91传媒, Habitat for Humanity dedicate ninth Maroon Edition home
![91传媒 students Rob Montgomery and Mariam Khmaladze present a handmade t-shirt quilt to Kareema Gillon. The quilt is designed to help the Gillon family remember the 91传媒 students that worked on the new home, which was dedicated to the Gillons on Tuesday [Nov. 21]. (Photo by Beth Wynn)](/sites/www.msstate.edu/files/inline-images/HabitatDedication_20171121_B5W2415.jpg "91传媒 students Rob Montgomery and Mariam Khmaladze present a handmade t-shirt quilt to Kareema Gillon.")
Contact: James Carskadon
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擳he Gillon family has a new home to celebrate Thanksgiving after the ninth 91传媒 Maroon Edition Habitat for Humanity home was dedicated during a Tuesday [Nov. 21] ceremony in Starkville.
91传媒, City of Starkville and Starkville Area Habitat for Humanity officials came together to celebrate the new home, built by volunteers for Kareema Gillon and her two young children, Korrine and Dorione. As part of the university鈥檚 Maroon Edition program, 91传媒 students, faculty and staff volunteered to build the house. Gillon, who often worked alongside the volunteers, said she could not have asked for a bigger blessing for her children and herself.
鈥淭his home is something built for us. I put my own hard work and sweat into it,鈥 Gillon said. 鈥淓very room has a piece of me. It鈥檚 been a great experience to have.鈥
The new home provides a better living environment for Gillon and her children, age two and seven. Her family previously lived in a small trailer with a poor electrical system and uneven floors. As an assistant manager for a local McDonald鈥檚, Gillon hopes to graduate with an associate鈥檚 degree from East Mississippi Community College in social work and looks forward to raising her family in a safe place they can call their own.
鈥淲ith Thanksgiving coming up, I鈥檓 thankful for being in a community that cares about people and wants to reach out and help people,鈥 Starkville Area Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Joel Downey said.
The Gillon family home is the latest house built on Owens Street, which is now lined with Habitat for Humanity homes on both sides of the street.
鈥淭his home says so much about Starkville, Mississippi State and our work together to make this community the very best that it can be,鈥 Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill said.
As part of the dedication ceremony, the Gillon family was presented with a Bible, a handmade quilt and a homeowner鈥檚 manual.
鈥淭his home is a shining beacon of love for all to see in this community,鈥 91传媒 President Mark E. Keenum said. 鈥淚t makes me so proud that 91传媒 will forever be a part of this wonderful home.鈥
The Habitat home is part of the service-learning component of the Maroon Edition First-Year Reading Experience, which encourages students to read a common book. The 2017 Maroon Edition book is 鈥淭he Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates鈥 by Wes Moore. 91传媒鈥檚 Maroon Volunteer Center helped coordinate student groups and individuals that volunteered to build the house.
For more on the Maroon Edition program, visit .
The Maroon Volunteer Center is online at and Starkville Area Habitat for Humanity at .
91传媒 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .