Women help build their own home in E. Patchogue

Ten-year-old Madison Sabolenko has already picked out the colors for her new bedroom: hot pink, with bright green polka dots. Her 9-year-old brother, Mathew, wants a bunk bed in his room.

The siblings, along with their mother, Cheri Sabolenko, won't just be decorating their new house - they're helping to build it.

The family of three is the recipient of a new Habitat for Humanity home in East Patchogue, built from the ground up by a team of about a dozen women, including Cheri Sabolenko, 38.

"It's amazing," she said. "It's something I never thought would come to fruition."

Tuesday, Sabolenko and a team of volunteers and Habitat for Humanity staff hammered, nailed and hoisted up the walls of the Sabolenkos' new home, on a corner lot on a quiet, tree-lined street.

The trio has been living with Cheri Sabolenko's mother in the Brentwood home where she grew up. It's not an ideal situation - the children have their own rooms, but Sabolenko sleeps in the basement.

The family is looking forward to more privacy, and finally having closets, front and back porches, and even a kitchen pantry instead of shelves.

"I'm grateful it's going to be ours," said Madison, who wore a white hard-hat and a tool belt, and carefully documented the wall-raising with her digital camera. "I can't wait to move my stuff into my new room."

The project was part of Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk's Women Build program, sponsored in part by Lowe's Home Improvement Stores, which trains women in construction work such as roofing, siding, and other carpentry.

Kathy Wall, 66, of Moriches has been volunteering in the Women Build program since it began six years ago.

She said it's hard work, but the aches and pains after each workday are worth it. Plus, she said, working with an all-female crew means more opportunities are available.

"The men tend to think that we can't do anything," Wall said of her experience in mixed house-building crews. "When women are here by themselves, it's not intimidating for the women."

Marsha Darling, 63, of Elmont, spent the morning hammering nails into the wood frame of the house. It was her first time volunteering in the Women Build program, and she said she was happy to lend her carpentry skills to Sabolenko's home.

"Around men builders, we tend to get assigned to whatever roles are left over," she said.

The three Habitat for Humanity chapters in Suffolk, Nassau and Peconic have so far have built 163 homes across Long Island.

Sabolenko's house is expected to be complete in August, in time for the Sabolenkos to move in before the school year.

But Cheri Sabolenko said her children are also learning some very important lessons as they watch their mom build their home.

"They will see that hard work does pay off," she said.

HOW TO HELP

To volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, or to apply to become a homeowner, contact:

Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk, 631-924-4966

or www.habitatsuffolk.org.

Habitat for Humanity in Nassau County, 516-627-6047

or www.hfhnc.org.

Habitat for Humanity of Peconic, 631-537-1981

or www.hfhpeconic.org.