Home for Christmas: Barbara Cole will celebrate holiday in new Habitat for Humanity house

ALBANY — A popular Christmas song says, “There’s no place like home for the holidays.” That might not be truer for anyone more than it is for Barbara Cole. On Friday, she became the purchaser of a new home through Flint River Habitat for Humanity.

While it’s not a Christmas gift — a Habitat homeowner pays a no-interest mortgage loan on the home and puts “sweat equity” into its construction or renovation — Cole said it certainly was a Christmas blessing, one that she planned to move into as quickly as possible.

The vivacious grandmother immediately expressed her strong faith in God when she emerged from her van the first time it parked in what was officially her driveway at 2523 Forsythe St.

”Thank you, Jesus,” she said. “This is the best Christmas I could ever have. Hallelujah!”

She thanked those who showed up for the dedication, especially Pastor Tommy Williams of New Nation Learning Center on East Clark Avenue, which she attends. After the house blessing and prayer ceremony conducted by Flint Habitat Board Chair Leslie Boling and the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce’s traditional ribbon-cutting, Cole — once she realized the key she had been handed was to her new home — toured the residence.

“I’m ready to move in,” she said, standing in the kitchen area with Flint Habitat Executive Director Scooter Courtney, who presented her with household goods donated by Procter & Gamble. “Sunday morning, I’m going to wake up at this address. This is where we’re going to be Sunday morning.”

She invited those who attended the event to drop by and “sit on the porch” and “drink some lemonade.”

She also made it clear that she saw the life-changing event as stemming from faith and from following Christ’s teachings.

“Didn’t anybody do it but Jesus,” she said. “It makes it special because Jesus did it, and it’s Christmas. I give him all the praise, because if it wasn’t for the Lord, it wouldn’t have happened. And most of all, doing what’s right — just doing the right thing. Treating everybody right. Can’t have no better way than that.”

Part of the partnership the home-buyers have with Habitat is working on their homes, along with other Habitat homes and projects, a concept known as “sweat equity.” Cole completed 200 hours of it.

“I loved every minute of it because I got to meet some other people,” Cole said. “Now, I have new friends.”

For Courtney and Flint Habitat Facilities Director Mike Mobley, both of whom joined the 30-year-old Albany chapter of the organization this year, this was the first project they had seen come to fruition.

“We’re truly blessed,” Courtney said. “Ms. Barbara is purchasing this home through Habitat and is partnering with us. She’s put in sweat equity. We worked hard to get this house ready by Christmas, and she worked just as hard. And it all came together here … nine days before Christmas. Her family’s super-excited. We’re excited for her.

“We’re dedicating the house today, asking God to bless this house and the family in it. We closed this morning at the attorney’s office. I asked her yesterday when she was moving in. She said, ‘Tomorrow!’ She’s not wasting any time. It’s awesome right here at Christmas.”

Courtney said Flint Habitat has been busy with seven projects under way, including three that involve helping military veterans. Officials with the organization also are hoping to have a project on 16th Avenue completed by Christmas, though that deadline will be tight.

Just before Friday morning’s dedication ceremony, Habitat officials were going down to the wire putting the final touches on Cole’s home. Garlands sporting miniature poinsettias were hung above the front door and front porch entry and a large wreath decorated the front door itself.

Mobley, who was involved in the last-minute clean-up and prep details, commended Cole. “She worked as hard as she could, at the ReStore, at the house,” he said.

He also said he was pleased that Cole and her grandchildren would be able to move in before Christmas.

“It’s a wonderful feeling,” Mobley said. “We were hoping to get this done before Christmas. … It makes it very special.”