Dan Walz. Was he merely the stuff of dreams? Dreams perhaps resulting from a spicy snack eaten just before bed?
No, Dan Walz was very real, and his gentle guidance and generous spirit influenced all involved with Rockbridge Area Habitat. During his decade-long tenure as Executive Director, he helped 34 hardworking Rockbridge families achieve homeownership, and oversaw a pilot ReHabitat program.
When Dan first came to Habitat in 2001, we were building one to two houses a year; under his leadership, that number has risen to four homes a year. In April of 2011, Rockbridge Area Habitat received an award for having built more homes, in relation to population, than any other Virginia affiliate.
Dan left us to take a risk management position with Habitat for Humanity International. He and his wife, Amy, and their two sons, will continue to live in Lexington, and Dan will telecommute. Working from home will allow him to bake his famous wedding cookies in between managing risks (or risking management). The Rockbridge Habitat staff hope he’ll share some of those cookies from time to time.
Lexington ReStore Manager, Jane Ann Wells, presents Dan with a humorous plaque
March 18 was Dan’s last day with RAH, and a combination party and “roast” was held in his honor at the Lexington ReStore. Over 30 volunteers, board members, and homeowners attended the event. He abashedly accepted praise for his leadership of a flourishing Habitat affiliate, and bravely endured ribbing for idiosyncrasies such as talking aloud to himself and changing his opinion mid-sentence.
Before Dan’s departure, the Habitat Board named Lynn Leech as Interim Executive Director. Lynn has been on the board since 2009, and edited the spring 2010 edition of our newsletter, the Homesteader. Before joining Team Habitat, she held the post of Managing Editor for Washington and Lee University’s Shenandoah, one of the country’s premier literary magazines.
Lynn is a native of Rockbridge County, and she and her husband, Rick, live in Lexington. They have two grown daughters, one grandson, and a cat named Maxine. While the Leech’s children have moved away from Lexington, Maxine steadfastly remains at home.
Board Chair, Jim Kvach & Lynn Leech
When asked about her past experiences with Habitat, and her expectations for the future, Lynn responded as follows:
As a college freshman, I applied for an internship with a fledgling organization, Habitat for Humanity, a group that was beginning to make large strides in providing decent, affordable housing in partnership with the working poor in and around Americus, Georgia. I was never able to work out the details to serve that internship, but the seed of the meaningful work Habitat does was planted and has stayed with me. And now, years later, I find that seed has borne fruit as I have been asked to serve as Interim Executive Director of Rockbridge Area Habitat. The challenge is made easier, since I am assuming leadership of a successful program supported by outstanding, dedicated staff and hard-working volunteers. I hope you’ll join us in our efforts to advance our affiliate’s outreach as we work to break the cycle of poverty in Rockbridge County, one house-one family-at a time.
