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Roger McBride Jr.'s Marietta home, like many others in the area, is decorated for Christmas. But for McBride, the holiday lights on his home hold a special meaning.

McBride lives with his girlfriend Sarita Roseberry and her children Lisa, 10 and Mykal, 7, in a home built by Washington County Habitat for Humanity volunteers. This is their first Christmas in the home, and the first time they've really been able to go all out with Christmas decorations.

"We've got Christmas lights everywhere," he said. "This is the first year we've been able to get this extravagant with the Christmas lights."

McBride explained that his previous home wasn't properly equipped for the lights.

"The house we were in before, the wiring wasn't good enough to sustain the power load, so I had to put minimum lights on it," he said.

The couple and the kids have lived in the home since July. Once the necessary paperwork was completed, McBride said they didn't waste any time moving in.

"We started the paperwork on June 30 and as soon as I had a key in my hand, I started packing," he said. "July second is when we actually started living in the house."

Among the volunteers who helped build the house were McBride himself and his co-worker from D and R Rental in Marietta, Gary Rogers. McBride said the building process was a learning experience.

"I learned a lot as far as building and carpentry," he said. "I don't know a whole lot, but I know a lot more now than I did a year ago."

McBride said he enjoyed the experience and he continues to volunteer for the local Habitat affiliate when he has time.

"I would suggest for anybody that's interested to get a hold of somebody at the Habitat and sign up because it's greatly fulfilling," he said. "It gives me a feeling that I'm doing something that's good, especially when I'm working on other people's house's."

Dennis Thomas, the executive director at Habitat, said it's a common occurrence for those who are assisting with the construction of their own Habitat home to continue to volunteer with the organization.

"They have a bond with the volunteers when they're building their own house and they come back," he said.

Thomas noted that every Habitat home recipient must be willing to partner with the organization and assist with the construction of their home.

"Each family has to have 300 hours of sweat equity (labor)," he said. "I think that's what sets us apart- we don't just turn the keys over to someone and say have a nice life."

He said when a family submits an application for a new home or home renovation, their ability to re-pay the zero interest mortgage on a new home is considered, as well as their living conditions.

"There has to be some sort of sub-standard living conditions, whether that be overcrowding or poor living conditions -we do a home visit to verify that," he said. "And they have to be between 30 to 50 percent of the area's median income."

McBride said his new home provides more space for his girlfriend's children, who used to share a room in their old house.

"With Lisa becoming a young adult, she was going to need her own bedroom," he said. "Mykal can take his coloring books and crayons and shut his door and not worry about his sister bothering him."

Thomas said McBride's home is the 17th house the Habitat has built. He said there is a group of six to eight people who volunteer regularly, and other people and groups assist off and on throughout the year.

"We always have groups that come in to help us out - groups from colleges, businesses, and churches," he said. "Thursday's and Saturday's are our workdays."

He said the Habitat volunteers are currently on a holiday break, but the organization hopes to expand into the western part of the county for their next project.

"Vincent is the furthest west we've been," he said. "We're working with churches in the Belpre and Little Hocking area and we really want to get down in that area and work with the community down there."

Thomas noted that the organization's yearly fund raiser is scheduled for Feb. 12. A dinner and auction will be held at the Marietta Shrine Club at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 per person, $50 per couple, and $200 for a table of eight.

• To apply for a Habitat home or home renovation, or to find out about volunteering for the organization, visit its Web site at www.wchfh.com. or call (740) 373-9764.