Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-Ohio Valley Board Member Carolyn Garrity, left, hands widow and Denmark native Carina Ruble, center, and her daughter Hannah Ruble, right, a key and a Bible for their new house on Ridgeway Avenue in Parkersburg a dedication ceremony Tuesday evening. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

PARKERSBURG – Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-Ohio Valley dedicated a home on Ridgeway Avenue Tuesday evening for a widow and her child.

A group of Habitat staff and volunteers, as well as family and friends, gathered at the three-bedroom two-bath one story gray house to welcome new homeowner Carina Ruble and her daughter Hannah to their new home during a dedication ceremony Tuesday evening.

The Rubles are the 118th family Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-Ohio Valley has helped, according to Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-Ohio Valley Director of Development and Communications Lisa Collins.

“This home is especially meaningful because it once belonged to a widowed mom and her children,” Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-Ohio Valley Executive Director Robin Stewart said in a media release. “When she died, she left the house to Habitat, so we were able to help another widowed mom move into a remodeled house that will once again become a home.”

Carina Ruble is from Denmark and met her American husband in an online game room, according to Habitat’s website, and then moved to the U.S. and they were married for 10 years and had a daughter named Hannah.

Carina Ruble, right, shows off an ornament Tuesday night she was given during a dedication ceremony to help decorate her house that she received from Habitat of Humanity of the Mid-Ohio Valley. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

“Then, he passed suddenly in 2021 due to COVID, and Carina’s life changed dramatically,” the website said.

Ruble’s home fell in disrepair her first winter by herself, with her pipes freezing and busting, according to the website, and she was only able to replace half of them, so she has running water in her bathroom and laundry but none in her kitchen and has to wash her dishes in the bathroom sink.

Her furnace has gone bad so the Rubles heat with space heaters and the electrical system in her home possibly won’t take another winter of the load from the heaters, the website said.

“She’s ready to give her daughter a safe, stable place to grow up – and she’s planning her first Christmas in their new home,” the website said.

During the ceremony staff and volunteers talked about the work on the house and how they have come to know the Rubles. Refurbished furniture is being donated to the Rubles for their new house, according to Stewart. Carina Ruble was presented with an ornament and a gift certificate for free pizza during the ceremony as well.

Fifth-grader Hannah Ruble shows off her new bedroom in the house she and her mother Carina Ruble are receiving through Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-Ohio Valley. The Rubles are the 118th family helped by Habitat. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

Tuesday night Habitat Board Member Carolyn Garrity gave Carina Rule and Hannah Ruble a key and a Bible for their new home.

The Rubles will be moving into their new home this month. They officially get the keys to the house on Friday, according to Carina Ruble, and she, Hannah and their mastiff.shepherd mix dog Coal will start moving in next weekend.

“I’m very excited,” Carina Ruble said. “It’s been a long journey but I’m glad it’s at the end of it now.”

“It’s pretty big,” Hannah said about the house, adding her new room is about twice as big as her old room.

She said she plans on decorating her room with “fake vine decorations and ceiling cloud LED lights.”

Carina Ruble, center right, listens as Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-Ohio Valley staff and volunteers talk about her and the house she and her daughter are receiving from Habitat during a dedication ceremony for the house Tuesday evening. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

Hannah Ruble is in the fifth grade and because she and her mother are moving from Washington, W.Va., to Parkersburg, she will be changing schools.

“I’m nervous moving schools,” she said, but she is excited about her new backyard.

Hannah Ruble said at their old place they couldn’t have any permanent playground type equipment, At their new home the yard has “more space” and she will be able to have more, better playground type equipment, Hannah Ruble said.

The Rubles are moving into their new home just in time for Christmas and they will be celebrating two Christmases, according to Carina Ruble.

“I am from Denmark,” Carina Ruble said, so her family celebrates Danish and American Christmas.

Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-Ohio Valley Board Member Carolyn Garrity, left, congratulates Carina Ruble on her new home that she and her daughter received through Habitat during a dedication ceremony for the home Tuesday evening. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

She said they will celebrate Danish Christmas on Dec. 24 and American Christmas on Dec. 25.

Danish Christmas traditions are a little different, according to the Habitat website. Julamandan (The Christmas Man) comes the night of Dec. 23 and children wait all day on Dec. 24 while the holiday meal of goose, boiled potatoes with brown gravy, caramelized potatoes and pickled red cabbage is cooked, the website said.

Carina Ruble will be making chicken because it is more affordable, and some family members will be coming to enjoy the dinner, and a traditional dessert, risalamande, which is a rice pudding with a cherry sauce, according to the website.

Once the evening meal is finished, Hannah Ruble will see what Santa brought her, the website said, and Carina Ruble and Hannah Ruble will spend Christmas Day with her sister-in-law celebrating American Christmas.

The Habitat website wished Carina Ruble and Hannah Ruble a Merry Christmas, or God Jul, as they say in Denmark.

Carina Ruble and her daughter Hannah Rule are receiving a home on Ridgeway Avenue in Parkersburg, pictured, through Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-Ohio Valley. The house was owned by a widow and her children and when the woman died she left it to Habitat allowing it to be rehabilitated and made into a home again for a widow and her child, the Rubles. (Photo by Michelle Dillon)

Hannah Ruble is looking forward to “the presents” at Christmas, which is her favorite part.

Carina Ruble’s favorite part of either American and Danish Christmas is “the food and the company,” she said.

Carina Ruble did some of her sweat equity hours in the Habitat for Humanity Restore and the office, according to Stewart, and they have all gotten to know her as a friend. She congratulated the Rubles on their new house.

More information on Habitat for Humanity of the Mid-Ohio Valley can be found at www.habitatmov.com and more information on Danish holiday traditions can be found at www.visitdenmark.com/denmark/things-do/christmas/traditions.