It might be a basement filled with water, a cold wind blowing through an old window pane or a roof that leaks and creaks and falls to pieces.
Each of these home repairs can be a devastating burden on a family, said Antron Watson, assistant executive director of the Habitat for Humanity of the Greater Harrisburg area.
Instead of watching families pack up and abandon their homes when the maintenance becomes too much, Habitat has been hiring contractors to fix the plumbing, put in new insulation and replace the roofs.
“Staying on top of home repairs means we can keep another vacant property from occurring,” Watson said. “We’re offering families the chance to work with professional contractors who offer a warranty on their work. It makes homeownership more of a victory and less of a burden.”
Perhaps the biggest help to making those repairs a reality is Habitat’s annual “Art Builds Homes” art auction. For the 11th year, the event, scheduled for April 1 at the Hershey Country Club, will showcase the work of local and regional artists.
The event, which typically raises $20,000, is one of the largest fundraisers Habitat hosts, and it helps the organization get out of its slow winter season and jump-start the spring.
Shannon Deatrich, chairperson for the event and a long-time volunteer with Habitat, is bringing back some old favorites to keep the evening entertaining.
When the doors open at 6 p.m., she said, guests will have a chance to mingle with the artists, who will showcase pieces ranging from acrylics to oils, from sculptures and photography. By 7:15 p.m., the art auction will begin in the main ballroom.
“Seeing and talking with the artists makes art feel more obtainable to a lot of people,” Deatrich said. “You can get a piece that’s affordable, original and beautiful. Even if people don’t get the piece they want, this event gives them the chance to connect with the artists and learn about other pieces that might be out there.”
The event also will feature a raffle, as well as a 50/50 drawing. Beer tastings from Tröegs Independent Brewing and wine from Spring Gate Vineyard also will be available for guests as they nibble on gourmet hors d’oeuvres provided by the Hershey Lodge.
The evening can be as formal or casual as anyone likes, Deatrich said. Some people have used the night as an excuse to break out their evening wear and rent a limo. Others come as they are most comfortable.
“The goal is for people to have a good time,” she said. “If that means dressing up or coming in blue jeans, we just want every guest to have fun.”
The money raised through the art auction has helped with a bulk of the home repairs Habitat does, which grants typically don’t cover, Watson said. Some of last year’s auction funds helped pay for the demo and reframing of a rehab project on a vacant property in Steelton.
About 80 percent of Habitat’s work is in critical home repairs, while the remaining 20 percent is in building or rehabbing new homes, Watson said. Building a house might cost $100,000, while keeping someone in his or her current home is $20,000, depending on the repair, he said.
“The biggest thing I’d like people to know is that Habitat is here,” Watson said. “There’s a misconception that we only serve the heart of the city or that we only build homes. In reality, we serve all of Dauphin County, and we want to do everything we can to make sure people are living in safe, secure, accessible and weatherized homes.”
With each piece of art that finds its way into a home, Deatrich said, there’s a Dauphin County resident who gets help staying in their own.
“The whole experience is very rewarding,” she said. “You never know how much you appreciate your own home until you see people who are at risk of losing their own.”
“Art Builds Homes” takes place April 1 at 6 p.m. at the Hershey Country Club, 1000 E. Derry Road, Hershey. Tickets are $25 and are available in advance through the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Harrisburg Area by visiting harrisburghabitat.org/artauction. Tickets also will be available at the door.
