Promises, promises, promises. That's the best way to describe this political season, and any other in modern history. The long list might as well be sent to Santa for Christmas. It's that fanciful and as likely to come true.

On Tuesday, the Journal's David Clouston offered a story where local Habitat for Humanity volunteers went beyond promises and made a dream come true by helping Arlene Cox get a house of her own.

It stands in sharp contrast to bloated campaign vows. This is a story of how things really happen, where holes are dug, foundations are poured and where the hammer hits the nail.

Cox is a single parent with two teenage daughters still living at home. She's never been able to afford a home of her own, she said, living primarily on Social Security disability payments because of ongoing medical complications from lupus.

Now, the Salina Habitat chapter is building her that home, thanks to help from dozens of volunteers.

In the United States, Habitat builds single-story homes, generally in the range of 1,000 to 1,100 square feet. It offers those homes to applicants with an interest-free mortgage for 20 to 25 years, cutting home payments in half or more. In exchange, the would-be homeowners are expected to put in at least 350 hours of work during the building process.

U.S. projects are just part of the story. According to its Web site, Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry that has built more than 300,000 homes worldwide. The local chapter has undertaken three new houses this year and 25 since organizing in Salina.

On this project, Salina firefighters will frame Cox's house and install the roof. Volunteers from Trinity United Methodist Church, assisted by Cox and her family, will finish the interior. Harbin Construction is the project supervisor.

This house will fulfill a promise and give a family a home, which is more than some politicians will accomplish in their lifetimes. It was a refreshing story in the midst of campaign blather.

-- Tom Bell

Editor & Publisher

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