{"id":2446376,"date":"2019-07-15T22:15:00","date_gmt":"2019-07-16T04:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/?p=309475"},"modified":"2019-07-16T09:11:36","modified_gmt":"2019-07-16T15:11:36","slug":"roaring-fork-valleys-first-recipient-of-habitat-house-recalls-dire-times-golden-opportunity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/roaring-fork-valleys-first-recipient-of-habitat-house-recalls-dire-times-golden-opportunity\/","title":{"rendered":"Roaring Fork Valley\u2019s first recipient of Habitat house recalls dire times, golden opportunity"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.7905638665132\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-309475-971\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/habitat-atd-071619-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/habitat-atd-071619.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Scott Condon\/The Aspen Times | Marti Barbour stands outside her home in Emma. She was the first resident of the Roaring Fork Valley to receive assistance from Habitat For Humanity.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"8\">\n<p><strong>Marti Barbour stands outside her home in Emma. She was the first resident of the Roaring Fork Valley to receive assistance from Habitat For Humanity.<\/strong><br \/>Scott Condon\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/habitat-atd-071619.jpg\" alt=\"Marti Barbour stands outside her home in Emma. She was the first resident of the Roaring Fork Valley to receive assistance from Habitat For Humanity.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/habitat-atd-071619-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/habitat-atd-071619-1.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Scott Condon\/The Aspen Times | Marti Barbour stands on the arbor on the rear deck of her house in Emma. She and her family worked hard to make their house a home.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"8\">\n<p><strong>Marti Barbour stands on the arbor on the rear deck of her house in Emma. She and her family worked hard to make their house a home.<\/strong><br \/>Scott Condon\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/habitat-atd-071619-1.jpg\" alt=\"Marti Barbour stands on the arbor on the rear deck of her house in Emma. She and her family worked hard to make their house a home.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/habitat-atd-071619-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/habitat-atd-071619-2.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Scott Condon\/The Aspen Times | Marti Barbour stands in front of her 1,150-square-foot, ranch-style house in Emma. Valley residents rallied to aid the cause when Habitat For Humanity built its first house in the Roaring Fork Valley in 2000.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>Marti Barbour stands in front of her 1,150-square-foot, ranch-style house in Emma. Valley residents rallied to aid the cause when Habitat For Humanity built its first house in the Roaring Fork Valley in 2000.<\/strong><br \/>Scott Condon\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/habitat-atd-071619-2.jpg\" alt=\"Marti Barbour stands in front of her 1,150-square-foot, ranch-style house in Emma. Valley residents rallied to aid the cause when Habitat For Humanity built its first house in the Roaring Fork Valley in 2000.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/habitat-atd-071619-3-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/habitat-atd-071619-3.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Scott Condon\/The Aspen Times | One of the best things about living in Emma, Marti Barbour said, is services are so close but it retains a rural feel.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-0.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"10\">\n<p><strong>One of the best things about living in Emma, Marti Barbour said, is services are so close but it retains a rural feel.<\/strong><br \/>Scott Condon\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/habitat-atd-071619-3.jpg\" alt=\"One of the best things about living in Emma, Marti Barbour said, is services are so close but it retains a rural feel.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/habitat-atd-071619-4-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/habitat-atd-071619-4.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Scott Condon\/The Aspen Times | American Highlander cows graze in pasture surrounding Marti Barbour's backyard in Emma.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"8\">\n<p><strong>American Highlander cows graze in pasture surrounding Marti Barbour&#8217;s backyard in Emma.<\/strong><br \/>Scott Condon\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/07\/habitat-atd-071619-4.jpg\" alt=\"American Highlander cows graze in pasture surrounding Marti Barbour's backyard in Emma.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/roaring-fork-valleys-first-recipient-of-habitat-house-recalls-dire-times-golden-opportunity\/?#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/roaring-fork-valleys-first-recipient-of-habitat-house-recalls-dire-times-golden-opportunity\/?#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText DropCap\">Marti Barbour was in dire straits 20 years ago as a single mom with four children and a monthly rent for a house in West Glenwood Springs that exceeded her salary.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">She envisioned loading up her kids, all between ages 7 and 13, along with all their possessions and driving cross-country to her mom\u2019s house, \u201cBeverly Hillbillies-style,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Instead, a new chapter of Habitat for Humanity came to the rescue. Barbour, who then had the last name of Goulding, was the first person selected for housing assistance by Habitat for Humanity Roaring Fork.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">This summer, she achieved a milestone by paying off her mortgage and taking full ownership of the first Habitat home built in the valley.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI made my last mortgage payment in June,\u201d Barbour said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">On Monday, she recalled her struggles and how the Habitat home was such an important stabilizing factor for her family.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cThey\u2019ve changed the lives of individual families and given them stability,\u201d Barbour said of Habitat\u2019s efforts. \u201cCommunities depend on stable families.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The local chapter of Habitat was started after an existing local nonprofit housing organization secured a grant to build housing, said Tim Whitsitt, Habitat for Humanity Roaring Fork\u2019s first president.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cThat put Habitat on the ground,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Ginny Parker made a critical donation of one-half acre of land along West Emma Road. The land was adjacent to her family\u2019s Happy Day Ranch. The Parkers welcomed having low-income housing in their backyard. Ginny and Marti have been friends ever since.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Barbour and her kids ended up in one of the sweetest spots in the valley. The site is surrounded by pasture, where American highlander cows now roam, with their distinct, shaggy look and long horns. It\u2019s in the shadow of the high ground known as the Crown. Barbour\u2019s living room bay window provides great views of Basalt Mountain.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWhen I give people directions I say it\u2019s kind of like \u2018Little House on the Prairie,\u2019\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Barbour was selected from 30 applicants for the Habitat project. In return, she had to put in sweat equity labor and pay the monthly mortgage.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Groundbreaking for the house was in August 2000. As with all Habitat projects, Marti\u2019s house depended on volunteer labor. Roaring Fork Valley residents rallied to the cause. Scores of volunteers turned up Dec. 23, 2000, to raise the walls. They were treated to a Christmas feast of turkey and all the trimmings at the Methodist Church in Basalt at the end of their workday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cIt was the welcoming of the community that was heartwarming,\u201d Barbour said. \u201cIt inspired me to pay it back. I have received so much.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Barbour and her kids moved into their new 1,150-square-foot, ranch-style house in April 2001.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Marti married Billy Barbour in December 2003. Marti\u2019s kids grew up in the house and the family put their stamp on the property over the years. It came with a carport but now has a garage-workshop and some sheds. There is extensive landscaping, a deck and gardens. Inside, they added the living room bay window, installed granite countertops and replaced carpet with wood.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Barbour said they might never get the financial return from what they put into the house because there is a deed restriction that limits appreciation. Her focus was always making the house a home.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">She and Billy are empty nesters now. Jessica works in software developer relations in Seattle. Victoria is a teacher at Blue Lake Preschool in the midvalley. Patrick served in the Air Force for six years and is finishing education in software development in Denver. Hannah works for a chemical supply company and is moving to Seattle.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cOther than being a proud parent, the reason I was boasting about my kids is because I feel the stability of having the Habitat home contributed to their success,\u201d Barbour said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Marti has her own business that educates seniors to boost their brainpower and she works with the Eagle County Department of Aging twice per week.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">She said it was fulfilling to pay the final mortgage payment and own their home clear. She remains grateful to Habitat for all its done and helps the organization any way she can \u2014 working in its ReStore, helping with fundraising and promoting the organization\u2019s good works.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cShe\u2019s never said \u2018no\u2019 when I ask her for this or that,\u201d said Habitat for Humanity Roaring Fork chapter President Scott Gilbert.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Barbour said most of the people who were on Habitat\u2019s board of directors when she built her home are no longer serving. Nevertheless, the organization\u2019s new faces \u201cadopted her\u201d and include her in pursuit of the mission.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Gilbert said Barbour is a great ambassador for the organization.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cThis milestone is significant to Habitat because Marti\u2019s purchase of the home by paying off the loan is true, ultimate homeownership,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Habitat for Humanity Roaring Fork has gone on to complete 35 homes in the Roaring Fork and lower Colorado River Valleys. Of those, 14 are in the Roaring Fork Valley and 22 more units will be phased in at its latest project, Basalt Vista. The project is a collaboration with the Roaring Fork School District, which provided the land, and Pitkin County, which provided some of the funding.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Barbour said there is serendipity in the fact that she paid off her loan at a time when Habitat is building a project to benefit teachers and other school district employees. She was an employee of Basalt High School when she received her Habitat house.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cIt feels wonderful to pass the baton and welcome and congratulate the new Basalt Habitat-Roaring Fork School District families,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Tagline\"><a href=\"mailto:scondon@aspentimes.com\">scondon@aspentimes.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/roaring-fork-valleys-first-recipient-of-habitat-house-recalls-dire-times-golden-opportunity\/?\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: The Aspen Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Marti Barbour stands outside her home in Emma. She was the first resident of the Roaring Fork Valley to receive assistance from Habitat For Humanity.Scott Condon\/The Aspen Times Marti Barbour stands on the arbor on the rear deck of her house in Emma. She and her family worked hard to make their house a home.Scott [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2446376","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-21 09:35:16","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSPN The Valley&#039;s Quality Rock","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2446376","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2446376"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2446376\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2446394,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2446376\/revisions\/2446394"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2446376"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2446376"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2446376"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}