Hammers and High Heels Raises $14,000

Habitat Raises $14,000 at Hammers and High Heels

On Thursday, July 18, the Darrell Waltrip Honda Showroom got a makeover complete with pink hammers, stiletto heels, and over 200 visitors, all kicking up their high heels to support Habitat for Humanity of Williamson County (HFHWC). Visitors enjoyed great food, live music and over 150 specialty silent auction items, with every penny raised going straight to the “bricks and sticks” of Habitat’s Women Build home. Darrell Waltrip matched every dollar spent on silent auction items up to $5000; and in just two hours, supporters raised over $14,000 for the cause.

Sharon Puckett, long-time newsperson and public information administrator at Williamson County Sheriff's Office, emceed the event and opened with background on the Women Build program and its pertinence to the citizens of Williamson County. “The Women Build educates and inspires women to build and advocate for simple, decent and affordable houses in their communities. On August 17, volunteers will begin constructing in Fairview the affiliate’s fourth Women Build home, alongside partner family Tracie Johnson and her four children. Before her home is completed, Tracie and her family will complete 420 hours of “sweat equity” by completing a homebuyer’s education program, working on building their own home. Habitat Williamson will then sell the home to Tracie at cost and will not charge interest on the mortgage for the life of her loan.” She then urged attendees to “bid generously and bid often.”

“We doubled the amount raised from last year’s Women Build auction and wouldn’t have been able to so without the talents and donations of so many supporters,” explains HFHWC’s Director of Development Kim Randell.  “Community partners came together to ensure our success. Their donations kept our event costs to a minimum, ensuring that everything we raised could be used to build. We want to thank the Bunganut Pig Pub and Eatery, Chick-Fil-A, Constant Craving Caterers, Granite City, Moon Wine and Spirits, Shuff’s Music & Piano Showroom, Sweets Ndulgence, Papa Boudreaux's Cajun Café, Sarah Bailey Photography, Sopapilla's, Sweet Natured Treats, The Williamson Herald, Jessica Perry at Winstead Perry Public Relations, Darrell Waltrip and the many hours given by our WOW (Women of Williamson) Habitat volunteers. We can’t wait to build Tracie’s home with her; it will be life-changing both for our future homeowner and the volunteers involved.”

HFHWC is still looking for volunteers who would like to work on building this home, as well as donations to cover costs. Twenty-seven thousand dollars are still needed to fund the home, and anyone wanting to help can donate online at www.habitatwilliamson.org.  Anyone wanting to volunteer can contact HFHWC Volunteer Coordinator Billy Whipple at 615-550-5614. 

For more information and photos from the event, please join us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/HabitatWilliamson