Orono, on Monday. The home was provided by Habitat for Humanity of Greater Bangor.
"It's really like a fairy tale," Amber Follis, the mother of two daughters, said.
The home she received was built by students of the Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC) Building Construction and Fine Woodworking program.
Students began constructing the home on the EMCC campus last fall before transporting it to its permanent lot, according to Melissa Huston, executive director of Habitat for Humanity in Bangor.
"We all knew it was going to be somebody's house someday so I think we treated it like it would be our own," Erinde Barber, an EMCC student said.
Those, like the Follis family, who are expecting to receive a house from Habitat for Humanity are expected to help in the actual building process as well.
"I had to put in sweat equity hours on the house, 200. I actually assisted with building the two front porches. So I learned a lot of good homeowner skills I didn't know before," said Follis.
Monday's celebration of the new home was a joyous occasion for both the Follis family and those who helped make the dream a reality with their carpentry skills.
"This is sort of like our Super Bowl. This is the best day of the year for us at Habitat, where we're able to ceremonially hand over the keys to a new homeowner," Huston said.