By Courtney Paquette
Staff Writer
February 08, 2008 05:35 am LAWRENCE — Instead of going to the office yesterday, Pierre Baudet and a dozen of his co-workers helped build a house for a family whose dreams went up in flames last month. The volunteers from New Balance were giving their time to Habitat for Humanity, which is trying to rebound from the loss of three buildings that were under construction and near completion at the time of the conflagration in South Lawrence Jan. 21. By painting, putting up walls and installing storm doors, the volunteers hope that Tshibamba Mbiye, his wife, and six of their seven children, will soon be able to move into another home on Gale Street by the end of this month. They'll live there until their Market Street home that was destroyed in the fire is rebuilt. The volunteers' work, and a $40,000 donation from the sneaker company, will not only allow Habitat to cover the full cost of finishing the Gale Street home, but to also hire professional contractors. "This is making a big difference," Merrimack Valley Habitat for Humanity Building Director Emerson Dahmen said as he checked off tasks on a list yesterday. He said on a regular Thursday, he'll have his typical crew of 10 to 12 volunteers. Yesterday, he had 25. The Mbiye family was one of two families ready to move into the Habitat for Humanity Market Common project. "Our goal is to get them here as quickly as possible," said Jodi Weeks, spokeswoman for Habitat for Humanity. The volunteers from New Balance were eager to help yesterday. Among them was New Balance CEO Rob DeMartini, who lives in Swampscott. "We're a big part of Lawrence," DeMartini said. It was his first time volunteering for Habitat for Humanity. He helped paint. Baudet, who lives in Newmarket, N.H., has worked in the Lawrence New Balance office on S. Union Street for eight years. Going out to lunch and being in the neighborhoods in Lawrence, he's seen plenty of the faces of those who lost their homes in last month's fire. Deciding to help them rebuild was a no-brainer. "Some of the folks living there, we see around town," Baudet said. "This was an easy one really to connect with." Guillarmo Pujols of Methuen works in the Lawrence distribution office. He said he felt terrible about the Lawrence fire, and wanted to do anything he could to help. Philip Michaud of North Hampton, N.H., works in the Lawrence office as well. He's a carpenter, and restored his North Hampton home. "I'm a giving kind of guy," he said of his decision to help. "It was devastating. It was so close to completion." Lawrence Mayor Michael Sullivan said last week that the city wanted to have the block cleaned and razed in 30 days. Once that's completed, Weeks said Habitat can get back in there and start building. "What we're hoping is that this outpouring of support continues so we can build both of these houses," Weeks said of a second home under construction on Gale Street.
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