HOMES & HOMEOWNERS
Community Rebuilds works with homeowners to build a beautiful, affordable home. Each homeowner builds along side the interns and instructors for 20 hours a week. On this page, you can meet all of our past homeowners and scroll through a photo tour of their homes. Enjoy.
Melanie Dennis
Fall 2023
Hello my name is Melanie. I am a single mother to a beautiful, sassy young lady Kylie. Kylie is a freshman in high school. She plays the trombone and is in the marching band, Honors Society and Honors English. I am working on my bachelors degree in Psychology, working towards being a social worker.
I was born in Price Utah but lived in Green River until I was 4. My family moved to Wellington Utah, and from there we moved to Price. My mom remarried when I was 7 years old and that brought me to Moab. I have lived here for 30 years. My daughter was born here.
We have two free roam rabbits named Ruth and Stormy. Ruth is a 4 year old female and Stormy is a 4 year old male. My daughter has two 10 month old female bonded guinea pigs named Nugget and Heroine. They are our furry family.
My daughter and I love to go to concerts, that is where we really bond. We love to explore haunting places, and Halloween is our favorite time of year. We love to have veg nights where we watch movies all weekend and veg out on junk food. Our household is full of fun and chaos and there is never a dull moment.
Tanesha Hartnagle
Fall 2023
I grew up in Colorado, where my family was in agriculture. As an adult, I have lived and traveled around the country, at times calling Oregon and Arizona home while working in the mountain bike industry. I first made Moab a seasonal home when I arrived in 2013 to work as a mountain bike guide. After spending a couple of spring and fall seasons here, in 2016, I decided to make Moab a full-time home. Shortly after that, I went back to school to pursue a career as a nurse. I now work as an RN at Moab Regional Hospital. Initially, Moab’s mountain biking and beautiful landscape made me fall in love with the area. It is Moab’s amazing community of people that made me want to call it home. I feel so blessed to serve my community as a nurse and for the amazing opportunity to build a beautiful home that I can call my own.
Harrison Jelly
Fall 2023
Harrison was born in Shiprock and is a US Army Veteran. After his service, moved to Blanding and spent time on the Navajo Reservation. He raised two beautiful daughters; Tontasha and Tonisha. At this point, Harrison doesn’t have strong connections to the tribal land because he’s been gone so long. He feels Moab is his home. His father wanted to shield him from the tribal politics, so he was raised in Blanding. He began working in Moab at Rim Cyclery, Moab’s first bike shop, and he has been commuting each day from Blanding to work for over twenty years.
Harrison has belives that we should share space civilly. It takes all of us to make a house, to make a dream come true. It takes all of us to win a war. On the Navajo Reservation, Harrison participated in a work program to go out and build homes for the community by hand, with no power tools. Harrison was taught growing up, that your front door should face east, as the first light comes up it shines into your house. Building with nature in mind. His dad was a carpenter and taught Harrison many things. The Reservation had no power, water, or sewer. His father-in-law worked to bring infrastructure to the reservation.
Harrison is so glad to be a part of building a house with Community Rebuilds and is excited to be a part of a community that makes it happen. Harrison understands that it takes a community.
Elizabeth Weimholt
Fall 2023
In 2018 I moved to Moab for what I thought was a temporary, seasonal gig - with the plan to return to Minnesota in the fall. But like so many others who have found themselves here, I quickly realized that I wanted to explore this part of the world for a long, long time. I’m grateful to be able to live here with my two boys (twin black cats), I’m grateful for my job that keeps me outside and in nature, and I’m grateful for the vibrant, creative, and engaging community that I love so much.
Tamara Frieda
Winter 2023
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Tamara is excited to get started on her Community Rebuilds House in Arroyo Crossing! She adores the desert landscape, solitude, and appreciates being so close to the splendorous beauty of this area. Tamara has been teaching violin, viola, and cello for many years in private and group lessons. She has been running the Beacon String Program for over 5 years, and in 2020 she began teaching general music to the students of the Moab Charter School. She also travels to play with the Arizona Opera and the San Juan Symphony in Durango, CO.
Tamara enjoys playing diverse styles of music and plays in Quicksand Soup, The Nanites, and the Moab Community Dance Band, as well as weddings and special events all over the area in the outdoors. While she’s not living music Tamara likes to ride horses, read real oldschool books that have paper pages, learn new jokes from kids, float on the river, and hike.
Camelita Jimenez
Winter 2023
Hello, my name is Carmelita Jimenez and I just became a first time homeowner! I'm Moab grown and the fifth generation of my family in this red rock valley. I have a 13 year old dog named Blossom who is also from Moab adopted from the humane society when she was 6. Ever since I bailed her out we have enjoyed playing in the river and exploring all the amazing trails Moab has to offer. I've traveled far and wide but Moab has always called me back. I currently work in the service industry discovering new dreams and goals everyday.
Katie Proctor
Winter 2023
Katie moved to Moab almost 4 years ago and fell in love with the landscape and the community. She worked as a full time river guide in Arizona, Utah and Idaho before settling down in Moab with her 3 year old son Bodhi. Now, Katie has her own massage therapy practice, works for Moab Montessori and manages logistics for Canyons River Company. She and Bodhi go on as many adventures as possible, mountain biking, river running and hiking. Katie is over-the-moon to be building her first home here in Moab with Community Rebuilds!
Cara Lauria
Winter 2023
Cara grew up in Northeastern Ohio and spent time in South Carolina and the front range of Colorado before moving to Moab in 2018. Her passion for desert ecology and Moab’s geology brought her to work with the USGS. She enjoys mountain biking, skiing and splitboarding in the La Sals, hiking, running, and backpacking. She is excited build a house with community rebuilds and make Moab her home.
Jack Hanley
Winter 2022
From the coast of California and over the High Sierra Mountains, Jack has come to find the Redrock desert of Southern Utah to be a place that feels like it has somehow always been his home. After several seasons of guiding Rock Climbing and Canyoneering in Moab, Jack now facilitates Volunteer work projects to protect Wilderness areas in Utah with the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA). Be it for restoration or recreation, Jack spends most of his time exploring the canyon country. You can catch him DJing World Folk Music on KZMU or drumming with the Moab Community Dance Band. After a decade of day dreaming of a home amongst the sandstone, Jack is both grateful for Community Rebuilds’ efforts, and stunned by this surreal opportunity to build a home that worships the sun and lays lightly on the land.
Deborah Ashby
Winter 2022
Debb and Davion came to Moab in 2011 and have called Moab home ever since. The first years were spent four-wheeling around the many trails to explore Moab and now they both have their individual passions. Davion enjoys football and skateboarding while Debb enjoys all the activities, her favorites are yoga in the desert and slacklining. Building a house is not something new to them, as they helped build one back in 2013 then sold it in 2016 to take some time to explore a year in Idaho. With the desert home calling them back, they were back in Moab before the year was up. After moving from rental to rental over the last decade, they are excited to finally have a place to call their own and enjoy the building process again.
Madeline Wright
Winter 2022
Growing my roots in Moab since 2004- I've found my community and passion here with the quality people and beautiful landscape. Working at the animal hospital, my love is in animal welfare, and my two best furry companions, Sage and Trout the dogs!
Shelby Carter
Winter 2022
I was raised in central Utah. My son Clay and I made Moab our home in 2017 after I completed my bachelor's degree at Utah State. I became enamored with the diversity of the landscape, the mindful, active community, and the endless recreational opportunities available here. My summer job became a career in fire and fuels management and I have worked for the Manti-La Sal National Forest for the last 5 years. Clay and I love looking at rocks and plants, riding bikes, climbing, and playing on the river. We are so excited to build a home of our own with Community Rebuilds!
Margaret Gruszkra
Winter 2022
Hello, my name is Maggie Gruszka. I was born and raised in St. Louis, MO. I first came to Moab in 2011. I was heading back to St. Louis after peddling my bike across the USA raising money and awareness for affordable housing with a non-profit organization called Bike and Build. I had such an AMAZING adventure with Bike and Build that I decided to do two other smaller trips with the organization! During this time, people from my trips introduced me to Community Rebuilds. In 2017, I came back to Moab to be an intern with Community Rebuilds helping construct 3 strawbale homes with 17 other interns. It was one of the BEST times of my LIFE!!! I fell in LOVE with Moab at this time and can NOT believe I will be a homeowner this time around!!! SCCCUURRRPPP THANK YOU COMMUNITY REBUILDS for letting my dreams of owning MY OWN HOME a reality!!!
Kristin Moore
Winter 2022
Kristin has been a Moab resident for 13 years, and loves spending time mountain biking and hunting. She currently works in restaurants and bike shops in town, and is excited for her new home!
Nicole Croke
Winter 2022
Nicole accidentally moved to Moab in the year 2017. Captivated by the red-rocks and an ever-growing bucket-list of adventures, a three-month stint doing field-work grew into years spent enjoying and conserving the Colorado Plateau. While coordinating boat-based restoration crews, Nicole developed a particular love for rafting and a deep appreciation for the ecological importance of these meandering riparian zones. Nicole now works for a nonprofit organization that focuses on outdoor education and inspiring a care for the natural places around us. In their free time, Nicole enjoys pottery, rafting, growing and cooking food, and exploring the Colorado plateau. They are excited to set deeper roots in the community, learn more about the art of home building, and create a space for their creativity to blossom.
Jillian Dyer
Winter 2022
I first moved to Moab the summer of 2014 as a river guide on accessible trips with Splore (now NAC). I left and returned many times. I decided to commit to live in Moab full time in 2018, and have loved every minute. Since then I have worked in Moab as a park ranger, jeep rental guide, Moonflower cashier, emergency medical technician with Grand County EMS, and bike rental guide. I value the skills I've acquired through those jobs and the community I’ve grown along the way. When I am not working I like to spend my time hiking, biking, swing dancing, volunteering with Underdog Rescue, and occasionally playing frisbee at the park. I am incredibly grateful to Community Rebuilds and the community at large for this opportunity to build a home here in Moab.
Alex de Moor | Moab, Spring 2022
A native of South Africa, Alex moved a lot before finding himself on the Colorado Plateau. After studying Tsunamis and Earthquakes in Oregon, he realized that the coast was a terrifying place. After being offered a job at Canyonlands Field Institute in 2016, he moved to the beautiful (and mostly tectonically stable) Moab. He continues to work at CFI as the Education Director and, much like an underdog rescue puppy, is ready for his forever home. You can usually find him talking to any and all that will listen about rocks on the river, on his bike, or with a fly rod in his hand.
Brennan Patrick Gillis | Moab, Spring 2022
Brennan Patrick Gillis has been dreaming of homeownership since he built his first Lego cabin. While Lego are an impractical building material in the Moab area, he is still excited to be working with Community Rebuilds. He enjoys boating, reading, exploring, and darts. Brennan can usually be found trail running, checking for bugs under a rock, or in the KZMU radio booth. Periodically, he gets lost in canyons. He has even been known to engage chickens in staring contests, but he usually loses.
Janis Adkins | Moab, Spring 2022
I came here in 1990 to climb, raft, and hike and just stayed. It’s so easy to fall in love with the quiet beauty, the solitude and all the extremes of the place. But then there is this amazing supportive community of friends.
My background is plants, I worked at nurseries most of my life, and started one here. The nursery was a mixture of native and non-native drought tolerant plants. The economy crashed in ‘08’ and I could not hold on. I moved away for a bit, but the rocks and canyons and the community of Moab called me back.
I am semi-retired now and work at Moonflower Community Co-op. My background in plants took me on a journey of herbal studies and healing. It’s one of the many ways I like to give back to the community that’s always given to me.
Candice Gary | Moab, Spring 2022
I am the Special Education teacher at Moab Charter School. I’m currently pursuing a master’s degree in Special Education from Utah State University. I love working with children, especially those who think a little differently. I’m also a ceramic artist and hope to have a studio someday to create in. I was born in Moab and lived here until I was five. I spent every summer in Moab with my grandparents helping them with their large garden and orchard. A tradition I continued as an adult. I moved back full-time in 2017 to care for my grandfather as he battled kidney cancer and silicosis of the lungs caused by uranium mining. After he passed, I stayed in town and got a job as a paraprofessional. A career in education is not what I intended to pursue, but I loved it and have decided to make it my career and Moab my permanent home.
Owning my own house has been a dream. One I didn’t think was financially possible for me. Community Rebuilds helped me achieve this dream.
Matt McEttrick | Moab, Spring 2022
I've lived in Moab since 2007, with some time spent in a few other towns across the western US. I originally moved here to be an outdoor educator and river guide. After that first season, I never felt quite right leaving Moab behind. In my time away from Moab I managed to cobble together a Master’s of Science in Forestry and now I get to share my love of restoring the natural world and helping people find their place in it as an ecologist and project manager for Rim to Rim Restoration, while still sometimes getting to do some guiding. I’m lucky to have a job I enjoy and feel honored to build a house with Community Rebuilds.
Ryan Katchmar | Moab, Spring 2022
I'm originally from Ohio and I've been traveling the country for the past 13 years working as a skydiving instructor. Since my first visit to Moab in 2012 I have spent all of my off time here. In 2017 everything aligned and I was able to move here. When I'm not working at the skydiving center I spend my off time jumping off cliffs, climbing, camping, and exploring remote areas. I am beyond stoked for this opportunity to work with Community Rebuilds.
Hailey Gardner | Moab, Spring 2022
Hello,hello! I moved to Moab from northern Indiana to 'make my mom sad' (she told me I had to add this part). Truthfully, the vast beauty of the west, specifically the backdrop of Juniper and Sage against the Red Rocks, is breathtaking. Like we all say, the red rocks captured my attention, the community captured my heart. I moved to escape into the desert and ended up finding a home more inviting than I could ever imagine.
Bridget Peterson | Moab, Spring 2022
I am so thankful to be living in my very own home in a city that I love! I was raised outside of Kansas City before attending college at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ. After graduating with a degree in parks and recreation management, I first moved to Moab in 2014 for an internship with Canyon Country Outdoor Education at Arches National Park. Seven years later, I now consider Moab my forever home, and I am happy to continue serving our local elementary school students by teaching the science of this amazing landscape. I also enjoy giving back to my community by running on the ambulance with Grand County EMS. I love to hike, run, bike, paddle, and explore the canyons and rivers of the Colorado Plateau any way I can! I look forward to starting a garden and living in a sustainable home that will help protect the environment that I dearly love. Thank you to Community Rebuilds and the Moab Community for giving me a place to plant my roots!
Anna Sprout | Moab, Fall 2020
My name is Anna Sprout. I've lived in Moab for the past four years. I moved here for mountain biking and stayed here for the community. Along with my pup Boone, I've explored every inch of our mountain biking trails, worked in our bike shops, and built a community of friends who have become my family. I think that's what happens in Moab and why we stay. Before I moved to Moab, I received my Bachelors in Science and Masters in Education. I am incredibly fortunate that I'm able to pursue this passion for education in Moab as the ninth-grade math teacher for our county. I love what I do and am grateful to be in my classroom. Boone is ready to build his forever home in Moab. I'm incredibly grateful to build our home with Community Rebuilds.
Amrah Hubbard | Moab, Fall 2020
My name is Amrah Hubbard. I found Moab after traveling for a few years, only intending to stay for a summer. I should have known better. The longer you live here, the more you realize there is more to explore. My first years were spent “working” and playing with mountain bikes. Now I work for Grand County EMS, Moab Regional Hospital, and Grand County SAR. At USU, I’m taking classes in the nursing program. I look forward to working alongside and learning from all the amazing people that are a part of this program. Moab is obviously an amazing place to live and I feel honored that Community Rebuilds gives the opportunity to make this place home.
Angelina Brock | Moab, Fall 2020
Hello there! My name is Angelina. I’m a longtime Moab local with an abundant history in the area. My Grandfather Walker’s family was here in Moab before it was considered a city. My mother was born and raised here. I have many family members that still live here in Moab, including my father, Steve Brock. I haven’t always lived in the Moab Valley. Whilst away, I often thought of Moab. Beautiful red rocks with the striking blue sky; what an amazing color contrast. When given the opportunity, I relocated back here. I’ve been a resident for a little over 20 years of my adult life. I’m currently employed as a manager at one of Moab’s most successful restaurants, The Moab Brewery. I work with some great people, have ample chances to learn new things about business, people, and things related to my duties as a manager. I love being outside and playing in the yard/garden. Life will be good on Easy Street!
Tim Schall | Moab, Fall 2020
I moved to Moab in 2008 to become a mountain bike guide. Since then I have guided Moab, all over the American West, South America, and Italy. I have ridden some of the best mountain bike trails in the world. At the end of the season, I always find myself so happy to be back in Moab. Moab is truly a beautiful and magical place. I am grateful for the opportunity to establish permanent roots and call Moab home.
Resford Rouzer| Moab, Spring 2021
Born and raised in Moab, Resford is really excited to build his own sustainable home in the community he grew up in. For the last four and a half years he has worked for the nonprofit Canyonlands Field Institute and is currently their Marketing & Communications Director. He also serves as a board member for CPRG (Colorado Plateau River Guides) and KZMU. He cares deeply about our community and wrote his master’s thesis on public land use and oral histories of the Colorado Plateau with photo documentation. When he isn’t doing non-profit stuff you can find him out on the river rafting or exploring the desert.
Kelby Groff| Moab, Spring 2021
Hello, my name is Kelby and I am super stoked to be building a naturally built eco-home with Community Rebuilds. I feel very lucky to have been given the opportunity to build on land that I actually grew up on. I was born in Moab and raised next door to the build site where my parents still live. I come from many generations of Moab people. My family opened the first bicycle shop here " Rim Cyclery “, which helped bring the town out of an economic slump in the 80s. My father and his brother are in the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame because of this. I went to the University of Utah and received a Bachelor’s of Science degree with an emphasis on Ecology. I have been running Rim Cyclery now for long enough that I sometimes lose track of how long it’s been. I have a passion for traveling and seeing concerts, but I always LOVE coming HOME to MOAB and I always will!
Ashley Lilly & Monty Henry| Moab, Fall 2020
Hello! We are Monty Henry and Ashley Lilly. We have been in a long-term relationship for the last 9 years. We have both lived in Moab for more than 15 years and we both have worked in the mountain bike industry for over a decade. Mountain biking is our passion, and finding adventures is our way of life. We travel often and have yet to find another destination we love more than here. We love living in Moab and are very excited to live in our forever home that we built with Community Rebuilds!
Didar & Anthony Charles| Moab, Fall 2019
Didar and Anthony met in Moab and married in Istanbul in 2015. They decided to live in the city they met which is Anthony’s home town. Didar is an engineering intern at City of Moab. She finds herself lucky to work for the city she loves. Anthony started doing massage in 2013 and owns High Desert Massage. They love to go hiking to tire out their dogs Tipsy and Coco. They hoped to build a home since visiting one of the open houses held by Community Rebuilds.
They welcomed a son, Winter Charles, into their family a week before moving into their home!
Bryan Beachum | Moab, Fall 2019
Born and raised in a small town in Michigan right near the lake shore, I traded the humidity, lakes, and rivers for the arid climate and red rocks of Moab in 2012 without looking back. I stumbled through Moab after finishing the 2011 season teaching snow boarding in Park City. Since then, the discoveries seem to always continue, whether it’s hidden gems of surrounding areas, making new friends, or of myself which I find thrives in this place. Orion is my canine companion as of December this past year. Together we go just about everywhere together, whether it’s work or play. We spend our time soaking in the beautiful surroundings of the delicate landscapes, hiking, flying, and constantly meeting new people. Thank you Moab and Community Rebuilds for this incredible opportunity!
Chelsea Cobb | Moab, Spring 2019
My name is Chelsea. The first time I came to Moab was in the spring of 2007 on a climbing trip with a group of friends. I didn’t know what to expect, but after that first visit, the taste of sagebrush and blooming russian olives still lingers in my nostrils. I drove west again that summer and became like so many others here: completely captured by the landscape. I made the move to Moab at the end of 2013 and haven’t looked back.
I love the way the sunrise and sunset shine new light on this place. Every hour gives a new perspective to the vastness, and each year I spend here gives me a greater appreciation for this place and the community of people who call it home.
Sarah Sorg | Moab, Spring 2019
Born in Paris, I was raised by a family of culinary artists, painters, and musicians. After working in fashion, cinema, and journalism, I decided it was time to try something new somewhere else. I packed my bags full of books and shoes, and hit the open road for the other side of the sea. A short accidental skydiving trip to Moab ended my life as I knew it. I went back to London which had been home for the past 7 years, divorced my husband, sold my car, gave my cat and all my belongings away, and moved to Moab to be a full-time monkey.
Life is as wondrous as we make it!
Sheila Strahan | Moab, Spring 2019
Hi, I’m Sheila! I absolutely love Moab: the community, the desert, the wild! I am passionate about music, education, and this beautiful desert we live in. I moved here in 2005 after working seasonally for the Moab Music Festival for 5 years and made ends meet by working for the festival and teaching piano lessons. Once here, I discovered two things: 1. that I LOVE working with little kids, so I changed careers to become a teacher full time, and 2. that I LOVE these canyons, this desert, and especially finding natural arches. My time is pretty much taken up working with kids and trying my best to instill in them a love of learning through fun projects and the arts, and by spending my time exploring and recharging in the desert. I’m so grateful to get to build an energy efficient home that is part of this beautiful desert, and to know that I will have a secure place to live here for many years to come.
Malyssa Egge | Bluff, Fall 2018
Meet Malyssa Egge; the first Community Rebuilds homeowner in Bluff, UT. Malyssa was born in raised in northeastern South Dakota. She moved to Bluff in 2004 to serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA at a now demolished elementary school. She realized soon after arriving, that Bluff was the place she wanted to call home. Since her VISTA term, she has worked in many of the schools in the area through a variety of federal, state, tribal, and private grants and programs. She works as an EMT and supports first year college students in the area. Malyssa is so happy to have had the opportunity to set down roots in the community she loves so dearly.
The Millers | Moab, Fall 2018
Meet the Miller family; Murice, Valencia, Jedidiah, and Jaidah. Murice is originally from the island of Jamaica West Indies. Murice and Valencia met in New York City and decided to move to Moab in 2012 when they had an opportunity to work for an Adventist Boarding Academy in Castle Valley Utah. They have been blessed to call this place home ever since. They enjoy spending time together as a family, especially going on explorations, and they love everything about this area, especially the community. They are so grateful for this opportunity and the chance to make new memories!
Jessica Lawley | Moab, Fall 2018
Jessica Lawley was lucky enough to be born and raised right here in Moab so her appreciation for the desert runs deep. She has worked at her family's bike shop, Rim Cyclery for 11 years and really likes being a part of the cycling and outdoor community. She enjoy rappelling, hiking, biking, paddleboarding, camping and cooking… and let’s not forget her plant obsession!
"Planting roots in my hometown is so important to me, and being able to do it in a sustainable way helps protect the harsh beauty of the desert I love so much."
Mikalyn Steinbrueck | Moab, Spring 2018
Mikalyn Steinbrueck was born and raised in Longmont, Colorado where she learned to love and live in the great outdoors. After spending four years studying film theory and production at the University of Notre Dame in the midwest, she returned to her roots out west and moved to Laramie, Wyoming and become an elementary school teacher. When greater adventure called in 2015, Mikalyn moved to Moab where she has spent most of her time running over red rock, backpacking through canyons, and sleeping under the desert sky.
Mikalyn is so excited and grateful to be an owner of one of these natural and sustainable, solar-powered homes, which she shares with her golden retriever, Wild. As a 1st grade teacher, she hopes to share some of this journey with her students, inspiring them to engage in practices that celebrate and give back to the earth.
Marie Brophy | Moab, Spring 2018
I'm Marie! I moved to Moab in 2013, and my dog Gabe, who has been with my family for 11 years, joined me in 2014. We are originally from Oregon, but my family has since spread all over the country. Looking for a change of scene and more sunshine, I planned a move to Colorado. But I stopped in Moab for three weeks along the way and fell in love with this place.
I have now been working for Moab Desert Adventures guiding climbing and canyoneering expeditions for over four years. Every day I get to play in this incredible desert and share it with people from all over. My goal is to help others see the beauty of this place, so that they will want to protect it as I do. My family loves to visit us here and knows they are always in for an adventure when they do. I am beyond thankful to have built a house with Community Rebuilds, so Gabe and I can have a home to call our own.
The Dickeys | Moab, Spring 2018
I'm Kathy! I moved to Moab 20 years ago from Tempe, AZ. I work as a nurse at Moab Regional Hospital. I bought my single wide trailer 11 years ago and remember being so happy to have a place of my own. Before purchasing the trailer, I lived in an off-grid camper in the desert – I have indeed upgraded. Thanks to Community Rebuilds I will have a chance to have an energy efficient home, which will be new to me. I met my husband, Dustin, 10 years ago and we have one dog named Indy. Dustin and I opened a bike shop in the Spring of 2017. We are looking forward to contributing to the build of our home and not contributing as much to carbon output!
Woytek-Mead Family | Moab, Fall 2017
Meet the Woytek-Mead Family, one of CR's Fall 2017 recipients. Gabriel, originally from Wisconsin, and Serah, originally from California, met in Moab in 2010. Both Serah and Gabriel were involved with CR in the early years while also working and volunteering with other Moab non-profits. After moving away for a few years, they realized it was time to return to the amazing community and landscape of Moab. Gabriel is currently the Garden Manager at The Youth Garden Project. Serah works for KZMU Moab Community Radio. Verdell Shanti was welcomed to the world in March of 2017 and is excited to grow up in a straw bale home of her own.
Holli Zollinger | Moab, Fall 2017
Holli and Lorenzo ‘Ren’ moved to Moab in 2012 for two years and then returned again in 2016. Having lived a mostly nomadic life, Moab felt like a great place to settle, put down real roots and grow with the dynamic community Moab offers.
Holli is self-employed as an Artist and Designer and draws daily inspiration from the desert landscape. Always learning by doing, she is excited and honored to be part of a program that educates the home buyer about the process of building a straw bale home with a sustainable focus.
Nelly Drogin | Moab, Fall 2017
Nelly is a Moab local, born and raised in Castle Valley. She loves the Moab area, and is so grateful to Community Rebuilds for allowing her the opportunity to build and own a house in her hometown, which has been a lifelong dream.
Nelly is the office manager at Nichols Expeditions, an active adventure travel company based in Moab.
In her free time she enjoys biking (road and mountain), yoga, hiking, and soaking up the sun.
Anne Hayes | Moab, Spring 2017
Anne Hays built her home in the Spring of 2016. Originally from the San Fransisco Bay Area, Anne moved to Moab about 5 years ago after a spell of bad weather during a camping trip left her stranded. She filled out job and housing application and hasn't looked back. Ann is a former paramedic for Grand County EMS, has also served at several local establishments
Anne was very excited to participate in the CR program. Between rent increases, homeowners selling, and and a house fire, she experienced a rocky housing situation in Moab prior to building her CR home.
Kelli Quinn | Moab, Spring 2017
Kelli built her home with Community Rebuilds in the Spring of 2016. Kelli grew up in central Pennsylvania and lived in the northern Adirondacks of New York for a while before moving to Moab in 2014. Moab’s unique and beautiful environment as well as the grand escapades to be had in its backyard made the southwest instantly draw her in, and Kelli is now a Vegetation Management Field Lead for the National Park Service.
Kelli enjoys climbing, mountain biking, boating, skiing in the LaSals in the winter, and just being outdoors. Finding so much inspiration in Moab, she is very excited to have been able to lay down roots in the area.
Daniela Runge | Mount Crested Butte, 2016
Daniela was a part of building the first CR duplex during the summer and fall of 2016. Originally from Argentina, she moved to Crested Butte in 2001 to work for the Adaptive Sports Center, teaching people with disabilities how to ski. It was supposed to be just one season, but she never left. Through Adaptive, she has been able to start similar programs in her home country. To complement her winter job, she started a landscaping business in 2006.
Daniela has 2 kids, Alvaro, who is 19 years old and currently in Argentina attending music school, and Kai, who is 10 years old. They are incredibly excited to have a home in CB!
Andrew Arell | Mount Crested Butte, 2016
Andrew was also a part of the first CR duplex in Mount Crested Butte during 2016. These two homes were a whole new experience for CR, as it was a complicated design build built at almost 10,000 feet elevation!
A jack of all trades, master of none… Andrew has had a few fits and starts of various careers, but at present finds himself coordinating mountain sport events for a local non-profit, Nordic Center.
Andrew and his two sons, Asher and Isaac, are very excited to be homeowners in the town their family has grown up in.
David Casper | Moab, Fall 2016
David (pronounced Dove-Id) built his home with CR in the Fall of 2016. While originally from Jersey he found his way to Moab through a cross country trip 6 years ago. Since then he's lived in the area on and off – but now with this house, permanently.
Moab has allowed David to get his massage practice off the ground, as well as finding an opportunity to get back into mental health services. David has enjoyed planting fruit trees in his spacious garden, as well as having a place his two wonderful pups to run around. He was also lucky enough to find a plot of land with a shed that he hopes to turn into a sculpture studio some day.
The Spade-Phillips Family | Moab, Fall 2016
Tamar is originally from Scotland but after many travels, she landed in Moab in 2013. Stuart, is from Salt Lake City but has lived in Moab since 2008 on and off – but mostly on.
They met in Australia in 2012, got married in Las Vegas in 2014, their fabulous baby Ivy was born in Moab in October of 2015, and in the Fall of 2016 they built their CR home!
Tamar and Stuart are both super interested in eco builds and alternative construction methods so they feel extremely lucky to be given the opportunity to build our own straw bale home with a team of dedicated interns.
Sarah Ball | Moab, Spring 2016
Sarah Ball moved to Moab in 1999 and works as a licensed massage therapist. Sarah bought her trailer in 2007 and has been enjoying her stunning view of the Moab Rim and La Sal Mountain landscape ever since. In the spring of 2016, CR replaced her trailer with an energy efficient home. CR was able to reuse many components such as materials for insulation, and reclaimed wood for trim. Sarah was a wonderful participant, and now, she is often paying only $8 per month for utilities, as that is the base fee for being hooked up to the grid.
Talk about affordable housing!
The Thomas Family | Moab, Spring 2016
Kaitlin originally moved to Moab from the East Coast to work at the Youth Garden Project and now works as BEACON Afterschool Program’s Program Manager. Chad moved to Moab when he was in high school and has been in Moab ever since. He mainly works in the film and television industry and recently began dabbling in starting a Tshirt business called O’Pinyon Press Services. He has more recently primarily been in the role of stay-at-home-dad since the birth of their son Graham. Baby Graham was born August 1, 2015. He loves to smile, laugh, and absorb the world around him like a sponge. The Thomas family loves Moab – exploring it and the surrounding areas, as well as the vibrant Moab community.
Zach Ahrens | Moab, Fall 2015
Zach built his home with Community Rebuilds in the Fall of 2015. Zach incorporated some beautiful natural elements into his home, like a juniper branch in his corner shelf, and a river rock bathroom floor. As a biologist with Moab Native Aquatics, these details reflect Zach's interest in nature and science. He loves his solar panels and almost never turns the heat.
Heila Ershadi | Moab, Fall 2015
Heila's home was built in the Fall of 2015, nestled in a quiet flag lot with beautiful portal views. Heila and her two children, Cyrus and Veda, have enjoyed making the spacious lot their own, with chickens, a play ground, and a thriving rainwater harvesting garden. Heila is very integrated into the Moab community, through both her job working at Four Corners Behavioral Health, and serving on the Moab City Council.
Heather Gallagher | Moab, Spring 2015
Heather works as a rock climbing and canyoneering guide at Moab Cliffs and Canyons, and serves and bartends at various local restaurants. Her passion for rock climbing has taken her to many locations around the United States and over 20 different countries. Despite her numerous “going away” parties she has always ended up returning to Moab and is happy to officially call it her home.
Lynn Chenard| Moab, Spring 2015
Lynn has called the southwest home for quite a while and built her CR home in the Spring of 2016 to establish more permanent roots. Lynn is an avid climber and works in the local tourism industry.
The Doucettes | Moab, Fall 2014
Josh and Porscha were a part of the first semester where CR built two homes simultaneously, and were among the first homes to have solar power. They fancy themselves an adventurous couple – enjoying all of the outdoor activities that Moab has to offer, particularly climbing desert towers. Josh works in the field of environmental science, while Porscha is a yoga instructor and has also served on the CR board of directors.
Randy and Melissa | Moab, Fall 2014
Randy and Melissa were a part of the first Community Rebuilds semester to build two homes simultaneously and to be solar powered. Melissa owns her own caregiving service called Moab Sitter Services. The two enjoy biking, trail running, and rafting on the river.
Steve Langello | Moab, Spring 2014
Steve originally owned a trailer in the neighborhood where CR helped him build a new home. In 2005, the residents of the trailer park where Steve lived were told they could no longer live there. This situation actually sparked the initial vision for Community Rebuilds. Nine years later, it was exciting for both CR and Steve to be able to rebuild in the same location.
Andi Pelizzari | Moab, Fall 2013
Andi buit her home with CR in the Fall of 2013. She is a long-time resident of Moab and has worked many years for the local sushi restaurant, Sabaku.
Bryan and Nancy | Gunnison, 2013
Bryan and Nancy were the first homeowners CR worked with in Gunnison County, CO. Their home was built in Gunnison in 2013, using the classic three-bedroom, 2-bathroom floor plan.
Lorenzo McGregor | Moab, Spring 2013
Lorenzo Watson McGregor III is a raft guide for an expedition company out of Paige, AZ and has been based in Moab for a number of years. He is looking forward to having a home to return to in between high-season trips and to bunker down in during future winters while there is no raft-guiding. He has been renting places in Moab for the winter season in years past and making good use of friends’ couches during the high-season. Welcome home Lorenzo!
Allison VanLonkhuyzen | Moab, Fall 2012
Allison works for the National Parks Service at Arches National Park. Allison was able to purchase a trailer in town, which was then demolished and rebuilt with her CR home. As someone who never thought she would be able to own a home in Moab, Allison was thrilled to have had this opportunity.
Nancy and Eric | Moab, Spring 2012
Eric and Nancy were able to replace their dilapidated trailer with a new CR home in the Spring of 2012. Shortly after moving in, they made their family a trio and welcomed their daughter, Lila. Both Eric and Nancy work in the Mountain Biking industry. Nancy has also spent time on the Community Rebuilds board of directors, and continues to support new homeowner through the process.
Laurel Hagen | Moab, Fall 2011
Laurel had previously been living in a trailer on her property south of town. CR was able to help Laurel rebuild her home in the fall of 2011. Originally from California, Laurel has had her hands in many pots in Moab from guiding to the non profit thrift store, Wabi Sabi.
Sasha and Colleen | Moab, 2010
Sasha and Colleen live in the first CR home ever built! Built over the course of two semesters in 2010, CR and the first batch of interns replaced their dilapidated trailer. Sasha is an avid mountain biker and works for Rim Cyclery, while Colleen has worked at Wabi Sabi Thrift Store.
