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After devastating 2012 fire, fundraising, Huntersville woman gets her home back

Betty Patterson of Huntersville celebrates and holds up the keys to her new home after receiving them in a ceremony Sunday. Her home burned in 2012 due to an electrical issue. Huntersville firefighters and community and church volunteers raised about $60,000 for the new home, which is on the site of her former home in the 7200 block of Hambright Road.. Patterson’s homeowner’s insurance was canceled before the fire, Huntersville Fire Department spokesman Bill Suthard said. She was left with nothing, he said. Volunteers formed Build Betty A House, a nonprofit that raised about $60,000 to build Patterson a new home. Habitat For Humanity offered the design work and some technical assistance for free. Since Patterson owned her home, she didn’t qualify for a Habitat home. The Huntersville community and many local churches rallied behind her and through fund raising efforts and hard work were able to build her a brand new home, Suthard said.
Betty Patterson of Huntersville celebrates and holds up the keys to her new home after receiving them in a ceremony Sunday. Her home burned in 2012 due to an electrical issue. Huntersville firefighters and community and church volunteers raised about $60,000 for the new home, which is on the site of her former home in the 7200 block of Hambright Road.. Patterson’s homeowner’s insurance was canceled before the fire, Huntersville Fire Department spokesman Bill Suthard said. She was left with nothing, he said. Volunteers formed Build Betty A House, a nonprofit that raised about $60,000 to build Patterson a new home. Habitat For Humanity offered the design work and some technical assistance for free. Since Patterson owned her home, she didn’t qualify for a Habitat home. The Huntersville community and many local churches rallied behind her and through fund raising efforts and hard work were able to build her a brand new home, Suthard said. Diedra Laird dlaird@charlotteobserver.com

The Huntersville Fire Department, community and church volunteers, presented a Huntersville woman who lost her home to fire in 2012 the keys to a new house on Sunday.

Betty Patterson’s homeowner’s insurance was canceled before the electrical fire that claimed her home in the 7200 block of Hambright Road, Huntersville Fire Department spokesman Bill Suthard said.

Volunteers formed Build Betty A House, a nonprofit that raised about $60,000 to build Patterson a new home. Habitat For Humanity offered the design work and some technical assistance for free.

“The Huntersville community and many local churches rallied behind her and through fundraising efforts and hard work – were able to build her a brand new home,” Suthard said. Patterson is a lifelong Huntersville resident in her late 60s. JOE MARUSAK AND ELY PORTILLO

This story was originally published May 31, 2015 at 7:14 PM with the headline "After devastating 2012 fire, fundraising, Huntersville woman gets her home back."

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