The first meeting to form the West River Habitat for Humanity affiliate was held on January 25, 2001 in the Wardsboro town hall. It took about a year and a half to become an official Habitat affiliate and to be awarded our 501-©- 3 tax status. In 2003 we were able to buy a piece of land, through the generosity of Adam and Ami Kleppner, for half it's market value. We also found the Carona family to partner within building our first home. They agreed to invest 400 hours of "sweat Equity" in helping to clear the land, frame the house, put on a roof, install windows, sheetrock, paint and even to landscape the lot. In October the Carona family moved in.