Mid Hudson Times, Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Tree of Life
3
Habitat for Humanity dedicates home made with wood from 2015 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree
On Saturday, December 10, Habitat
for Humanity of Greater Newburgh
celebrated with future homeowner
families and dedicated two homes
containing lumber from the 2015
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. The
iconic tree will live on as a part of these
two beautifully rehabbed homes that are
a part of 4-house gut-rehab project on this
block in partnership with the Newburgh
Community Land Bank.
In a nearly decade-long tradition,
Tishman Speyer, the owner and manager
of Rockefeller Center, has donated lumber
from the tree to Habitat for Humanity.
In addition to donating the lumber,
volunteers from Tishman Speyer joined
Habitat Newburgh and helped to frame
the walls with the special boards. This is
the second time that this holiday symbol
has become part of a Habitat home in
Newburgh.
Lumber from the 2010 Rockefeller
Center Christmas Tree was used to build
the Exantus family home, and is now a
permanent part of Habitat Newburgh’s E.
Parmenter Street Neighborhood.
“The tradition of the Rockefeller Center
Christmas Tree represents so much
joy and hope,” says Habitat Newburgh
Executive Cathy Collins, “This spirit
will live on in these homes and in this
neighborhood that we are building in
partnership with homeowner families
and community partners. We are grateful
to be part of this tradition that takes this
special tree from symbol, to lumber, to
home.”
The 78-foot-tall Norway spruce began
its journey in Gardiner in Ulster County
in the front yard of Nancy Puchalski and
Al Asendorf. Nancy grew up in the City
of Newburgh and currently works at the
Head Start of Eastern Orange County. She
is so happy to know that the tree is now a
part of a home for Newburgh families,
“There were four generations in that tree
and now it is going into homes for families
that will hopefully have generations of
love and family in their home too. It is
beautiful to see it come full circle.”
Keith, future homeowner and single
father of three, completed his required
homeownership classes and sweat equity
hours without telling his children that he
applied to become a Habitat homeowner.
At Saturday’s dedication, he surprised
his family by revealing the completed
house that he will soon purchase and
they will move into. Keith expressed his
feelings about what this home will mean
for his family, “For my family, celebrating
Christmas in our new home for the first
time is something that we are already
looking forward to, but knowing that
our walls contain the lumber from the
Rockefeller Tree will make the season
even more special.”
Saturday’s
festive
dedication
celebration included carols, holiday
treats, Christmas decorations, and a visit
from Santa Claus. As the 2015 Rockefeller
Center Christmas Tree completed its
journey home to the Hudson Valley, two
Newburgh families also celebrated the
end of their journey to home.
Homeowner Ricardo holds up the keys standing on the porch with his family and Nancy
Puchalski and Al Asendorf, who donated the tree
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree® Lumber.
Lumber being cut