Sinawik ‘Moving Day’ made possible by Houlton company for three decades

    AROOSTOOK COUNTY —  For just over three decades students in the construction trade programs at Northern Maine Community College have built a home each year that is contracted by, and sold to, an Aroostook County family; and for just as many years, the homes have been delivered by a southern Aroostook company.
Contritubed photo
CARL CRAWFORD, of Houlton-based Crawford Homes, guides one of his drivers in moving the second half of Sinawik House 31 out of the residential construction lab at Northern Maine Community College for transport to its permanent location in Castle Hill.
    Since the very first Sinawik, Kiwanis spelled backward, home was constructed in 1976-1977, Crawford Homes of Houlton has volunteered their services, at a significantly reduced cost, to move the modular homes, which are constructed in two sections inside the residential construction lab in the Mailman Trades Building on the NMCC campus.
    The 31st such moving day occurred recently at the College when a team from Crawford arrived to transport the latest home to the Castle Hill site selected by this year’s homeowners, Rowell and Sandy McHatten.  Leading that team, as he has each time, was Carl Crawford.
    “I have employed a number of students from NMCC over the years.  The students who graduate from the College are well prepared and well trained, and have been a great addition to our workforce.  Moving the home each year is a way that I can give a little back to the college and community,” said Crawford.
    Giving back to the community has been the longstanding goal of the Sinawik partnership forged between NMCC and the Presque Isle Kiwanis Club in 1976.  In addition to providing students in several trade programs at then Northern Maine Vocational Technical Institute with a “real-life” practical experience, the project provided a way for Kiwanis to raise scholarship funds to invest in the local community.
    Guy Jackson, NMCC residential construction instructor and the man at the center of the building project for the past 27 years, says the example shown each year by Crawford in moving the home is evidence that the community is not only receiving, but also giving back.
    “The willingness of Crawford Homes to help us each year by moving the home from the Residential Construction lab to the permanent location saves the College and Sinawik program thousands of dollars.  Their willingness to do this year after year is greatly appreciated by everyone involved with the project.”
    The 1,248 square foot 31st Sinawik Home was built over the past academic year by more than four dozen students and their instructors in five trade and technical occupations programs at NMCC.
    Sinawik number 31 is the “greenest” home completed through the NMCC-Kiwanis partnership.  Among the features of the structure is radiant floor heating and window placement which has been designed to take advantage of passive solar gain.  As is always the case, extra care has been taken during construction to seal all penetrations in air and vapor barriers.
    Constructing an energy efficient home was clearly the goal of owner Rowell McHatten who plans to install a state-of-the art heating system that will attach to solar panels he will place on the roof that will heat the water for his new home.
    “We wanted to make sure our home was as energy efficient as possible and the NMCC faculty and students that worked on the home went to great lengths to help make this happen,” said McHatten. “I’m very appreciative of the work they have done.  It is top quality.”
    Work on the 32nd Sinawik House will begin this fall on the NMCC campus.  Individuals interested in learning more about the project, or who would like to be considered as a future Sinawik homeowner, should contact Presque Isle Kiwanis Club President Carolyn Dorsey-Durepo at 760-1176.