They come every Tuesday and Thursday morning, and stand ready when asked to come any other day, too.  They bring their tool belts, sack lunch, coffee and most importantly, the wealth of knowledge that can only be acquired with experience and a willingness to learn.  These men and women show up early to the job site, and work until the day is finished.  All work under the same principals; with excellent work ethic, precision, and heart!  At times they bleed, many times they sweat, and they actually enjoy it!  The best part?  They do it for free…they are the “regular” Habitat weekday construction volunteers, though there is nothing “regular” about them!

A few men have volunteered on the Habitat construction site since our formation in 1990; that was 79 houses ago!  Their blood, sweat and tears have literally been invested in every home.  While we have recently created a visual Habitat History Timeline, presented at the 20^th anniversary celebration last Thursday, these men are the best source for the facts!

The volunteers come from all walks of life, ranging from retired engineers, school teachers, office personnel, foresters; you name it!  So why do they come?  It depends on who you ask.  One will tell you how his father used to do construction, and that he feels good staying connected to the field.   Another will tell you how they are fulfilling a life-long goal of continuing to learn new things.  A married couple will probably say, “We are retired and now doing what we want to do!  We enjoy building homes!”  Some members of the team were recruited by their neighbors who knew they would enjoy the work. 

Enjoy the work?  Absolutely!  They will all tell you about the immeasurable sense of satisfaction gained from putting in a good day of honest, hard work for a cause.  The relationships made in working alongside the family for which they are volunteering is indeed a highlight to the job.

It is common to find the crew “cutting up” in the break trailer as they eat their lunches, and giving one another a hard time as they work.  They maintain a fun sense of camaraderie and welcome “newcomers” with a smile and a hammer.  When a large, inexperienced group of volunteers are scheduled to work on a Saturday, the regular volunteers will serve as crew leaders; volunteers who are skilled in one or several areas that can maintain/teach unskilled workers. 

It is hard to envision Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland carrying on our mission to build houses and hope with families in need of decent shelter without these men and women.  The Lord’s faithfulness and the hearts of these volunteers are the pillar by which we stand.  Thank you…regular construction volunteers, for being on our team and investing in Bradley County.  We cannot do this without your heart and dedication.  “The heart of a volunteer is not measured in size, but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others.” – DeAnn Hollis.

Below is a slide show highlight some of our weekly Habitat volunteers.

Habitat Volunteers from Habitat Cleveland on Vimeo.