ATHENS, Ohio -- A dedication ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, for the house built in Nelsonville by members of the Ohio University Coalition of Habitat for Humanity. The Debbie and Ralph Meyers family of Millfield occupies the house.

Volunteers worked at a feverish pace since breaking ground Oct. 3, with actual construction beginning Oct. 27, to complete the house for the couple and their seven children in time for the holidays. They were able to begin moving in prior to Christmas.

Leading the charge have been about 20 Facilities Management and more than 100 student volunteers, who have lent their expertise and energy to the project. Other Habitat volunteers and Meyers family members also were involved in the construction of the house, which is located on Frank Street in the Frog Hollow area of Nelsonville. The Osteopathic Heritage Foundation is a major benefactor of the project.

"A key to the quick construction was the cooperation of volunteers across campus, especially students and those in Facilities Management, and the community," said Construction Site Coordinator Mick Harris, director of maintenance and operations at Ohio University.

"Projects such as this allow students and staff the opportunity to use their talents to help others in the area," Ohio University President Robert Glidden said. "Community service is a major component of the educational experience at Ohio University. A project such as this gives students the opportunity to work side-by-side with faculty and staff outside the classroom, and it prepares them to take leadership roles in similar endeavors after graduation."

Groups from across campus have worked behind the scenes to raise money for the project in a number of ways such as raffling and selling handcrafted baskets and birdhouses, sponsoring the Taste of Court Street and working the concession stands at football games. Student groups who have sustained their effort over the year for fund-raising and construction are the Habit for Humanity Student Chapter, Student Alumni Board, Black Student Communication Caucus, College of Osteopathic Medicine HealthCorps and Residence Life students and staff.

Nancy Prichard Crist, coordinator of the Ohio University Coalition of Habitat, said, "This has been a real team effort that has brought together individuals from across campus in a cooperative effort to provide service to the region."

Speakers at the dedication include Harris, Glidden and Chris Meyers, president of the Athens County Habitat for Humanity. Steve Sloan, vice president of the county chapter, will deliver the invocation, and Dudley Mullins, executive director, will perform the symbolic christening of the home.

Directions to Frog Hollow Habitat House (from Athens)

• Take Route 33 north through Nelsonville to Madison Street (Route 278) (at the intersection just before Cross Roads convenience store)
• Turn right on Madison Street
• Go approximately 6 blocks to Frank Street (past Franklin Street, through stop sign, 2 more unmarked streets, then Frank Street -- if you reach Edwards Street, you've gone too far)
• Turn right on Frank -- the Habitat house is at the end of the paved street
• (Frank Street is approximately 4/10 of a mile off Route 33).