Tire builders turn efforts to home building

Employees from the local plant, both management and hourly, have volunteered to participate in something called a ?blitz build? for Habitat for Humanity. The group will put forth a concentrated effort to finish a Habitat home in just two weeks. The home will be occupied by David and Pansey Kilgore and their children Dava, 17, and Kurt, 12.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the project, located on Smith Street was held last Friday, March 31. Plant manager Ron Brooks says one reason the company came on board is because Bridgestone, as a corporation, has always advocated community involvement. In fact company chairman and CEO Mark Emkes has established a grass roots initiative which Brooks says is specifically designed to provide support to community organizations.

?The grass roots initiative is very important,? said Brooks, ?and that?s designed to give back to the community. We?re very fortunate to have the Bridgestone Firestone Trust Fund that allocates funding in our various locations so we can do that.

?In this case the Bridgestone Firestone Trust Fund has given $30,000 toward this initiative. In addition to that we have over 100 of our teammates at our facility who have volunteered to help with this project for the next 13 days. I?m very proud of them and we?re very excited and happy for this family that?s going to be receiving it. We?re pumped,? Brooks added. ?We?re ready to go.?

McMinnville Mayor Royce Davenport said Habitat for Humanity is a worthy organization.

?I think it?s one of the greatest things going,? Davenport said. ?Everybody puts in the time and effort, materials, the city has donated land, and we end up with a deserving family that has a nice new home they?re going to take care of and they?re going to pay property taxes on it. Everybody wins on the deal.?

The blitz build will be Habitat?s 13th home in Warren County. Todd Herzog said this is bringing the organization closer to a significant milestone. One of the requirements to receive a Habitat home is the ability to pay for it. The houses are not free, they are simply built and financed in a manner that allows low-income families to afford a new home. Since materials, initial funding and labor are all donated through Habitat sponsors, like Bridgestone Firestone, the payments the families make are funneled back into the Habitat program to finance future projects.

?There?s one very good aspect to this story,? Herzog said. ?When we build 14 homes there?s enough revenue coming back from the 14 to build one new home a year. When we build 28, then we?d be self-funded to build two homes a year. So the longer you?re at it, the better shape you are in financially to continue the program.?

The goal is to have the home complete by Friday, April 14. Habitat?s Kay Ramsey says the project is breaking new ground for the local organization.

?It?s the first one we?ve done and I think it?s terrific,? Ramsey said. ?I?ve been wanting to do one, and when Bridgestone came along and said they would like to do this it was just a tremendous opportunity. We?re just so thankful for their involvement and for the people that are going to be involved. This is a new experience for them and it?s a wonderful opportunity for them to see what we do and for us to get to know them better. They are great corporate citizens of Warren County and we?re delighted they?re doing this.?

A group of over 20 Bridgestone Firestone employees were on hand for the groundbreaking ceremony of a Habitat for Humanity ?blitz build? project last Friday. Over 100 workers total have volunteered to participate in an effort to complete the home within two weeks from the start date.