Even as red and yellow leaves turn brown and fall off the trees, new life is sprouting in Nelsonville.

Lora McCulloch and her son Brian have lived in the same small, cramped trailer for many years. But soon they will move into a new home built through their cooperation with Habitat for Humanity.

"It's a very exciting time for us," Lora said. "We're taking things one day at the time."

Brian, who has cerebral palsy, uses a power wheelchair to get around. Moving the wheelchair through the trailer's narrow hallways and small rooms has taken its toll on Lora and the trailer itself. Lora has to carry Brian,12, from room to room when the wheelchair won't fit through the trailer's halls.

Because he is growing, Brian is getting a new, bigger wheelchair. This makes the need for a new house with larger passageways even more necessary, Lora said.

The most difficult room for Brian and Lora to maneuver the wheelchair in is the bathroom. However, this problem will be solved because the new house will feature a bathroom where Brian can power his wheelchair right into the shower.

Brian is excited about the idea of a new house, but he has many questions. He has mixed feelings about leaving the home he has lived in for 12 years and it will take some time for him to adjust, Lora said.

"He has some reservations, but he'll be fine," Lora said.

Brian said he hopes the new house will have room in the backyard for him to play. His face lit up with excitement as he talked about his favorite sports. The sixth grade York Elementary student likes to play basketball and watch the Seattle Seahawks on television.

But Brian's dream would not be possible without the help of Habitat for Humanity. Founded in 1976, Habitat operates under the philosophy of eliminating poverty in housing. In the past 20 years, Habitat volunteers built more than 20,000 homes around the world. Six houses have been built in Athens and the surrounding areas, said Chris Snoddy, Athens County Habitat president.

Habitat works with the families to decide what type of home to build. The McCullochs have been instrumental in the design of the house, Snoddy said. Lora has attended almost every building committee meeting, helping to design the house's floor plan and provide special accommodations for her son.

Although the house is like a gift, it comes with responsibilities. Lora, who works as an exercise technician in Nelsonville, will need to complete 250 volunteer hours, either working on her own house or another one. She attends monthly Habitat meetings to keep informed about the progress of the house, but Lora said she is unsure as to how she will spend her 250 hours.

After a complete assessment of all the costs involved, Lora and Habitat members will work out a loan re-payment schedule. Some of the building materials and the land have been donated, which reduces the amount Lora will have to pay back. The average cost of a Habitat home is $30,000, Snoddy said.

"They're earning (the home)," said Wendy Weichenthal, OU Habitat president. "They're paying for it."

Paying back the loan is integral to the program. The sooner the loan is paid back, the more money there will be to begin building a home for a new family.

Lora will work alongside community members and OU students in constructing the house.

"Students do all the grunt work," Weichenthal said.

Although the actual construction of the house has been delayed, students will begin to put up the frame of the house in two weeks, Snoddy said.

"(Students) offer much enthusiasm and hours of labor," Snoddy said. "On the last two homes, we relied on a lot of student labor. They're available every weekend."

The McCulloch's won't be the only ones who benefit from this project. Students take something away with them, too.

"(The project) is a cool way to get stress out," Weichenthal said. "It's worth it to see the people's faces when (the house) is done. You can actually see that we made a difference in someone's life."