Last week, four Maplewood residents were honored at Habitat for Humanity Newark’s Raising Roofs Gala. The event, held on Thursday, May 28 at the Wilshire Grand Hotel in West Orange, was the second one for the charitable home building group, which has built 70 homes in Central and West Wards of Newark and is working on ongoing projects both in Newark and West Orange.

Kathryn Cassidy, Jesse Horowitz, John Kellenyi and Carol Manning were honored with the Volunteer of the Year Award for their involvement with the Carpenter’s Club. The Carpenter’s Club, described by Habitat Newark as the “backbone of habitat’s volunteer workforce, meets weekly to work on homes for low income families.

Habitat Newark provided Patch with photos and bios of the award winners.

Kathryn Cassidy, a 19-year resident of Maplewood, has worked with the Carpenters Club for four years. A former elementary school teacher in Newark, she completed a special crew chief training program last year sponsored by Habitat for Humanity.

Jesse Horowitz, a retired printing estimator, and his wife, Nancy, are 18-year residents of Maplewood. Horowitz says the Carpenter Club is one of the most rewarding experiences he has had in a long time.

In addition to his many activities with Habitat Newark, John Kellenyi is also active with the Leukemia Society and has funded the Peter Burg Memorial Research Project at the University of Virginia. He is a former Wall Street executive and a marathon runner.

Carol Manning is a member of the Carpenters Club as well as Women Build and the Habitat Marketing and PR committee. She has been certified as a crew chief via special training by Habitat International. Manning, a former Investment Banking Securities Analyst, and her husband, Don, have lived in Maplewood for over 25 years.