Nunavut’s Habitat for Humanity branch raises money for house-building

Hundreds of people browse for homemade items at the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association fair at Iqaluit’s Cadet Hall on Nunavut Day, July 9.

Habitat for Humanity’s Clarence Synard, at top in red, at his organization’s ball drop charity fundraiser in Iqaluit on Nunavut Day, July 9. (PHOTOS BY STEVE DUCHARME)

Donations have poured in for Iqaluit’s branch of Habitat for Humanity, following several games and events hosted by the charity on Nunavut Day, July 9.

The volunteer-run charity says it’s well on its way to building a new home for one lucky family.

The home will be the fifth such project by Habitat for Humanity within Iqaluit.

“We’re just trying to get out here, and we thought Nunavut Day was the opportune time to go out and raise awareness,” said Habitat for Humanity board member — and Nunavut Day organizer — Clarence Synard.

The charity hosted a chili cook-off, as well as a “putting challenge” inside Iqaluit’s Inuksuk High School, as part of Nunavut Day celebrations.

And the big event: a 1,500-golf ball “drop” took place on the school grounds outside — collecting $30,000 for the charity.

This year, the charity builder dropped 1,500 balls to see whose lucky name dropped into a hole at the end of the course. A woman from Ottawa won but she was not present to accept her prize in person.

Half of that money went to the winner of the drop and Habitat for Humanity kept the remaining $15,000.

The chili cook-off raised $1,500, Synard confirmed, and was won by Lily Hayman.

The charity said it will use the money to order construction materials for the home, which they hope to complete by the end of 2017.

“If we raise enough money we’ll hopefully be able to get a material shipment in next year on the first [sealift] boat and hopefully have a family in there by Christmas 2017,” Synard said.

Synard estimates the cost of the project at around $400,000, which will be split between the charity and the successful applicant.

Habitat for Humanity plans to hold community consultations in Iqaluit explaining the application process once its board approves the home’s construction.

“The fact that we’ve already done four is a huge step forward and we’re going to continue to go and see how many houses we can build here over the years and keep that momentum going,” Synard added.

Poor weather the morning of July 9 forced most Nunavut Day events to move inside Inuksuk High School, after originally being scheduled for in and around the Igluvut Building in downtown Iqaluit.

But the change in location didn’t seem to affect attendance, with the school’s main lobby and gymnasium packed with families out to sample the free food, watch the seal-skinning competition and take in some live music.

Outside the high school, First Air staff served Beavertails to long lines of Iqalungmiut.

Many Nunavut Day revellers took some time away from Inuksuk School and made their way to the Cadet Hall in the early afternoon, where the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association held a craft fair.