David Mattson This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. New Page 1

   www.teamangell.com/story_Chatt - [Cached]

   Published on: 10/4/2004   Last Visited: 9/17/2007

   David, the News-Tribune photographer was phoning to find out where we were. Barb replied, "We're at mile marker eight." The photographer said to keep pedaling. He followed with, "I'm in a silver pickup, just ignore me." So, we continued across the mostly rolling hills. Less than a mile later, we spotted him on the side of the rode. Per his instructions, we biked by without even a wink.
   
   Like other action photographers we'd seen, David wasn't done. He passed us again and set up for a second shot. After this sequence, he scurried to pass us again for a third shot. Still not satisfied, he passed us again for a fourth shot. Just as he came into view ahead, a highway patrolman passed us and immediately turned on his flashing lights. He pulled up behind the silver pickup now parked off the road. We were wondering, "Is this going to be a citation or an offer of aid?" It turned out to be an offer of aid. When David explained that he was photographing a bicycle, the puzzled patrolman reacted, "Bike? What bike?" After the location of our oncoming bike was pointed out, the patrolman hopped in his car quickly to avoid spoiling the setup.
   
   Still not finished, David passed us again. We were astonished. Having skipped our usual five mile break twice, we had now gone almost 14 miles nonstop and were feeling tired. When we reached his fifth photo shoot, we pulled over for a break and chatted for a while. He had done some cycling in the past so he had a number of questions about our gear.
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   A few moments later, David, a volunteer at the GVDC came outside to checkout the commotion. This small group of HFHI associates went out of their way to express appreciation for our efforts.
   
   Following the extended welcome, David indicated that he would personally give us a tour of the area. So, we quickly set up a schedule to check out the sights. As we were discussing the timing, a woman walking from the GVDC to the HFHI headquarters, paused to ask David if his visitors were all set with lodging. Linda, who was charge of Tours and Hospitality at HFHI, said that there were rooms available at the Mir (Russian for peace) guest house. Before committing, Barb quickly called Holiday Inn Express to cancel our booking. Linda had some tasks at HFHI to complete before she could get us setup at the Mir.
   ...
   Our busy day of sightseeing began with David picking us up at the Mir. From there, he treated us to an "old fashion" breakfast at Granny's Place. Originally from England, David and his wife decided after retirement to do volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity. Having previous worked for oil companies in the states, the couple enjoys a summer home in Vermont. Bringing a wealth of experiences to HFHI, we were delighted to have such an interesting gentleman as our tour guide. When David quizzed us about why we chose Habit for Humanity for our designated charity, we related to a friend from Duluth, MN.
   
   We met Dave Mattson while attending a touring cycling class in Montana in 2000. Having a common passion for living our dreams, Dave did his cross country trek in 2001, riding from Washington to Maine. Partnering with the Duluth affiliate of Habitat for Humanity, he was able to raise $10,000 to apply to a house in Duluth. He quit his job and reached high for his goal.
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   Having heard our side, David then preceded to describe the history of Habitat for Humanity.
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   Following breakfast, David took us to the Global Village and Discovery Center.
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   We asked David about a light bulb we saw hanging from the ceiling with a string. He answered, "A light bulb symbolizes a family's hope that they may someday have electricity."
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   After the wonderful tour, David gave us two T-shirts from the gift shop. There were a number of interesting collectables and souvenirs at the Welcome Center but we chose to travel lightly. To view photos from our HFHI visit, click Habitat for Humanity International.
   
   From the GVDC center, David drove us to two areas in Americus which had Habitat homes. The first group of homes was built in the 1980s. Barb noted that none of the houses had garages. David said that because of the logic, "We're building habitat for people, not cars," no garages or carports are included. In another part of town, we drove through a community of homes constructed in the late 90s in a blitz build. A community building was also established for the area. David noted that several construction vendors such as Whirlpool and Dow donate items such as appliances and insulation. Although no air conditioners are included in the homes, the ductwork is built in should the homeowner decide to add A/C later.
   
   Before returning us to the Mir house, David took us by several buildings and houses owned by HFHI. Before settling into the present headquarters, HFHI had setup their main offices in three different buildings over the years. They still use the former headquarter sites but for specific projects. A number of the private homes that Habitat bought in the area are now guest houses for volunteers or are being used for various projects and activities. When we got a grasp of all of the buildings that HFHI was applying for their mission, our heads were spinning. They are well established in Americus. As David dropped us off, we strongly expressed our appreciation for the grand tour.
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   While in Americus, David with Habitat for Humanity International checked the Sunday school schedule at Maranatha, but regrettably, we learned that the Carter's were out of town for the weekend.