Building Things and Doing Something Worthwhile with Habitat

The idea of retiring and being able to do what you want, when you want, or to sit back and do nothing at all, sounds appealing, at first. However, to Dick Hertel and Jim Wehri, and the rest of the South Metro Regulars crew, retirement quickly changed from doing little to finding new ways to do more of what they always liked doing, and discovering new ways to help people.

“I like building things and helping people. Always have,” Hertel says. ”I was an electrical engineer and software engineer before I retired.”

“I just like carpentry and doing something worthwhile,” Wehri says. “And I like the camaraderie.”

“We have a great group of guys,” Hertel adds.

Other members of the crew reflect the same attitudes. As they work in pairs or trios, the crewmembers joke, and coach and tease each other in the easy manner of people totally comfortable with each other. Wehri said that in the 4 plus years he’s been part of the team he’s never heard a cross word or argument between any of the crewmembers.

When asked what they’d say to anyone considering volunteering with Habitat, or becoming a regular crewmember, the sentiment was always, “Try it. You’ll learn new stuff and we have good people to teach you how to do anything that needs doing.”

Bryn Chanber, their site supervisor for the day, was quick to give the crew credit for, “…being a great group of guys who know how to get things done.”

You don’t have to be retired, or a man, or a skilled builder to become a member of a regular crew. Anyone who is available to work one or two 8-hour days on site every week, can become a crewmember. Site Supervisor Chanber said, “We count on the regulars to get things done. We couldn’t do all that we do without them.” If you’re willing to put in the time, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity will provide the tools and the training.

For anyone interested in learning more about becoming a member of one of TC Habitat’s regular crews, contact volunteer@tchabitat.org. Volunteer today and start making an impact on eliminating poverty housing from the Twin Cities.