BELLE FOURCHE - The new Northern Hills area chapter of Habitat for Humanity is making strides in providing affordable housing for families in the area.

The chapter will close on its purchase of a lot in Belle Fourche at the end of January and has submitted proposals for lots in Spearfish.

The chapter will host its first fundraiser at the Belle Fourche Community Hall at 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26.

Heather and Rik Collins have met the requirements for Habitat for Humanity housing and will be the recipients of Belle Fourche's first Habitat home. They have also been active in helping with Habitat builds in Rapid City.

Partner families are selected on the basis of need, the ability to repay a modest mortgage, willingness to partner in the program and the eligibility for other financing.

Homeowner partners invest "sweat equity" in building their home.

In the Habitat for Humanity program in the Black Hills, an army of volunteers works side by side with a partner family to build a simple, decent home, sold at no interest and no profit to the partner family to make their dream of home ownership a reality.

Fundraising for the Northern Hills Habitat for Humanity has made great progress in a short time because of the generosity of the community, said Russ Surdez, organizer for the group's current flurry of activity.

Belle Fourche may have the first project for the new Habitat chapter, but the group is getting support and beginning new projects, with help from other communities.

Rapid City has an active chapter, but it had not extended operations into the Northern Hills.

Anyone interested in applying for Habitat for Humanity housing may contact the Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity office in Rapid City at 348-9196.

Tickets for the Jan. 26 prime rib dinner and auction are available at the Roundup Building Center, Post & Bee, Northern Hills Federal Credit Union, Wells Plumbing, The Ground Floor and Tri-State Realty in Belle Fourche. In Spearfish, tickets are available at Affiliated Mortgage, Northern Black Hills Association of Realtors and Black Hills Insurance.

Local artists have donated items including paintings and sculptures for the auction.

Also up for auction will be rodeo tickets and several "getaway packages" for motel stays and meals in the area. Donations are still being accepted.