CRESTVIEW — While college students from throughout the country converged on the county’s beaches, one group eschewed booze and bikinis for hammers and paint brushes during their spring break.
From Crestview Hills, Ky., to Crestview, 21 students and four chaperones from Thomas More College descended on Booker Street to help build a Habitat for Humanity house.
Working alongside homeownerLa’Terica Clark and her daughter, the students painted walls, shingled the roof, put up siding, and installed gutters and flooring during the week of March 8-14.
“This group worked hard and, thanks to many local businesses and organizations, lunches and dinners were provided to them,” Habitat Community Outreach Director Melissa Forte Litscher said.
FEEDING THE FLOCK
Among Crestview organizations feeding the volunteers were the Crestview Whataburger, the North Okaloosa Fraternal Order of Police, and the Crestview Acentria Insurance agency.
“We did subs, chips and everybody got some cookies, and we made some peanut butter-and-jelly in case there were some non-meat eaters, which they really appreciated,” Acentria personal lines account manager Theresa Carroll said.
Carroll said her agency is trying to become more involved in the community and, after meeting Habitat for Humanity staffers at a Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce meeting, thought helping feed the student volunteers was a great fit.
“We didn’t know what to expect, but everybody was super welcoming and eager to show us their work,” Carroll said. “Everybody grabbed hands and got in a big circle and we prayed before lunch. It was cool.”
'AWESOME PROGRAM'
Carroll said she and her colleague Sommer Castille met Clark, who gave them a tour of her home and explained how Habitat for Humanity works.
“It’s a really awesome program,” Carroll said. “These are regular people who are just trying to make it.”
Carroll said with 21 students hard at work, she was amazed at how fast the home took shape. But, Litscher said, it wasn’t all work and no play. After all, it was spring break.
“The projected rain held off so that they could complete the projects and also enjoy some beach time in the afternoons when the work day was done,” she said.
Carroll said she and the Acentria team believe they have found a great way to give back to the community.
“It was amazing,” she said. “We want to definitely work with them (Habitat) in the future.”
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WANT TO HELP?
Habitat for Humanity welcomes volunteers to partner in constructing La'Terica Clark’s Booker Street home or other local projects. Contact 315-0025, ext 3, or volunteer@habitatfwb.org, for more information.
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview groups feed spring breakers building Habitat house