Two weeks ago, Habitat for Humanity affiliates all across the United States–along with thousands of professional homebuilders–joined forces to construct more than 400 houses in 130 communities in just five days. Here in the metro-Warren/Detroit area (where I serve on the Board of Directors of Macomb County Habitat for Humanity), volunteers and professional builders with ties to the Building Industry Association of Southeastern Michigan, partnered to construct eight new homes, all of which benefited deserving families and neighborhoods in need.

The idea of a nationwide build that partnered Habitat for Humanity volunteers with professional homebuilders began in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 2002, when 12 homes were constructed in less than one week. Then, in 2003, 24 homes were built in a week, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Here are some little-known facts: Habitat for Humanity is currently ranked overall as the 18th largest home builder in the United States, and the third largest private home builder. The organization works in more than 1,700 locations across the country, completing on average more than 5,000 homes per year and nearly 20,000 homes per year outside the United States.

Why I’m blogging about all of this is because The Big Nail is proud to support the work of Habitat for Humanity. The Big Nail encourages everyone out there check out Macomb County Habitat for Humanity for themselves. If you do not live in the local area, visit the national Habitat for Humanity web site and search for an affiliate in your area. And if you’re a college student, don’t let that fact stop you from volunteering. As my daughter Kolleen found out when she enrolled at Albion, many colleges and universities have Habitat for Humanity chapters of their own.

Margarita Bauza of the Detroit Free Press wrote an interesting piece in the Business section of yesterday’s paper. In an article titled “Community Investment: Good Deed Day,” Bauza profiled a number of local businesses and employees who take time to give back to their communities through volunteerism and servant leadership. About Bloomfield Hills’ Plute Homes, she writes:

In January 2005, Pulte Homes in Bloomfield Hills adopted a policy that allows employees two paid days off per year to volunteer with charities and community groups…

About 100 of the company’s 300 employees have taken advantage of the program since it began. That’s in addition to Habitat for Humanity work that the company also is committed to.

Teri Mayne, an administrative assistant in Pulte’s human resources department, used to take vacation time to volunteer at the Turning Point domestic violence shelter. She now does it through work.

“Pulte has allowed me to do it without penalizing me,” said Mayne, 45, of Roseville, who volunteers at Turning Point four half days a year.

I love to hear about stuff like this, and since the Big Nail itself is provided as a public service for the benefit of the Warren/metro-Detroit community and its charitable organizations, if you or someone you know would like to have the Nail support your company’s next volunteer event, drop us line.

For the rest of Margarita Bauza’s article, please click here.

To inquire about the Big Nail’s availability for your next volunteer event, click here.

As many people know, the Big Nail family recently suffered a major loss. For those of you who are new the Big Nail community, I have sad news to share.

My oldest daughter–my angel–my 18-year-old Kolleen, A.K.A. “KoRo,” passed away quite unexpectedly on Memorial Day. Kolleen was everything to me and my wife Kathleen and our two other children, Kyle and Kaleigh. These last 10 days have been both a horror and an honor. If you’re a parent, you know the horror part. The honor part has been as a result of the outpouring of love and support from nearly every corner of the planet.

To see for yourself what an amazing friend, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin, teammate, neighbor, and daughter Kolleen was, please click here for a tribute blog that was created by some of my assistants in the early hours of this tragedy.

We’ll be back soon with updated news and information about the Big Nail’s appearences and travels. Until then, I just wanted to say to everyone who has shared a thought, memory, or kind word with my family and me since Memorial Day, we thank you again from the bottom of our hearts. These are difficult and trying times, to say the least, and your support has been of great comfort to everyone in my family, as well as to the entire Big Nail community.