CRESTVIEW — When Jamie Peoples’ new home springs up in near-record time this summer, it’ll be because of help from her friends.
About 140 of them.
Like an Amish barn-raising on steroids, employees of Ohio-based Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems from across the country descended on a Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort parking lot on Thursday and prefabricated the walls of Peoples’ Crestview home.
The workers — in town for a sales conference — participated in the Bendix Corporate Responsibility Local Care project, in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity Okaloosa and Help Build Hope.
“The Local Care program fuels the company’s ongoing dedication to supporting communities, and aims to grow active social involvement among employees through leadership and project management experience,” Bendix spokesperson Barbara Gould stated in a media release.
Bendix conference attendees “were excited and eager to complete this project and inspired when they met Jamie and heard her story of struggling to support her three children on her own," Habitat Community Outreach Director Melissa Forte Litscher said.
“They began at 12:30 and had the walls for the three-bedroom, two-bathroom home completed in 2.5 hours,” Forte Litscher said.
After erecting the 1,260-square-foot framework, Bendix, Habitat for Humanity and Help Build Hope volunteers inscribed inspirational messages and blessings on the raw woodwork. Though wallboard, paint or trim will cover those messages when the house is finished in Crestview, they will always be part of the Peoples family’s home.
“I was overwhelmed, but with joy,” Peoples said. “It was nice to see that people care. It restores your faith in people.”
The framework was then dismantled in wall sections for reassembly in Crestview. Peoples and her family will help with the construction.
“Her home will take much less time, money and effort thanks to this gracious donation for Habitat for Humanity in Okaloosa County,” Forte Litscher said.
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Corporate sales force frames Crestview woman's home in 2.5 hours