Alternative Spring Break: Habitat for Humanity

Wilson College students participating in Habitat for Humanity Photo by Jenna Kauffman

Wilson College students participating in Habitat for Humanity

Photo by Jenna Kauffman

Over spring break, I had the opportunity to travel with our Habitat For Humanity chapter to Logan, Ohio, with ten other students and Professor Chris Mayer, Fulton Center for Sustainable Living Director. Over the course of the week, the 12 of us worked hard on two build sites: one where we helped build the foundation of a house and another where we helped build a retaining wall. I was able to help with both, and I gained experience .

Each day brought a new challenge. On the first site, we put up insulation and then slowly built up until the flooring was laid down. My group went to help at another house, while the other group of six students stayed to help install the flooring.

At the next site, we helped build a retaining wall. It was a lot of work, from the constant shoveling, leveling ground, and lifting the heavy cinder blocks that went into the wall, but all of the work was worth it in the end. While it was not quite finished when we departed, we saw the retaining wall about 95% complete.

On the last day, we worked at a local food bank, helping categorize food. The Habitat for Humanity chapter in Ohio had awesome people help us out with accommodations during the week. The people in the local community were very welcoming and kind. I couldn’t have asked for a better community to assist. They appreciated our service and every night a person or group in the community treated us with a different dinner in addition to the meal provided by our college’s Habitat for Humanity chapter.

I highly suggest that every student while at Wilson goes on at least one Alternative Spring Break trip. It is definitely a rewarding experience.

For more information on the ASB trip, email christine.mayer@wilson.edu.

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