First Lady learns to build

The “First Ladies” of Iowa and Missouri and a few dozen women are carryinglumber, weilding hammers and building a house in Des Moines. The women — with the help of a handful of men — are building a “Habitatfor Humanity” house, from the ground up. Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsackarrived in hard-hat, with hammer in hand. Missouri First Lady Jean Carnahanand her daughter, Robin, flew to Des Moines to help out. Habitat for Humanity Marketing manager Marcia Ferguson says Christie Vilsackis the 14th “First Lady” to start a Habitat Home.Ferguson says the women who are building the home get a crash course in theconstruction trades.A family of five will move into the three-bedroom, one-bathroom home onceit’s done. The schedule calls for the outside of the house to be done inseven days.