Sunday brunches and family outings are always a fine way to celebrate Mother’s Day. However, a few Whidbey Island moms are spending part of the holiday weekend with hammers and other building implements in hand.

Habitat for Humanity of Island County’s “Women Build” event started Friday and concludes today, May 8.

Approximately two dozen women attended the build event Friday and a similar number are expected today.

They are teaming up to put the finishing touches on a house located south of Oak Harbor that will be the home of Michael Brown and his two children.

Volunteers spent Friday installing siding on Brown’s home.

“We’ve been a supporter of Habitat for many years and now that I’m retired, I can get involved in the building,” Michele Johnson said while doing caulking work.

Among the women helping out on Brown’s home are two moms who will be getting Habitat homes of their own later this year.

The groundbreaking for Dorothy Avila’s home took place May 3. Hers will be the 23rd home built by Island County Habitat for Humanity. Her home will be more swiftly constructed thanks to what Habitat officials call a “blitz build.” A local contractor, Cascade Custom Homes, and its subcontractors will team up to build Avila’s home in several weeks.

Avila volunteered for the Mother’s Day weekend Women Build program to show support for the other women and moms who are donating time.

“This is something I’ve always wanted to do,” Avila said.

She became involved with Habitat for Humanity in February, volunteering at the store and participating in Habitat events.

The new three-bedroom home is sure to be an upgrade over the trailer home where she and her two grandchildren currently reside. When she isn’t volunteering for Habitat for Humanity or raising her grandchildren, she is trying to find a job.

Kylee Allen is also volunteering with Habitat for Humanity while waiting for her own home to be built in September. She has three children.

She’s working today with Women Build, in support of all the women, children and families who have helped Habitat for Humanity.

“I thought it would be a perfect way to support all of the above,” Allen said of the Mother’s Day weekend event.

Habitat for Humanity of Island County has an ambitious building schedule for 2010. Officials hope to have seven home constructed by the end of the year. Five of those will be built on North Whidbey, while the other two will be built on South Whidbey, said Aimee Imlee, resource development manager for Island County Habitat for Humanity. She added that members from 10 Whidbey churches are teaming up to build a home in Teronda West on Central Whidbey. Construction of the “Apostle’s Build” project is scheduled to begin sometime in June.