DALTON, Ga. — As a child, Jose Cortez remembers when his mother would detour through Kirk Estates to look at houses.

“I think I want that one,” Gracie Diaz would say, pointing at a house. “Or maybe one like that,” she’d say, pointing to another.

Habitat for Humanity, Dalton-Whitfield & Murray builds homes in Kirk Estates, which is off of West Ezzard Avenue in Dalton, for those in need of housing. Kirk Estates is named after the late Gene Kirk, one of Habitat’s founders locally and the first Habitat builder in Whitfield County.

The affiliate was formed in 1987. To date, 54 Habitat homes have been built in Whitfield and Murray counties. Kirk helped build the first 23. 

Last Thursday, Habitat celebrated its 30th anniversary with a “Legacy of Hope” banquet at First Baptist Church. Diaz; Kirk; Lloyd Tripp, one of Habitat’s first board members; and volunteer Tresa Goodroe were honored.

Diaz moved to Dalton from California eight years ago and said she never thought she would have a house.   

“I thank God every day he put these people in my path to own a home,” she said of Habitat.

Diaz moved into a Habitat home five years ago. She said she sold food plates and worked extra jobs to earn the money needed for the deposit.

“It literally took sweat,” she said. “I almost gave up, but I asked God for strength.” 

Potential Habitat homeowners are required to spend at least 300 hours at the construction site. 

“These houses are not free,” Diaz said. “We work hard to pay for them. They are not just houses, these are our homes.”

Kirk’s great-granddaughter Lynsey Bridges said he understood the importance of family.

“He was so involved with Habitat and wanted others to have what his family had,” she said.

Bridges said she’s proud of her great-grandfather for many reasons and Habitat is one of them.

“He left an everlasting, positive impact by providing people with what they needed most, homes,” she said.

Tom Peeples, a friend of Kirk, said he learned a lot about life and business from Kirk. 

“I’m a better person because of it,” he said.

Peeples said Habitat was “near and dear” to Kirk’s heart.

“He told me it (helping to provide homes) is one of the most gratifying things you can do, not only for the community but for yourself.”

Lynette Tripp, the wife of Lloyd Tripp, said her late husband loved the Lord and his people. 

“He believed it was more important to give people a hand up instead of a hand out,” she said. 

Tripp said her husband was a “fixer upper”; anytime something broke in the home he fixed it. 

He was not a builder in the literal sense, his wife said. 

“He was the builder of a kingdom,” she said. “It makes our family proud to know this kind of building will bear fruit for generations to come.”

Debra Haney with Atlantic Capital Bank, one of the banquet sponsors, said it’s important to support organizations in the community that are making a difference.  

Curtis Callaway, host of the banquet, said volunteers are vital to Habitat.

“Many of them spent days getting their hands dirty and leaving imprints on homes,” he said.

Habitat averages about 50 volunteers a month, said Executive Director Donna Lusk.

“We would not have a future without the foundation that has been built from our legacy of leaders, volunteers and families that have come before us,” she said.

Lusk said volunteers are always needed on the construction sites, on committees, in the ReStore and in Habitat’s office. The ReStore takes donations of housing-related items from businesses and others and sells them to raise money for Habitat’s building and renovation projects. To volunteer, visit www.habitatdwm.org and click on “Get Involved.”

Goodroe has volunteered for the past three years. She received the Gene Kirk Volunteer Award on Thursday. She said Habitat changed her life in ways she never expected. 

“I love seeing families move into their homes,” she said. “Each day I show up, that’s a day closer to them getting their house.”