About Women Build
Women Build is a program developed by Habitat for Humanity as a way to engage and empower women in construction. The goal is not meant to exclude men, but to include women who may not feel comfortable volunteering at a male-dominated construction site. Women Build also highlights and honors the talented and hard-working women in our community.
Each year, IVHFH seeks an influential woman in the community to honor with the Women Build. The honoree works with a committee of women to raise $50,000 in local donations and recruit volunteers to construct a home alongside an approved Habitat applicant. Along with the efforts of the Women Build committee, a local family will partner with IVHFH to build an energy-efficient home that they will purchase with an affordable home mortgage. The Habitat homeownership program ensures that the household pays no more than 30% of their income to cover housing costs allowing more of their funds to be dedicated toward other essentials like education, health and transportation.
Doris and the Women Build committee encourage everyone, regardless of gender, to take part in any way they can. We need supporters to swing a hammer on the construction site, provide food for volunteers, make in kind donations or financial donations and attend fundraising events.
Each year, IVHFH seeks an influential woman in the community to honor with the Women Build. The honoree works with a committee of women to raise $50,000 in local donations and recruit volunteers to construct a home alongside an approved Habitat applicant. Along with the efforts of the Women Build committee, a local family will partner with IVHFH to build an energy-efficient home that they will purchase with an affordable home mortgage. The Habitat homeownership program ensures that the household pays no more than 30% of their income to cover housing costs allowing more of their funds to be dedicated toward other essentials like education, health and transportation.
Doris and the Women Build committee encourage everyone, regardless of gender, to take part in any way they can. We need supporters to swing a hammer on the construction site, provide food for volunteers, make in kind donations or financial donations and attend fundraising events.
Meet Doris Preucil
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Doris Preucil, founder of Iowa City’s renowned Preucil School of Music, has been selected as the honoree for Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity’s 11th Women Build. After more than 60 years of teaching children with the family-centered Suzuki Method, Doris knows that stability is crucial to children's success. “I’ve always supported Habitat for Humanity since I first heard of it from former President Jimmy Carter,” she says. “It’s a family thing, and we know the more that the children's lives can be organized the better they will do in school and out in the world.”
As long-time Preucil School volunteer Jim Hussey notes, “there are many ways to build a community — Habitat for Humanity with carpenters and saws and the Preucil School of Music with musicians and bows. Both approaches require skill, both demand discipline and dedication, and both are inspired by love.” An honors graduate of the Eastman School of Music and a recipient of its Lifetime Achievement Award, Doris was a violinist with the National Symphony Orchestra (Washington, D.C.) and the Rochester Philharmonic. She has taught at Western Illinois University, The University of Northern Iowa, and Interlochen Arts Camp, and performed and presented workshops throughout the United States, and in Canada, South America, Europe, Australia, Japan, and Korea. She began teaching the Suzuki Method out of her home in 1963, and founded the school in 1975. |
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The Preucil School now serves more that 700 students on two campuses in Iowa City. A non-profit educational institution, it also serves the community by providing musicians to perform at retirement and nursing homes, meetings, weddings and funerals, and offering a free concert at Hancher Auditorium every year. With the help of donors, the school offers instruction to lower income families at Headstart, Horace Mann preschool, and “Music Together in the Parks.”
The Suzuki method, developed by Japanese violinist Shinichi Suzuki, emphasizes that children can learn to play an instrument similar to the way they learn their native language. In contrast to other teaching methods, children begin as early as age 3, parents attend lessons and also serve as “home teachers” during the week. Creating an enjoyable learning environment, parent responsibility, loving encouragement, and constant repetition are some of the special features of the method. “The Suzuki method involves building a respectful relationship between children, parents, and the teacher,” says Doris. “In the school environment children learn to love music and each other.”
When she was director of The Preucil School of Music, Doris taught five hours of lessons a day and then came home to fix dinner and teach her own four children from 7 to 10 pm. Doris retired as director of the school in 1997, and now teaches 10 hours a week. “I never really got enough sleep until after I retired as director,” she jokes. “But you find energy because the children inspire you. And we get wonderful students.”
The Suzuki method, developed by Japanese violinist Shinichi Suzuki, emphasizes that children can learn to play an instrument similar to the way they learn their native language. In contrast to other teaching methods, children begin as early as age 3, parents attend lessons and also serve as “home teachers” during the week. Creating an enjoyable learning environment, parent responsibility, loving encouragement, and constant repetition are some of the special features of the method. “The Suzuki method involves building a respectful relationship between children, parents, and the teacher,” says Doris. “In the school environment children learn to love music and each other.”
When she was director of The Preucil School of Music, Doris taught five hours of lessons a day and then came home to fix dinner and teach her own four children from 7 to 10 pm. Doris retired as director of the school in 1997, and now teaches 10 hours a week. “I never really got enough sleep until after I retired as director,” she jokes. “But you find energy because the children inspire you. And we get wonderful students.”
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I am deeply moved to be found among the fine women previously honored with a Women Build. |
Support the Doris Preucil Women Build
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Provide a Donation
Monetary gifts or in kind gifts will directly support construction of the Women Build home. Needs for gift in kind donations include food, construction services and materials, items for our silent auction, and prizes for our 5K.
Make donations online and visit our fundraising campaign page to help Doris and the Women Build committee to collect donations. Email tami@iowavalleyhabitat.org for more information. |
Become a Sponsor
Demonstrate your social awareness and support of our community by sponsoring the Women Build home or one of our fundraising events. As a benefit, your group or organization increases brand awareness by receiving recognition in marketing materials and during events.
Email tami@iowavalleyhabitat.org for more information. |
Attend an Event
Whether a runner or walker, bring yourself or get a group together for a fun-filled morning benefiting the Women Build.
Purchase tickets and gather your friends for a party featuring both a silent and live auction, wine pull and the HabiChamp competition.
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Volunteer
Volunteers are needed to help construct the Doris Preucil home, serve on the Women Build committee, take photographs, and assist staff at our events.
Be a TEAM (Together Everyone Accomplishes More) Build sponsor by making a contribution to the Doris Preucil Build and coordinating volunteers to build the home. Email leda@iowavalleyhabitat.org for more information. |
Doris Preucil Women Build 11 Timeline
The Doris Preucil Women Build committee will host the annual Christine Grant 5K fundraiser on May 4th. Construction of the home will begin in August and anyone interested in volunteering can find available build shifts by visiting our website. Hammers and Hardhats, an annual auction fundraiser takes place on November 14th at the Coralville Marriott.
This year the Women Build Committee is building the home for the family of Nasr, Rasha, and their three boys. Read about their story here.
Doris Preucil Women Build Fundraising Campaign
The Doris Preucil Fundraising Campaign Page allows you to track our fundraising progress, make online donations and create your own fundraising page to help Doris and the Women Build committee to collect donations for the Women Build home.
2019 Doris Preucil Women Build Fundraising Campaign for Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity - Giveffect, Inc.
We envision a world in which each person has a decent place to live. Locally, we partner with both current and future homeowners, local businesses, residents and social service organizations to construct and renovate safe, decent, affordable housing in Cedar, Iowa, Johnson and Washington Counties.
Major Sponsors and Contributors
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Gift-in-Kind Contributions
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Kingdom Construction
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Past Women Build Honorees
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All of our Women Build honorees have made an extraordinary impact on our organization and played a huge part in our success. We are grateful for their contributions.
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Volunteer
Every volunteer makes a difference. Whether you are an experienced carpenter or a novice, you are welcome. |
Donate
Every donation provides an opportunity to build a stronger, more stable, self-reliant future. |
ReStore
Every customer, donor and volunteer helps us build. Income from the ReStore supports our affordable housing efforts. |
