Each year, the people who care about affordable housing in our community come together for an evening of connection and meaning. On September 16th, we gathered our neighbors, volunteers, donors, trade partners, and families at the heart of our mission at Hotel Madison to celebrate what becomes possible when a community decides to support one another.

This year's Annual Banquet also marked a first for our affiliate. We presented our first-ever Millard Fuller Legacy Awards to two people whose fingerprints are on nearly every corner of our work: Johann Zimmermann and Gil Colman. In the video above, they share in their own words why a safe, affordable home matters so much, and why Habitat is the organization to build it.

Introducing the Millard Fuller Legacy Award and the Cornerstone Society

The Millard Fuller Legacy Award is named in honor of the founder of Habitat for Humanity. It recognizes individuals whose extraordinary commitment, leadership, generosity, and service have made a lasting impact on our mission.

Along with the award, Johann and Gil became the inaugural members of the Central Valley Habitat Cornerstone Society. The Cornerstone Society recognizes the people who helped lay the foundation our affiliate has been built on, and going forward, we plan to welcome new members each year.

Habitat is built not only by those who construct homes, but also by those who give generously, lead faithfully, volunteer tirelessly, advocate passionately, and inspire others. Johann and Gil each represent that spirit in different but equally important ways.

Johann Zimmermann: A Lifetime on the Jobsite

Johann has been part of Central Valley Habitat for many years, serving as a Board member, Construction Manager, engineer, and longtime volunteer. Few people have spent more time on our jobsites or had a greater direct impact on the nearly 90 homes our affiliate has built. Even today, Johann continues to help with building plans, design, and engineering. His fingerprints, both literally and figuratively, are on a significant portion of the homes in our community.

For Johann, the need for decent housing is personal. He grew up living in a trailer in New York State.

"If you go through winter without heat and frozen water pipes and frozen plumbing, you know what it means to live in bad conditions."

Gil Colman: Finding the Ground Where Families Build Their Futures

Gil has served Central Valley Habitat as a member of our Board of Directors and longtime volunteer, generously sharing his professional expertise to advance our mission. He has donated countless hours of site engineering work and played an important role in our site selection process, helping us evaluate and identify the properties where Habitat families build their futures.

Gil's commitment to affordable housing extends well beyond Habitat. He has served on the Harrisonburg Planning Commission and is a respected regional advocate for expanding affordable housing opportunities. He knows how hard it has become for working families to get a foothold.

"A lot of those families would be renting for life. They could not afford to buy, and the cost of rent today is so expensive that there is no opportunity for savings."

That is exactly where he believes Habitat fills a gap no one else can.

"If somebody can build affordable housing, it is Habitat."

For Gil, the reward is watching a piece of land become something much more. "Before it might have been a field," he shared, "but now there's a home where there's a family that lives there."

An Evening of Generosity and Community Auctions

Looking around the room, the full picture was clear. Trade partners, local businesses, longtime volunteers, first-time supporters, and the families whose lives are changing all shared the same space. The banquet brought more than 250 community leaders, professionals, and Habitat supporters together in one room.

Alongside the awards, the evening was filled with inspiring stories, connection, and both silent and live auctions. Our guests showed up in a big way, and the live auction alone raised more than $11,000. Gifts are still coming in, and every contribution, large or small, helps local families build strength, stability, and self-reliance through affordable homeownership. This is a hand up, not a handout, and it is why our homeowners are always at the center of the story.

Thank You to Our Banquet Sponsors

We are deeply grateful to the sponsors, live auction donors, and our friends at Hotel Madison who made the Annual Banquet possible. Your commitment to our community and to the hardworking families striving for a better future means everything. Sponsoring this event was a tangible way to show support for affordable housing right here at home.

Thank you for valuing local partnerships and charitable impact in the Central Valley.

Presenting Sponsor

How to Get Involved Today

Johann and Gil are proof that there is no single way to build a home. Some people bring engineering plans, some bring their time and energy, and some bring the generosity that keeps every build moving. Every hour, every dollar, and every set of hands moves the mission forward.

Whether you are a business that supports our work or an individual ready to step onto a build site for the first time, there is a place for you at the table. Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate this community, honor Johann and Gil, and stand alongside the families building their futures with us.

Volunteer With Habitat