Congratulations to this year's winner of the Floyd and Helen Rickard Volunteerism Award

The 2011 recipient of the Floyd and Helen Rickard Volunteerism Award is Ed Leach.  This award is given to volunteers who have dedicated themselves to Habitat’s mission year-after-year, just as the Rickards have done since nearly the first home was built in our community.

Photo from Left: Ed Leach, Tonya Thayer

What do we know about Ed Leach?

• He showed up at our site in 2000 with a great tool belt so we put him in charge

• In January of 2011, he ended a 10-year run of serving on the local Habitat board

• Ed supervised the construction of 62 homes in Rockford and the rehabilitation of another 10 since 2001.

• As a retired engineer, Ed had never built a home prior to joining our crew.

• To serve as a better volunteer, Ed educated himself in various areas such as new energy saving ideas, how to wire a house, and city building codes.

“ I remember one Saturday seeing a very tall man walking quickly across the construction site. Immediately, I noticed that he didn’t break his stride as he stepped OVER several saw horses. I knew right away that he was a force to be reckoned with.” - Helen Rickard, April 2011

PAST WINNERS

Photo from Left: Ed Leach (2011), Gary Ecklund (2009), Ed McCaskey (2010)

The 2010 recipient of the Floyd and Helen Rickard Volunteerism Award was Edward McCaskey

Photo from Left: Helen Rickard, Ed McCaskey

This award is given to volunteers who have dedicated themselves to Habitat’s mission year-after-year, just as the Rickards have done since nearly the first home was built in our community.

Ed McCaskey provided enthusiasm and innovation back in 1995, when he first visited our construction site. At that time, the volunteers were experiencing a number of challenges in supporting the Habitat mission.

So began the Super Sweeps raffle that, over the next 14 years, raised over $773,000 in grants from Bears Care. Ed chaired the raffle every year in addition to submitting the grant-request documents to Bears Care. This fundraiser took a tremendous amount of “hands-on” time, but Ed knew it was a key funder for Rockford Habitat.

Serving as board president for 10 consecutive years, Ed took Habitat’s building to a new level. Our affiliate went from construction of 1-2 homes per year to numbers as high as 7 and 9. He established the necessary administrative support to make sure the behind-the-scenes tasks such as paying bills, responding to donor requests, raising money, and preparing volunteers, were completed in an efficient manner. All while directing over 92% or more of funds raised directly to program expenses.

Ed continues to provide the much-needed support for mortgage management. This requires monthly monitoring of homeowners payments and escrow accounts.

Thank you, Ed, for caring so much about Habitat Homeowners and our communities need to improve affordable housing opportunities. We have been truly blessed by your ongoing devotion.

The 2009 recipient of the Floyd and Helen Rickard Volunteerism Award was Gary Ecklund.

Photo from Left: Helen Rickard, Gary Ecklund

This award is given to volunteers who have dedicated themselves to Habitat's mission year-after-year, just as the Rickards have done since nearly the first home was built in our community.

Gary Ecklund is one of the founding members of Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity. Back in 1988, he and a group of individuals from local churches gathered to discuss establishing a Habitat for Humanity affiliate in Rockford. It took them nearly three years to raise the money to build the first house that was sold to Maria Degollado in 1991.

Since that time, Gary completed the closing documents for every Habitat home sale pro bono. He has also offered his legal expertise for all land purchases and even assisted homeowners with landlord disputes.

Not just a twenty-year board of director's member, but construction has also been a part of Gary's Habitat past. He has volunteered on the construction site and in the registration tent.

Thank you, Gary, for caring so much about Habitat Homeowners and our mission to improve affordable housing. We have been truly blessed by your devotion.

The 2008 recipients of the Floyd and Helen Rickard Volunteerism Award were Orlyn Huwe and Kathy Ricotta.

Photo from Left: Kathy Ricotta, Helen Rickard, Tonya Thayer, Orlyn Huwe

(Click Here to see more photos from the awards ceremony)

Orlyn Huwe began volunteering for Habitat while serving as a Site Leader for the Rockford Area Lutheran Ministries home that is built each year. He also served on the Habitat board of directors. Orlyn served a key role on the Habitat ReStore committee as the building surplus supply shop became a reality. Now Orlyn provides customer service and home improvement wisdom to the ReStore patrons.

Kathy Ricotta embodies the mission of Habitat. Through action, not words, Kathy has worked with new and future homeowners in their quest to improve their lives. Kathy chairs the Family Partnership Committee and acts as a liaison between the Habitat office and the homeowners. She has actively participated in family selection, special events planning, speaker's bureau and site selection. As a real estate agent, Kathy has volunteered to use her expertise to locate and negotiate the sale of lots to the affiliate. She has spent countless hours researching lots and owners, working with title companies, and working with attorneys.

Thank you to Kathy and Orlyn for their generous spirits, support of our mission, and quest to bring the need for safe, affordable shelter to the hearts and minds of people everywhere.