Photos by Thompson Creative

Colton and Keri put their hands on the wooden frame that will be a wall in their new home. The first home of their own.

With their toddler watching and with the help of more than a dozen community members by their side, they used their strength to lift the wooden frame at the construction site of their home in Hayden Homes’ First Place community in Bend.

This “wall-raising” event is a milestone celebrated in every community where a new First Story home is built. It brings together the family that will eventually move into the home, the home builders from Hayden Homes, community members, and First Story supporters to celebrate the partnerships that make First Story’s affordable homeownership opportunities possible.

On May 9, the Adams family raised the wall on their new home. Born and raised in Eugene, Colton and Keri moved to Bend in 2010 to start a family.

“The opportunity to buy a First Story home is our chance for our boys to grow up and make memories here – the place we have called home since 2010,” said Colton.

The Adams family will get the keys to their new home and move in when construction is complete in the fall.