Weber State University students from the Community Involvement Center continued working with Habitat for Humanity to remodel a Clearfield home Saturday.
The remodel began on Feb. 24 when the team of volunteers worked from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. as part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations. Each Saturday since then, students and volunteers have contributed to this home.
The house is two levels with four bedrooms and two bathrooms. It was originally built in 1958 and was donated to Habitat for Humanity last year. Single mother Consuela Gomez and her two boys, ages 4 and 7, will be the recipients of the newly remolded home.
“I feel that this is a big blessing for me and my kids,” Gomez said. “After everything we have been through, we are blessed.”
Saturday’s indoor projects included painting some of the upstairs rooms and finishing the upstairs bathroom.
“We have come a long way, but we still have a lot to finish,” said Lois Golde, the Habitat for Humanity project manager. “We have about four more weeks until we will be finished.”
Students and volunteers have torn out almost all the walls throughout the house and replaced them for better insulation.
“Volunteering is awesome,” said WSU student Jimmy Franco. “It’s kind of like a drug, and I can’t get enough. I love this stuff. I’ve been coming out for a month and have put in around 30 hours.”
Rooms were expanded and a patio was added for better access to the backyard. Some rooms weren’t up to date with code, according to Golde, so volunteers added windows and new walls to a few of the rooms.
“Almost everything was done by hand, without the use of machinery,” Golde said. “We had to haul everything out, wheelbarrow by wheelbarrow.”
Volunteers also gave the garden, that had not been maintained, and the backyard a makeover.
“This is my second time coming out. Before we were tearing out walls, and today I’m working in the garden,” said WSU student Stephanie Ence. “Gardening is something that I like to do. I plan on coming out again.”
This is the last week that the CIC will be recruiting students to volunteer for this project.
“They still need volunteers to come out each Saturday,” said Jason Davis, WSU Habitat for Humanity chair. “Students are always invited to come out. All they have to do is e-mail me. Something is always going on.”
Davis said that with the semester coming to an end and finals week approaching, most students will be busier than normal, but it would be great if they could volunteer.
Students who want to get involved can visit www.habitat.org, WSU’s CIC Room 327 of the Shepherd Union Building or e-mail Davis at [email protected]. The CIC has a calendar listing all upcoming volunteer projects on its website and encourages students to come and help.
