HABITAT for HUMANITY

When Rosemary Foy moved into her home on Germantown Road in 1998, it was a bittersweet experience. Months of work by Habitat for Humanity team volunteers and by Rosemary and her husband, Monroe, culminated in their dream.

In fact, Monroe was shown working on the house in a news report about the project. But tragedy struck before the family could move into the four-bedroom home. Monroe died two months before the move- in date.

"If it hadn't been for this house, I think we would have ended up on the street or in a shelter," says Rosemary.

The Foys put the required 400 hours of sweat equity into the house working alongside volunteers. Most were strangers, but some were friends and relatives working together to complete the home.

Ironically, Monroe sold insurance, but his family had none. The Habitat organization was concerned about how Rosemary would be able to afford the home. But the adult children agreed to pitch in, and Rosemary's disability payments helped.

"But it all worked out," says Rosemary, who now lives in the house with one of her daughters. There were seven Foys in all. She recalls the old Bob Hope movie, "The Seven Little Foys," about performer Eddie Foy and his family.

The move was five years ago. The seven children went on to earn college degrees. Rosemary's pride shows when she talks about the son and daughter who will graduate from college in December.

She now has one daughter living with her, and she baby-sits...