By Habitat Lakeside staff

When Shawn and Carla were young, they dreamed of owning a dining table big enough to host future family gatherings, one complete with grown children, grandchildren, and other family members. In July of 2025, that dream started to come true when the two found a round cherrywood table at the Sheboygan ReStore.

The table, priced at $85, was made by Tom Seely, a furniture maker specializing in authentic reproductions of classic designs. As purchased, it was 50 inches round, had no leaves with which to expand it, and its chairs had stained cushions. Shawn and Carla, though, looked past its imperfections and saw possibilities.

​They took it home and embarked on an eight-month-long journey of turning a Sheboygan ReStore bargain into a family heirloom. “We have always loved creating and building,” Carla says. Over the years the couple, who live in Town of Herman, have laid a 180-foot-long brick driveway, added a bedroom, finished a basement, tiled a bathroom, and landscaped a yard, among other projects. “We prefer to do the work ourselves and feel great satisfaction in creating something beautiful,” Carla says. “It allows us to do more projects without debt.”

The two started by searching for planks to expand the table, which at the time of purchase sat only four people. “It was tricky to source 5/4-inch rough-sawn cherry,” Carla says. When they found it, Carla’s parents gave them the planks as a Christmas gift.

The couple then used Carla’s father’s basement to joint, plane, glue, and clamp the planks to turn them into leaves, drill holes for the pegs used to place the leaves in the table, then finish the whole tabletop with stain and polyurethane. They had planned to reupholster the chairs but found that that spot remover got the stains out of the cushions.

The finished result is a 10-foot-long oval table with six removable leaves and a detachable center leg. Wooden chairs from previously owned tables, or chairs found at the ReStore, accompany the four original chairs. The table can seat 12 comfortable, “14 if we’re cozy,” Carla says.

The table accommodated the couple, their grown children, and other family members for a recent Easter celebration. “It was a blessing to have,” Carla says. “This is the table we dreamed of having when our children were young.” When family members aren’t around, the couple can reduce the table to its original 50-inch round shape.

In addition to the $85 purchase price, the couple invested time and money to turn the Sheboygan ReStore purchase into a family treasure. Economizing, though, was never really the point. “This was an investment in our future, not really a money-saving venture,” Carla says. “It was the fulfillment of a dream of having as many people around our table as would fit in our space. We never expected to find this treasure at the ReStore,” she says.

The couple visits the store to find supplies that can work with whatever project they’ve embarked on. “It’s always fun to see what new items come in or what I can repurpose as my children are moving out of our home and attempting to furnish a place of their own,” Carla says.
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Interested in finding your own dream come true? “Try to look past the scratches and imperfections and see what it could become with some time and effort,” Carla says. “You never know what you will find.”

View the slide show below to see how the table progressed from ReStore find to family treasure.

By Charlie Allis, Habitat Lakeside marketing intern
Every donation to the Sheboygan ReStore has a story, from the moment it leaves a home to the moment it finds a new one. Each item plays a meaningful role in supporting our mission of providing safe, affordable, and stable housing to Sheboygan County.

Recently, a Sheboygan family that had decided to remodel their home donated several truckloads of items, including nearly new kitchen cabinetry, refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines, to the ReStore. Family members said they decided before the remodeling to donate their items to the ReStore.

ReStore employees picked up the donations to help the family and to ensure that everything made it safely to the ReStore. Once items arrived at the ReStore, they were carefully evaluated, priced, and prepared for sale, allowing each item to begin a new chapter with a new owner.

One new owner is Rhonda, a ReStore customer who purchased a vanity donated by the family. Rhonda and her family are renovating their own home and plan to purchase gently used items whenever possible. Rhonda said she liked the vanity’s rustic look, which fits well with her design concept for her home. At $150, the vanity, which came fully loaded with a faucet, cost a fraction of what a similar item would have cost new.

In short, what begins as an item once new, once loved, and no longer needed in one household becomes a valuable resource for another. This cycle of reuse ensures that top-quality materials continue to serve a purpose.

The impact of each ReStore sale goes beyond the transaction itself. Revenue generated from donated goods supports all of Habitat for Humanity Lakeside’s programs, helping families achieve safe, stable, and affordable housing. Every purchase made in the ReStore contributes directly to home builds, repairs, and community initiatives. Every donation helps keep the store filled and prevents perfectly usable items from ending up in the landfill.

ReStore gladly accepts donations of gently used items. “Make sure to check what we accept and be honest about the condition of it before donating,” says John Cassabaum, Sheboygan ReStore’s pickup ambassador. He also suggests that those who opt for a pickup (rather than dropping off items during store hours) post photos of the items to be donated. “That makes the pickup process more efficient,” John says.

This family that donated the high-end cabinetry and top-of-the-line appliances to Sheboygan ReStore didn’t have to do so. They could have had their contract demo the kitchen and cart the items away. Donating to the ReStore required an extra step from the family. Their generosity will make a difference long after their items have left the home.

ReStore shopper Rhonda and her new vanity

By Penny Rayfield, Habitat Lakeside family services manager

Partnering with Habitat Lakeside to become a homeowner is a transformative journey that can lead to creating generational wealth. While many believe the organization simply gives away houses, the reality is that the partnership is designed to set families up for long-term financial success.

Far from winning the lottery, prospective home buyers must be qualified and they must apply for the program. Here are 10 things to know about our homebuyer program.

1. You must live or work in Sheboygan County for at least six months and meet minimum and maximum income guidelines.
   
   
2. While there are national guidelines, Habitat operates through local affiliates. Each affiliate may have slightly different income limits based on their specific Area Median Income (AMI) and local housing costs. Sheboygan County income guidelines are shown below, to qualify your annual household income should fall within the guidelines in this chart.
   
   
3. The selection process is based on three core criteria; need, ability to pay and willingness to partner.
   
   Need for housing: Living in substandard, overcrowded, or unaffordable conditions.
   
   Ability to pay: Having a stable income to cover a monthly mortgage. 
   
   Willingness to partner: Committing to the program’s unique requirements. Instead of a large cash down payment, time is your investment. This typically involves 250 hours of volunteering for individual applicants and 400 total hours of volunteering for joint applicants. Partner families help build their own home, work on other Habitat projects, or volunteer at the Sheboygan ReStore.
   
   
4. All future homeowners must complete financial education courses covering budgeting, credit management, and home maintenance. The classes count towards the required volunteer hours, are designed to prepare partner families for the financial responsibilities of home ownership and provide lifelong skills.
   
   
5. Habitat homes do not negatively affect their surrounding neighborhood. Upon completion, the home is appraised, then sold to the partner family at market value. The total monthly mortgage payment (including taxes and insurance) does not exceed 27 percent of the applicant’s gross monthly income creating affordability.
   
   
6. You don't need a high credit score to apply. Habitat often looks at credit history over scores, focusing on whether you are currently paying bills on time and if you have recent bankruptcies or excessive collections.
   
   
7. You become a community ambassador when you buy a Habitat Lakeside home. Future homeowner families represent Habitat in their community. This might include sharing their stories at events or participating in media interviews to help the organization create awareness and raise funds for more homes.
   
   
8. Homes are built for sustainability and designed to be energy efficient, which keeps long-term utility costs low for the homeowner. Habitat Lakeside homes meet ENERGY STAR standards, meaning lower ongoing heating, cooling, and electrical expenses.
   
   
9. The process takes time, from the initial application, through the selection process and then to the day you move in, typically takes 12 to 18 months. It requires patience and a significant time commitment to complete all the program milestones.
   
   
10. Habitat homes are not custom built; the size of the home is based on family size and location is based on available land. As a future homeowner you do have the opportunity to choose your exterior colors, flooring, cabinet, and countertop colors. The homes come with donated new appliances, which is a great upfront cost savings for a home buyer.

 
There are various requirements to being a Habitat Lakeside homeowner, but the rewards outweigh the work involved. Habitat homeowners often report improved health and fewer environmental hazards, better educational outcomes for children, and the ability to build savings and family wealth through equity and energy‑efficient living.

A Habitat home provides an affordable, stable mortgage, support, training, and coaching, lower upfront costs, a community‑oriented homebuilding experience, energy‑efficient, newly built housing, and a lifelong partnership with Habitat Lakeside.

ReStore volunteer Karen (left) and Habitat Lakeside home buyer Kewanna at the Sheboygan ReStore.

By Wayne Casper
The week I spent back in March of 1992, working with my Sargento crew of about 15 fellow employees, was one of the fondest memories of my Sargento career.

From March 30 to April 3, the 16 of us worked with Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity to build what I believe were the first two Habitat houses in the state of Wisconsin. The two homes were near Milwaukee’s Sherman Park neighborhood. The eventual owners worked side by side with us on the homes. While I had no previous construction experience, I was taught how to frame windows with aluminum siding stock. After a little trial and error, I got the hang of it with satisfactory results. Apparently, my Habitat trainer found me trainable.

During the project I stayed at the old Astor hotel on Milwaukee’s East Side. I remember falling asleep was easy after eight hours of work each day at the Habitat sites.

Over the course of the five days that we worked on the two houses, we got involved in several facets of new home construction. I remember measuring boards that were called for (measure twice, cut once), helping to frame the house with board, hammer and nail, and doing a lot of running around delivering boards and stuff to various people on the site who knew a lot more than I did about what was going on. The Habitat crew leaders were very friendly and helpful, and after a few days of working with us, they figured out where our strengths and weaknesses were in the realm of home construction.

I excelled most at running materials to those who were most experienced — it wasn’t their first rodeo.

The camaraderie at the work site was outstanding. The Habitat leaders, my fellow Sargento employees, and the two homes’ prospective owners all meshed well together as they focused on a common purpose: Building new homes and creating the American Dream.

The interesting thing was that I thought I would have lost weight after five six- to eight-hour days at the Habitat job sites. I gained four pounds, thanks to plenty of snacks and meals on the build site and very nice meals at Milwaukee restaurants in the evening.

I only worked on one Habitat project for an awesome reason: Sargento rotated the experience among other employees on future build involvements so that more people got a chance to experience building a Habitat for Humanity House. It takes a great company like Sargento to get many of their employees involved in a worthwhile endeavor like this. For this and other reasons, I will always treasure my 12 years at Sargento.

All in all, this was an unforgettable experience and provided wonderful memories of working for the Habitat organization. I recommend this experience to everyone.

Habitat Lakeside would love construction volunteers! For more information, please contact Penny Rayfield, our volunteer services manager: [email protected]
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Wayne Casper is a retired executive vice president of sales, marketing, and new product development at Sargento. At the time of his Habitat experience, he was vice president of new product development. 

By Michelle Schulz
I was standing in this beautiful museum, surrounded by Habitat for Humanity affiliates from all over the country. Beautiful chandeliers hung from the ceiling. I was surrounded by 500 people, all dressed in their best. And I had to ask myself: how did I get here? 

When I started, I had almost nothing. I was a single mother to two children, with the toughest decade of my life still fresh in my mind, and I was on a mission to rebuild my life. And now here I was, surrounded by nothing but good. 

I was attending the 2026 Habitat on the Hill, a Habitat for Humanity International legislative and advocacy conference held annually in Washington, D.C. The four days at the conference, spent meeting other Habitat-minded people, ended up becoming such a defining moment in my journey. It started with a solo plane ride to Washington, D.C., and I hadn’t flown in 25 years.

As soon as I touched down, I got to the hotel and started meeting people. It was like having a piece of home right in our nation’s capital. I was among people who had the same hopes as I did for affordable living and affordable housing. We were all gathered in one place with the same mission. We attended workshops. We talked about the issues that families are facing today. And groups of people went to the Capitol to speak to lawmakers about the steps we could take so more people could achieve that American dream of living in a home they could call their own. 

My favorite moment was meeting another homeowner, Doris, who had gotten her home at the same exact time as I did about eight years ago. It was so great to hear how our journeys aligned; it was as though we were on the same path, both directed to that meeting. She’s now a council member in her city, and she works for Habitat. Doris is proof that this program can work wonders in so many beautiful ways.

My attendance at Habitat on the Hill reminded me that your story matters, no matter where you’re from or what your story might be.

I also had the opportunity to meet Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. I let him know I was a homeowner, and he let me know how important it was that I was there, and that I was sharing my journey.
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If I’m ever offered the opportunity again, I would take it in a heartbeat. Nothing compares to spending time with people who feel like home and who are on the same exact mission as I am. I know where I started and I know where I am and I can’t wait to see the rest of my journey with Habitat for Humanity unfold.
 
Michelle Schulz (left) with Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International, and Jacob Boyer, Habitat Lakeside board member.

By Charlie Allis, Habitat Lakeside marketing intern

There’s something special about a room filled with people who come together to support a common cause. When communities unite around a shared purpose, they support one another and create positive change.
This was clear at Habitat for Humanity Lakeside’s Raise the Roof Gala, held Feb. 6 at The Village at 170 in Kohler. The event, which drew 280 people, celebrated generosity, community, and the incredible impact of Habitat for Humanity Lakeside’s work.

I attended the event as a marketing intern for Habitat Lakeside. It was my first nonprofit fundraiser and to be completely honest, I was a little nervous. I didn’t know what to expect or how it was going to go. However, once guests began arriving, the atmosphere felt welcoming and relaxed. The room quickly filled with conversation and laughter. There was no pressure in the room, just people excited to be there and ready to support a meaningful cause. Seeing such a turnout was motivating, especially after all our hard work planning and setting up the event. It made me proud to see so many people show up to support Habitat Lakeside.

My role for the evening was checking guests, managing the slide show, picking raffle winners and other tasks. While it was exciting to watch the room fill, managing check-in for such a large crowd was a bit overwhelming at times. Still, every interaction was positive. Guests were friendly, patient, and kind, which made the experience enjoyable and allowed everything to run smoothly. Despite the rush of people, everyone was understanding and respectful while waiting to be checked in. Being at the entrance allowed me to have a unique view of the positive energy in the room, which grew throughout the evening.

One of the most memorable moments was a speech from Le’Shay Guy, our executive director. Le’Shay spoke about the achievements, mission, and goals of Habitat for Humanity Lakeside and why the organization’s work matters. Her words focused on the real impact of the community’s support, making it clear how each individual contribution helps change lives. The message seemed to resonate well with the audience.
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What stood out the most to me at the Raise the Roof Gala was how laid-back, yet purposeful, the event felt. With a dress code of flannel shirts and jeans, it didn’t feel super formal and was truly just a group of people working together to improve our community. This allowed for a relaxing, low-pressure environment, which made everyone comfortable to let loose and enjoy the night.
 
Raise the Roof Gala showed me what can happen when a community comes together and gave me a firsthand view of the generosity Sheboygan County shows to Habitat Lakeside. Thank you to everyone who attended the gala, to the organizations that donated auction items and to the people who purchased them, to the bakeries that donated sweets for the dessert table, and most of all to our sponsors: WOMT, IBEW 494, BankFirst, Baumann Excavating, Drexel Building Supply, Joe Schmitt Construction, Sargento, Masters Gallery, Quasius Construction, UnitedOne Credit Union, Wisconsin State Sheet Metal Workers (SMART 18), and Van Horn Automotive. Everyone helped make Raise the Roof 2026 the most successful gala in Habitat Lakeside’s history. 

​Charlie Allis at Raise the Roof 2026. Photo: Jon Erlien

By Sam Parnitze, Habitat Lakeside marketing intern

Retirement is one of the most exciting times of a person’s life. After years of work and service, it’s time to take a step back and enjoy your golden years. There is nothing but freedom, and your time is finally yours. Every day feels like getting your drivers license as a teen again.

But then what? The world keeps turning. The rest of your family goes back to work; the grandkids go back to school. Days filled with mid-morning walks and daytime TV begin to get old. How is someone supposed to stay busy all the time?

Volunteering is a clear choice. According to data from the 2023 U.S. census, of the 75.7 million volunteers yearly, 27.2 percent of them are between 45 and 64 years old, meaning the people closest to retirement are already committed to serving others. However, with so many opportunities across Sheboygan, why choose the ReStore? There’s one thing we can promise to all volunteers: We want to make your experience here special. The most important thing we can offer is the chance for you to experience the family feeling we have here. The floor is always open for someone to add a comment, concern, or even a helpful recommendation.

Even required safety meetings are short and fun while also giving you the chance to learn necessary skills. Given all the ways you can spend your time, the least we can do is treat you with love and respect. In addition, meeting new people and experiencing all the different jobs that need to be done daily are just a few perks that come with it.

Volunteering at the Sheboygan ReStore might not seem crucial, but it is. Any amount of time volunteers donate to the ReStore turns into work that affects the entire community. Free time, which is something most retirees have in abundance, makes volunteering at the ReStore an easy choice. We are lucky that it’s not the only choice, as volunteer opportunities are all over our area, from Fresh Meals on Wheels to the Sheboygan County Warming Center.
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Many ReStore volunteers have retired from years in the workforce. “When I was looking for somewhere to volunteer, the ReStore fit my needs and had the flexibility of times that I wanted to work and the cashier position available that I was looking for,” says Angie Barringer, who recently retired and came onboard as a ReStore volunteer. “In addition to that, I volunteer to meet new people and find a sense of purpose and fulfillment by giving back and making a positive impact.” At the heart of all our departments are retirees changing Sheboygan County and having a blast doing it. From receiving to merchandising to even sharing donuts and stories around the table. They say it takes a village to make change; we think all we need is our volunteers.

Even if you’re still in the middle of your working life, making a difference at the ReStore is possible. Flexible shifts make it so that even if you're just trying to fill a two-hour gap on a weekend, you can still be a welcome addition to the team. During the week, our very own Andrew Klinger works full-time at the Kohler Company. However, you can still find him in the backrooms of the ReStore come Saturday morning.

“It’s nice to wake up on a Saturday and go in and do some work with the express focus on helping,” Andrew says. “I love coming in and seeing what new things are in the store, and it's a fun change of pace from my work during the week. I’ve found that volunteering has been a great way for me to destress from my job and frankly gives my life as a whole a bit more structure.”

The ReStore is one of the most important aspects of the Habitat mission. ReStore proceeds support affordable home repairs and affordable housing in Sheboygan County. ReStore also offers a fun and thrifty place to pick up new and gently used furniture, home goods, tools and hardware, and building supplies. We are always looking for new people ready to help and start making a difference.

​Whether you're newly retired or still working, consider joining the ReStore family. We can promise your golden years will not be put to waste, and you staying busy will never be in question. To learn more about volunteering opportunities, please visit www.habitatlakeside.com or email Penny Rayfield, our volunteer services manager, at [email protected]. We can’t wait to hear from you.

ReStore volunteers take a break after a safety instruction seminar.

By Sam Parnitzke, Habitat Lakeside marketing intern 

If you’ve driven in downtown Sheboygan after dark recently or kept up with city matters on social media, you might have encountered the discussion around homelessness. In our city, like thousands of cities across the United States, people live on the streets because their income, coupled with the lack of affordable housing, prevents them from keeping a roof over their heads.

The Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), a tool provided by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, reports that there were 457 people in shelter this past year, with a total of 23,262 shelter nights, for the Lakeshore Coalition District, which includes Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Kewaunee, and Door counties. Sheboygan itself sees about 280 people obtaining services from various homeless programs a year.

Data also suggest that this number is growing every year. The numbers here and nationwide are difficult to track, however, mostly because homelessness falls into three basic categories: People who are literally homeless and who must resort to temporary shelter; those at risk, meaning they are within 14 days of losing their residence; and those who are homeless because they are runaways or fleeing domestic abuse.

The real stories of homelessness and unstable housing are chronicled There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America (Crown 2025), by journalist Brian Goldstone. Over 350 meticulously researched and movingly written pages, Goldstone explores the United States’ affordable housing crisis thought the lenses of five homeless families living in Atlanta, Ga. The families portrayed in this book are the “invisible” homeless who live not on the streets, but in extended-stay hotels, on the floors of relatives’ apartments, or in their cars. They cobble whatever kind of shelter they can because even working several jobs is not enough to rent a decent, affordable apartment in a safe neighborhood.

Indeed, the adults in these families, all of which contain children, have at least one job. Indeed, 40 percent of the people living on the streets and about 50 percent of those living in shelters have formal employment, according to Goldstone’s research. Why can’t they afford rent? One reason: Rent increases have outpaced wage increases by 325 percent since 1985. Nowhere in the United States can a person making minimum wage afford a two-bedroom apartment that doesn’t eat up the bulk of their income, according to research by the National Low Income Housing Coalition. In Wisconsin, the so-called “housing wage” is $20.32 an hour and the minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.

The rent increases have created a demand for affordable housing that far exceeds the supply. In the United States, there are 34 affordable apartments for every 100 families that need one, which adds up to a 7.3 million shortage of affordable rentals.

Homelessness is by no means an easy problem to solve. It takes a sustained commitment to ending the circumstances, including unstable, unaffordable housing, that harm members of our community. The Lakeshore Community Action Program in Sheboygan lists 97 different programs that offer outreach to people that fit in any of the three homelessness categories. These programs offer people a chance to fight back against and reverse their housing situations.

Tackling homelessness means addressing the problem at its roots. Habitat Lakeside’s affordable housing programs aim to provide decent, stable, and affordable shelter for as many people as possible. Every house built, dollar raised or hour volunteered supports the future where everyone in Sheboygan Country can have a place they call home. The state of homelessness is challenging, but our determination to end it is even stronger.

By Jon Hoffman, Habitat Lakeside construction manager

As winter is upon us, and we count down the days to another Christmas holiday season, we at Habitat for Humanity Lakeside are reminded daily of the importance of a warm and stable place to call home.

A place to rest. A place to sleep, a place to gather family and friends to celebrate the blessings of the past year. A place to build hope and plans for the years to come.

Home is also a place where histories are written, stories are told, and memories are built.

The holidays are a time to celebrate but also look back at the people, events and activities that shaped our year, and plan for new challenges that may shape our next year, our futures, and our lives.

As I look back at 2025, I’m most grateful for the dedicated volunteers whose efforts built our mission in Sheboygan County from the ground up since 1993.

It has been a month since my friend Clarence Goetsch went on to Glory (on Nov. 15, 2025).

Clarence and his wife, Char, have both been involved with Habitat for Humanity Lakeside since its very beginning in 1993. Clarence served on the initial board of directors, founded Habitat Lakeside’s ReStore, and served as construction supervisor for several years.

Clarence loved volunteering at Habitat, and the results of his efforts are magnificent! Altogether, Clarence had a part in building 50 homes in Sheboygan County for Habitat partner families over 30 years.

So this year, as we build through the winter, with more houses to begin in the spring, I can’t help but thinking about how Clarence will continue to influence how we build simple, decent, affordable homes.
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When we’re building a house with a family in Sheboygan County, the history being written, the stories being told, and the memories being built all begin on the jobsite, where Clarence loved to be.