Last October students of the University of Wisconsin Habitat for Humanity chapter began building a home for the Peterson’s, a local family in Madison. Eight months later, the house was completed. Students at UW had succeeded in building their second home for a Madison family.
New homeowner Joette Peterson, said her experience was a lesson in receiving.
“Life hasn’t always been easy,” she said. “There hasn’t always been a lot of support and to see all these people coming together to help you and your child, it was an amazing experience.”
Each Saturday around 50 volunteers from the 300-member UW Habitat for Humanity chapter meet to go and work on the current project.
Peterson was incredibly touched by the students who worked with her and her family to build their home.
“The students at UW will be role models for me for the rest of my life,” she said.
Jess Acker is a fifth year member of Habitat for Humanity and the UW chapter’s president. For her, it has been a learning experience.
“It helps build character and made me become a stronger leader,” Acker said. “It gives me the ability to work with so many different kinds of people.”
Acker explained how Habitat for Humanity is different from most other organizations. “The results are so tangible, you can see the house being built, you experience community relationships,” she said.
Peterson could not say enough about the students’ efforts.
“They are college students living on an income and to be able to devote so much time to someone else’s lives instead getting a job or doing school work is incredible.”
Peterson said building her home was a beneficial process. It gave her a lot of confidence. If something goes wrong in the house she now knows she has the ability to fix it.
But for many students, like freshman Rachel Wieker, Habitat for Humanity is not only about helping people, it is about having fun.
“While working on the house I had a blast,” she said. “I danced and used a screw gun.”
Other students, such as sophomore Josh Reiter just like to be involved.
“I have always been involved in something,” Reiter said. “If you want to get involved in something and enjoy building, it’s the place to be.”
The UW Habitat for Humanity chapter is continuing its efforts around the Madison area. This year they are building the chapter’s third house located on the east side.
In the spring they will be doing a fundraiser called Rent-A-Habitater. Volunteers will go to neighborhoods to do small repairs or spring cleaning in exchange for donations that will go toward next year’s house.
At the end of May, students will also be going to Costa Rica to build homes.
Meetings are held each Monday night at 7 p.m. at the Pres House on Murray Street. Members gather to learn about the current houses progress, practice skills they will need to be equipped with to build the house and have fun.
