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Wednesday, 28 July 2010 |
 Measure twice, cut once? Paul Hyatt and Jack Leech, Members of the Tuesday Crew, work together to correctly cut a board for a Habitat for Humanity house at Habitat Village in Benton.
These willing people are the Tuesday Crew, and they are an important part of the completion of many Habitat for Humanity homes, Habitat officials say.
“They get a lot of things done on Tuesdays that we can’t get done on the weekends,” said Katy Remington of Habitat.
The Tuesday Crew has been meeting for the last year, though many of the members of the crew have been working with Habitat for numerous years. Most of the crew are retired from various different careers.
Crew member Paul Hyatt, of Benton, found a new light in his life after he started working with Habitat nearly 10 years ago.
“My wife and I sold our air conditioning business in 1996, and I didn’t have anything to do. I kind of went into a depression, but then the tornado hit (in 1997) in East End and I went out and helped with the Churches Joint Council on Human Needs,” Hyatt said. “Then, Habitat saw me out working and I started with them in 2000 or so. I’ve been ‘habitating’ ever since.”
Hyatt has been part of all of the 43 houses built by Habitat, including the 18 houses at Habitat Village in Benton. But he’s not the only viable member of the crew.
Construction Supervisor Linda Hambric came to Habitat with more than 30 years of home-building know-how. She always enjoyed working on homes, but Habitat offers a more personal experience.
“You come in and you volunteer for once and you want to keep coming back. You’re not giving them a home. You’re giving them a hand up,” Hambric said.
Habitat home owners have to pay for their homes through a zero interest, 20-year loan. They have to give at least 150 hours of work on their own home and 150 hours on another home, per every member of the family 18 years old and older.
And while the home owners get a lot out of the work by the Tuesday Crew, the crew members have also reaped benefits.
“It’s a lot of fun. It’s a learning experience. I learn something new every time. The more I do it, the more confident I get in doing things,” said Sharon Prickett of the crew.
Hyatt agrees and also enjoys the company of those on the crew.
“I enjoy working with my hands, and I enjoy the people I work with. We’re all retired and it gives us some social life. Some of these folks I’ve known for years,” Hyatt said.
We have a common interest. We like to help other people and when you have a common interest, it makes it more fun.”
The Tuesday Crew is always looking for more members and encourages those with the time to come help. The crew arrives at the work site around 6 a.m. and leaves by lunch time, or a little later. Lunch is provided on some days.
While the crew will appreciate more workers, they can also use more equipment. Hambric said the crew needs garden tools — shovels, hoes, wheel barrows, rakes — and carpentry tools.
For more information about Habitat for Humanity, or to learn how to become a member of the Tuesday Crew, call Habitat at 315-5434.
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