Builder competes for Ultimate Volunteer

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By ABC11

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Tom Gipson, a Triangle homebuilder, is one of ten finalists. The winner of the contest will be announced nationwide on an episode of "The View."

You can vote for Gipson anytime through Sunday, October 11. One vote is allowed per e-mail per day. To vote, click here.

Gipson is being recognized for his philanthropic service to Habitat for Humanity.

In 2002, he gathered builders in Raleigh to join him in building Habitat houses for free. The group developed the Habitat Homebuilder Blitz program and one week in November, they built a dozen homes.

The following year, the group doubled its efforts, building 24 homes.

Because the program was so successful in the Triangle, Gipson took his idea to Habitat International in hopes of making the program a national effort.

Over the next two years, Gipson used his own money to travel the U.S. and recruit homebuilders for the program. In June 2006, more than 1,000 homebuilders joined him to construct 459 Habitat homes in one week.

The homes were built in the homebuilders' communities around the country.

Gipson continues to travel the U.S. leading blitz builds.