By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Wib Miller has long been the humble man with the hammer, building a strong foundation for Habitat for Humanity and for struggling families who dream of home ownership.
On Friday, Miller, 92, of Bowling Green, was given the Golden Hammer Award for his two decades of volunteering with Habitat for Humanity of Wood County.
He was there at the beginning in 1993, when the first Habitat home was constructed in the county in Bloomdale. And he continued to be a steady, quiet carpenter for more than 30 homes.
Miller’s work with Habitat went beyond construction, being one of the signers on the documentation setting up the non-profit in Wood County in 2000. He served as one of the original board members, and handled all the property donations and purchases.
Miller, who worked at the post office in Bowling Green when it was on North Main Street, also helped build homes with Melvin Johnson, a legendary local homebuilder known for quality workmanship. Miller used those skills to help build Habitat homes in Bloomdale, Cygnet, Grand Rapids and Perrysburg Heights.
“Wib is someone who I really appreciate,” said Mark Ohashi, executive director of Habitat for Humanity in Wood County. “When meeting him, you get a sense that he is all business and getting it done right. Wib also has a beautiful heart to help folks in need of decent housing.”
And he had skill at securing grants – such as one to purchase boots for volunteers to be used when pouring cement slurry into crawl spaces.
Though Miller’s hammering days are done, his work laid a strong foundation for the local Habitat for Humanity.
“You mean a lot to us and the organization,” Ohashi told Miller. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for us. Your work continues.”
The Golden Hammer Award is reserved for a long standing volunteer who has “made a lasting impact to advance Habitat’s mission and leaves an indelible mark to its history and the families served.”
After building their own home at the corner of Conneaut and Wintergarden in Bowling Green, Miller wanted to make the dream of homeownership a reality for others.
“I realized how important it is for families to have someplace to live,” he said. “The people are so grateful.”
Miller has fond memories of working side-by-side with families on their future homes.
“They appreciated what you did. That made it all worthwhile,” he said.
Miller also took his desire to help others achieve homeownership on the road.
“Mom and Dad took their RV around the country to build homes,” said Joan Tussing, their daughter, along with the Millers’ other children Jeff Miller and Barb Colon. “They loved having their own home, and just wanted to pass that on.”
The couple traveled to Homestead, Florida, to help rebuild homes after Hurricane Andrew, and they helped with Habitat’s “Hammering in the Hills” project which built 52 homes in a week in Tennessee and Kentucky. It was there that the Millers met long-time Habitat volunteer Jimmy Carter.
As Wib Miller hammered away, his wife, Lola, made meals for volunteers, using a portable Army kitchen.
Two other volunteers were also recently honored by Habitat for Humanity. Alan Jaffee, the board president for Habitat in Wood County, was recognized as the construction volunteer of the year. He first became involved with Habitat when he was employed as a chemical engineer at Johns Manville.
“I thought to myself – hey, this would be great for when I retired,” Jaffee, of Bowling Green, said.
So since then he has been involved with several home builds and home rehabilitations. He has taken on several roles during the projects.
“My dad taught me everything he could about being handy,” he said.
The skill levels of volunteers vary.
“I’ve worked with people on worksites who have never held a hammer,” Jaffee said. “There’s always something they can do,” such as transporting building materials or providing lunches to volunteers.
“We never have too many volunteers,” he said. “Like all non-profits, it’s an ongoing struggle.”
Jaffee explained why he continues to volunteer.
“It’s getting to see the smiles on the faces of the families when we work together, and when they take ownership of their home,” he said. “It is extremely fulfilling.”
A lingering memory for Jaffee is the repair project that Habitat for Humanity of Wood County performed for a man whose water had been turned off due to an ongoing water leak that he couldn’t afford to have repaired.
For five years, the man cooked and flushed his toilet by filling gallon jugs of water at his neighbor’s and trucking them to his home on a wagon.
After fixing the water leak, Habitat volunteers tore out the filthy bathroom and built a new one.
Jaffee still remembers the man saying, “‘Thank you for noticing me, that I needed help.’”
Also honored by Habitat was Jan Morse, who was named the operations volunteer of the year. She first worked on Habitat projects in the Firelands area, then when she retired she moved to Bowling Green, and has been helping in the local office and at worksites.
“One of my goals was to get more involved with Habitat,” to help those who couldn’t afford a home otherwise, Morse said. “I always admired and thought it was a great mission.”
“It is very cool, especially to see it from the foundation up,” she said, noting that volunteers often write messages of hope for the new homeowners on the house studs when they are installed. “It’s fun and meaningful. You feel like you’re part of something.”
