All hands were on deck at a recent Orchid Island Habitat Memories from the Sea cocktail party at the home of Beau Smith to benefit Indian River Habitat for Humanity.

More than 100 guests cruised through what Smith’s friends fondly refer to as his model ship museum, which includes a most impressive collection of 40 ships as well as an army of toy soldiers.

“Our community is very much involved with Habitat. It’s very important for people to meet and work with people who are not as lucky as they are,” said Smith, who offered docent-led tours of his collection to the Habitat donors.

Afterward, guests gathered to toast another successful year of helping individuals to accomplish their dreams of living in a home of their own.

“This year we delivered and supported two homes to help families get a hand up,” said John Morrow, Orchid Island Habitat House committee co-chair with Susan Ryan. Coincidentally, one of those homes was that of an Orchid Island staff member.

“It was a very nice coincidence that we were able to keep it somewhat in the family. We hope to be able to continue what we have done. We’re up to almost 28 homes since 2001, which for our small community is quite admirable,” said Morrow.

Orchid Island residents provide financial assistance, work on homes in Fellsmere’s Grace Meadows Community two days a week and volunteer at the Habitat ReStore to help support the mission to build or improve places people can call home. Habitat helps homeowners to achieve the strength, stability and independence needed to create better lives for themselves and their families.

“I like the Habitat model because it’s a hand up. When you just give somebody something and there’s no vested interest, it doesn’t mean as much,” noted Morrow. He added that the Habitat model of requiring homeowners to put in sweat equity hours and pay a mortgage changes how people view home ownership.

“Habitat recirculates their money. When those folks pay their mortgage, that money goes back to Indian River Habitat and it’s reinvested, so it’s a perpetuating situation,” said Morrow.

For more information, visit irchabitat.org.