Habitat for Humanity builds home for Ahmeek family   Michael Spagnotti, left, and his brother David Spagnotti, both of Ahmeek, work on the well insulated walls of Michael's future Habitat for Humanity energy-efficient home. The two brothers joined about 30 Habitat volunteer workers on Saturday, June 9. The roof was completed the following weekend.    AHMEEK ’Äì A family of seven in Ahmeek will soon have an energy-efficient home, thanks to Copper Country Habitat for Humanity.   Michael Spagnotti and his family are contributing 400 hours of labor as their contribution to the building of their home, which Michael Spagnotti calls ’Äúgreat ’Äì a big improvement.’Äù On Saturday, June 9, Spagnotti and his brother David Spagnotti, also of Ahmeek, joined about 30 Habitat volunteers, most of them from Good Shepherd Lutheran Church of Houghton, for work on the walls and roof of the house.   Habitat workers prefab the gable ends and prepare the trusses for the roof of the future Spagnotti home. Pictured from left are Charlie Burger of Dollar Bay; MTU student Toby Lee of Deep River, Ont.; Jeff Bonn, MTU math professor; and MTU student Kurt Reichenbach of Houghton. Jeff Bonn, a Michigan Tech math professor, helped prefab the gable ends for the roof, noting it was his first time working on a Habitat house. While he had done summer farm work, he was not experienced in building houses; but experience is not necessary to volunteer for Habitat projects.   ’ÄúIt’Äôs an educational experience,’Äù Bonn said. ’ÄúThey tell us what to do and we do it. Luckily there’Äôs a few people around who know what they’Äôre doing.’Äù   Among those are Ron Gratz, president of the Board of Directors for Copper Country Habitat for Humanity, and Paul Luoma, construction site coordinator.   Paul Luoma, right, construction site coordinator for Copper Country Habitat for Humanity, directs volunteers working on the interior of the house for the family of Michael Spagnotti, second from right, of Ahmeek. Said Luoma, ’ÄúWe’Äôre dead ahead of schedule today (Saturday, June 9). The goal today was to get the walls up ’Ķ Hopefully we’Äôll get the end trusses on today.’Äù   Three of the volunteers on June 9 were librarians from Michigan Tech ’Äì Mies Martin, Sarah Swaner and her husband Thomas Swaner. MTU librarians take a water break during the building of the Ahmeek Habitat House on June 9. "Water girl" Sarah Swaner pours a thirst-quencher for her husband Tom Swaner, right, while Mies Martin, left, and Barney the dog wait their turn.   Said Martin, ’ÄúWe have to get out and do something physical once in a while.’Äù   Tom Swaner said his building experience included building sets for plays.   Added Sarah, ’ÄúI’Äôm a painter. When we get to the painting part, I’Äôll be happy.’Äù   Mike Mullins, MTU professor of chemical engineering, was one of the volunteers from Good Shepherd.   ’ÄúI usually come out one or two days a year,’Äù Mullins said. This is the fourth house I’Äôve worked on in the Copper Country.’Äù   Volunteers provide services other than construction if they prefer. Senior citizens and others who may not be builders find ways to help the effort.   ’ÄúAndrea Hauge Bacon, Loyal Bacon and Ruth Best served lunch to the whole crew,’Äù Mullins noted of his fellow Good Shepherd members.   Paul Luoma, left, construction site coordinator; Ron Gratz, center, president of the Copper Country Habitat for Humanity Board; and Fred Bardo, volunteer, of Ahmeek,  fought the black flies on Friday, June 8, while laying the floor of the Spagnotti house.  While the black flies were fierce on Friday, June 8, as  Gratz, Luoma and Fred Bardo of Ahmeek worked on the floors, the little monsters seemed thinned out or divided more equally among all the volunteers on Saturday.   ’ÄúThey haven’Äôt been so bad this afternoon,’Äù said Mullins’Äô wife, Janet Metsa.   In fact, with so many volunteers and good weather, the construction of the house is now nearly complete. During the weekend of June 15-17, the roof was added and even survived the high winds that hit the Copper Country recently.   ’ÄúThere has been progress!’Äù said Gratz. ’ÄúThe roof is now on and as of Saturday evening (June 16), most of the shingles were laid. Mike Spagnotti was going to do more of that on Sunday ’Ķ Windows and doors are scheduled for this week, and this weekend we begin to get things ready for siding.’Äù   Three of the Spagnotti children ’Äì from left, Kirsten, 5; Dominic, 2; and David, 9 ’Äì pose near their new house early this week after the roof was added. Gratz said the Spagnotti house is a little bigger than other houses Habitat has built in the area, since the family is large, with five children: Brandy, 10; David, 9; Michelle, 8; Kirsten, 5; and Dominic, 2. The children’Äôs mother, Kim Krans, works at the Hut restaurant in Kearsarge.   Like the other Copper Country Habitat houses, the Spagnotti home will have a ’Äúpassive solar’Äù design for energy efficiency. Besides south-facing windows, the house is well insulated. An electric hot water heater will heat water for bathing and doing dishes, but will also heat the house since the water will be pumped through a baseboard heating system.   In addition to the Habitat requirement that each adult in the family contribute 200 hours of work, the family is expected to pay for the house. Because Habitat is a non-profit organization, the costs are kept as low as possible.   ’ÄúWhen the family buys the house from us, they are responsible for the mortgage, property taxes and insurance,’Äù Gratz said.   He noted many church groups (16 covenant churches) contribute their time and work to Habitat projects.   Added Luoma, ’ÄúAny group or organization that wants to help (even one day of work) can contact me at 482-4873.’Äù   Click here to read more about Habitat’Äôs passive solar houses designed by the late architect Skip Kindred ’Ķ   Click here to read about Habitat for Humanity International ’Ķ                                                           ’Äì    Michele Anderson                                                              June 22, 2001