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  • Jennifer Durand, center, works on a wall fo a Habitat for Humanity home she and her twin daughters will live in after volunteers finish building it. The home was launched Saturday for the Sandra Schlueter Memorial Women Build project. Special to the Record-Eagle/Carol South

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May 3, 2010

Legacy of TC native: Homes for locals

National Women Build Week began on Saturday

By CAROL SOUTH Special to the Record-Eagle

MAPLE CITY — Sandra Schlueter's life of service and faith founded a legacy.

The Traverse City native died in November 2008, bequeathing $250,000 to Habitat for Humanity-Grand Traverse Region. Her surviving family members presented the check last July.

Ten months later, the Sandra M. Schlueter Memorial Women Build event launched a new home for Jennifer Durand and her twin daughters, Jessica and Casey, 9.

The event was part of National Women Build Week, kicked off Saturday by Habitat for Humanity chapters around the nation. Habitat officials estimate that through May 9, more than 7,000 women will build at more than 200 Habitat for Humanity construction sites throughout the 50 states.

The Grand Traverse Region chapter timed the Schlueter donation to coincide with this week as another way to honor this unique woman.

"She was a strong woman before it was cool to be a strong woman," said Carrie Ullery-Smith, volunteer coordinator for the local chapter. "She led this really great life and led it for herself but in doing so made sure she gave back to others because that was important to her."

Saturday's groundbreaking ceremony and wall-raising work bee in Maple City harnessed the energy, passion and faith of an estimated 75 volunteers. The home, which should be completed in about three months, will allow the Durand family to put down roots. They are eager to live in a subdivision with a paved road for the children to bike on and neighbors to befriend.

"Just having a home that we can call ours and not have to move again," Durand said. "We've moved a number of times in our lives and now we won't have to."

Many of the women builders sported pink hard hats — a creative twist courtesy of Habitat for Humanity and Lowe's, their National Women Build Week partner — to celebrate Schlueter's pioneering spirit. Lowe's nationally provided a million dollars to the program; locally Lowe's held volunteer training sessions and donated a $5,000 store gift card.

Breaking expectations for her generation, Schlueter served for 22 years in the United States Air Force. Retiring as a lieutenant colonel, her educational accomplishments included a bachelor's and two master's degrees.

Throughout many moves, both during her Air Force service and subsequent career as a computer consultant for libraries, Schlueter volunteered at Habitat for Humanity. Her surviving family decided to give Schlueter's full donation to her hometown Habitat, believing one chunk could make a real difference.

With his wife, Chris, and family present Saturday morning, Dave Schlueter, of Traverse City, reflected on his sister's dedication to Habitat.

"Jennifer is the type of person Sandy really wanted to help, the single mom," he said of Sandra Schlueter. "I'm so glad her wishes were carried out. This is so fantastic, so fantastic."

Sandra Schlueter's legacy now buoys the Durand family, who in the past six months (since applying to Habitat) have found an extended family.

"There's just so much support, it's very overwhelming — so much support from everybody," Durand said. "It's the Habitat family."

For more information on Habitat for Humanity in the region, call 941-4663 or see www.habitatgtr.org.

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