Volunteers help provide affordable housing with Habitat for Humanity

From West End Boulevard approaching College Street, passers-by can see Habitat for Humanity homes built before 2006.

Habitat for Humanity has built 22 homes in Cape Girardeau since 1986, and will complete four or five new homes this year. Thrivent, Rotary, Buchheit, United Way and Bank of America have planned builds. Two homes on College Street and one on Centennial are Thrivent- and Rotary-sponsored homes being built by Notre Dame Regional High School students. Students from Joliette, Ill., will return for another year of Habitat building.

Notre Dame assistant principal Brad Wittenborn thinks Habitat for Humanity construction manager Tim Campbell is patient with the students. "This man is a very good teacher," Wittenborn said.

It's Campbell's second year on the job, and according to him it's the best job he's ever had in his 29 years of experience.

"I just enjoy the people," said Campbell, who also owns Campbell Construction. "This is the only job I ever had where people volunteer on their day off and at the end of the day shake your hand and thank you for letting them come to work."

Giving back

He was hired by Habitat when he answered an ad in the newspaper. He could be making about $20,000 more a year in his trade, but he chooses this way to give back to the community.

The workday begins at 8 a.m. with prayer followed by a safety speech with specifics, including "If it's not clear, ask again," and "Anyone without experience in power tools should not use them before asking for help."

Paige Schumer, 16, is building Habitat homes for her second year. She'll probably come out again if she has the opportunity. Schumer has sweated side by side with the owners of these homes and thinks this is a good learning experience. So far, she's learned how to put up siding, frame a house and make the walls level. She said she probably won't do this for a living. Experience has taught her it's a lot of work.

The work gets done at a good pace with a range of 15 to 30 daily hands. Campbell said, "This is a good group. They framed a house in one day."

Team effort makes the load lighter. A siding group engages one hanger on a ladder using a hammer, another worker handing out nails and once they encounter a bent piece of siding that won't fit, history teacher Matt Vollink straightens it out and hands it back.

Brett Heischmidt, 17, has learned some tricks using a hammer while working on Habitat houses.

"I do it for something to do. I don't have a summer job," he said.

Wittenborn has been familiar with Habitat for years but last year was his first time he got involved. John Voss, parent of two Notre Dame students, Jordan and Justin, is on the Cape Habitat board and asked for lodging for the Providence Catholic High School group from Joliette.

"This motivated me to get a little more involved," Wittenborn said.

Notre Dame's involvement last year launched an organizational meeting that explained to students that they had an opportunity to help people in this community who can't afford a house through conventional means.

Sweat equity

"The energy of our young people, not just Notre Dame students, is underutilized. They want to make a difference in the world," Wittenborn said.

Habitat for Humanity International is a not-for-profit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry that provides affordable housing, but it doesn't just give away homes. Habitat homeowners make a down payment, monthly mortgage payments and provide 350 hours of sweat equity for homes throughout the world.

Cape Girardeau Habitat's annual family selection committee solicits applicants for partner families throughout the area, whose income is between 25 percent and 50 percent of the median. Applicants must be legal residents and have lived in the Cape Girardeau area for at least a year. Families are chosen based on their need, ability to pay and willingness to partner with Habitat.

For more information, call Cape Area Habitat for Humanity at 334-9728.

cpagano@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133