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Boston College students volunteer to help build Habitat house in Huntington
Huntington Mayor Kim Wolfe on Monday, March 2, 2009, welcomes 14 Boston College students who are spending the week working on Huntington's 68th Habitat house as part of the Habitat for Humanity International's Collegiate Challenge Program.
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HUNTINGTON -- The cold weather and biting wind made 14 Boston College students right at home in Huntington Monday morning as the bundled-up group started its spring break volunteer program.
The first of three college groups is in town building a house as part of a Habitat for Humanity's Collegiate Challenge program. Kerri Boyd, the construction supervisor at what will become a home at 1920 Artisan Ave., said the students put their own plans aside to get involved in a project that isn't even in their own community.
"They're here because they want to be here," Boyd said. "They're giving up their spring break."
Boston College senior Phil Kowalski, the only returning member of last year's trip that worked on 1940 Artisan Ave., said he has had a lot of fun on his previous two trips. He said there are 620 Boston College students on 37 trips this week.
Freshman Allie Minogue said she's never built anything, but that didn't stop her from putting aside a warm-weather trip to help build a home for someone in need.
"Who needs the beach? Cancun will still be there," she said. "It's so rewarding to be able to serve the people who need it."
The group is working on the floors and walls this week, and if weather remains dry, they'll be setting roof tresses by Thursday afternoon.
"We're working on the floors, so it's hard to envision (the house)," she said. "But not seeing it is part of it. Knowing in your heart you achieved something that will hopefully last for decades."
The home is the fifth house to be constructed in conjunction with the city of Huntington's Artisan Avenue Redevelopment Project.
All three groups, which also include students from Providence College, Virginia Tech and Ohio State, are staying at First Presbyterian Church. Providence and Virginia Tech will be here March 9 through 13, while Ohio State will be here March 23 through 27.
