Right now, we have about 24 volunteers, RAs and students that live in housing that are here building
today, working on shingles and the inside of the house and setting up the walls.
Two weeks ago, we started with a slab of concrete and many stacks of lumber, but by the end of the day, the students had
the walls up, trusses up and wood on the roof. We had about 80 to 90 the first Saturday.
We'll have about 50 out here today and each Saturday we need fewer students as the house progresses.
In the end, we'll have about 150 students who will have worked on the house.
We raise money every fall through a number of fund-raising efforts. We put students in
charge in each building of raising money. This is our ninth house.
It's really, I really can't put into words, to give, to be a part of giving a family a house, a home,
their first home. It's really just, the family is a great family. To wake up at seven o'clock in the morning to do this, any other time, I might
be like, "ugh, I might not go." But for a family, I jump up to wake up for this. It's just a lot of fun.
It really makes me feel good to come out in whatever kind of weather it is to help this family out.
We had the RAs sign up first and then get them to recruit residents. Their wanting to get involved. They are asking
questions. They are the ones sending e-mails to me asking, "Hey, are there still spots available? I'd love to help out."
So, they make the process a lot easier.
I was kind of nervous. I was like, "Do you really want me with a hammer?" But it worked out.
The supervisors, the safety guys, they really help you to make sure you know what you're doing and really have fun with it.
My favorite has got to be putting the walls up. Because that was the first thing I did and I was nervous.
I was like, "Aw, I don't want to hit my finger on this nail." I was just like, "Please, I don't want to do anything wrong.
What if this wall goes up and it falls over or if I fall?" But, like I said, they give you confidence
and it was just once it got started, it was so much fun. Just seeing that wall go up was like, amazing.
It amazes me of the skills of our students as they work on the various projects of the roofing to putting up walls
and nailing two by fours. It's certainly a tribute also to our students that they would raise the money for this house,
get the RAs actively involved in that process and then come out here and completely build
it for the University of Tennessee. It surely shows the dedication of our students to the community
and to helping make a difference in the world we live in.