When I tell people that I volunteer on Habitat for Humanity builds, the next question I usually get is whether work gives me time off or do I use vacation time. When I tell them it’s the latter, I usually hear how wonderful a person I must be or how extraordinary it is for taking personal time to do volunteer work. While the compliments are nice, I don’t share that perspective I guess. There’s nothing extraordinary about it. Service to others comes in many forms: caregiving, parenting, donating time or money, to name a few. Just about everyone does something in the service of others and generally we do it on our own time and on our own dime.
That said, I did want to say a big thank you to my fellow build team volunteers. When 12 people from all over Canada come together who don’t know each other (or don’t know each other well) anything can happen including negative things. But experience on seven builds in seven different countries has shown me that people’s first instinct is to work together and to leave the egos at home. This project was no exception. We worked together seamlessly.
Two people I would single out are our team leader, Rita, and the local Whitehorse Habitat for Humanity administrator, Stu. Rita led the team when I volunteered in El Salvador in 2015. When I heard she was leading the Whitehorse team I knew immediately I wanted to go. She is a natural leader who is always thinking several steps ahead and is watchful to make sure the needs of her team are met, whether physical or emotional. Every day ends with an insightful question or challenge from her to the team to make us reflect on the accomplishments of our fellow team members.
Stu is a renaissance man who grew up a military brat all around southern Canada but chose to move to Whitehorse later in his career. He is an authority on just about any subject particularly when it involves promoting what Yukon has to offer to wayward southern Canadians looking to make a lifestyle change! Most importantly, he runs a tight ship here at the Habitat office in Whitehorse, bringing lots of teams in through the year to keep the house building going.
Finally, I want to thank those lovely people who supported my participation on this build. Your generous financial donations keep these projects running and ensure that families in need can get stable and safe housing for their kids. I always make a point of telling the families who eventually receive these homes that before them they see 12 volunteers. But behind each of us volunteers is a network of family and friends who financially support us to help make this project happen. Communities helping communities.
sedativegunk 