On Any Given Wednesday
If you asked an employee of Habitat for Humanity to tell you one of the most commonly heard phrases around the offices, any one of them would probably say, "Our volunteers are the backbone of our organization." And they would be right!
When we think of the hammer's silent echo, our volunteers come to the very forefront of our minds. Hundreds of people participate in Habitat activities on a volunteer basis every year, and there really aren't enough words to say how important and valued they are to us. As Habitat Volunteer Coordinator, Vinita Ledesma can vouch for this fact, exclaiming, "We couldn't get along without them!"
But there is one group of workers that really shines and makes things happen for Habitat. It is the Wednesday Crew-a group of people who have contributed extraordinary commitment, dedication, and hard work to HFH and the families we assist. Many of these folks have been serving with us longer than have any of the current staff. They know the days of old and the days of new, adapting to a number of different construction managers, and accommodating and training the constant stream of newcomers. Vinita even has a special name for a certain segment of these volunteers who began working with Habitat when they attended a build with their sponsoring company, and then ended up staying and continuing to work with us for years on end. She calls them her "True Blue Wednesday Crew." However, everyone on the Wednesday crew gives of themselves endlessly without complaining.
"I enjoy it," says Bob Piening, a man who has volunteered off and on for approximately eight years. "After 30 some years in corporate America, it's a nice break from committee meetings, reports and 15-week approvals. It's instant gratification!" Piening says that he likes working with his hands and doing things for other people. He told us of an interesting memory he has of the first house he worked on with Habitat. It was in Walnut Park in North City and was across from the grade school he went to in the area where he grew up. He said there have been many changes there over 50 years.
One thing that has remained constant for Habitat though, is the Wednesday crew's dedication. They carry boards and unload trucks, do much of the fine tuning and specialized tasks needed on the buildings, and make sure that everything is kept on schedule for the houses. Often they pick up the slack if and when things get bogged down, or they correct mistakes speedily to keep us on track. Their motivation seems to be an endless flow.
Charles Schrock, part of the Wednesday night crew, likes the fact that he can really see the results of his work. Within 15 to 18 weeks, a house can be ready to be occupied. "I like to see families go from government housing to a nice house and see that pressure removed so they can start to focus on their kids' education or neighborhood crime watches," he says.
The work is not always without injury, but these volunteers are committed to the project despite the potential harm. Shrock recalls, "I've lost my left thumbnail three times because my bifocals don't work so well." The crew members keep each other laughing on the site though, and their camaraderie does not end at the build. "We've had some heart-wrenching situations occur for some individuals recently, and they are really there for each other," said Vinita. It's amazing to see the kind of relationships that are built as people labor together on a mission.
Our volunteers are the backbone of our organization."
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The number of volunteers on a site can vary from 20 to 70 on any given Wednesday. We are often able to send out groups of them to multiple work sites, furthering the development of even more Habitat houses in even shorter periods of time. Along the way, we promote some of the veteran volunteers to the role of house leader, wherein they help us teach and train other volunteers, and delegate the work load for maximum efficiency. Most have to be compelled into this position of being in the limelight, as they would rather stay in the background. But they selflessly step into the role and, by doing so, increase Habitat's effectiveness by leaps and bounds.
They say you can't keep a good thing down, and ultimately the good deeds of others will be seen. So, we are taking this opportunity to showcase the deeds of our Wednesday volunteer crew, for they are truly a blessing. They believe, as volunteer Alice Lemp expresses, "that we are really making a difference in St. Louis and a difference in people's lives." And that's what Habitat for Humanity is all about. Many thanks to the Wednesday Crew-the behind-the-scenes workers helping us fulfill that mission!
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