Inspiring others
--by Tom Gerdy, posted Aug 7, 2006
I am a building contractor in Lynchburg, Virginia. I spend a great deal of my spare time volunteering with Habitat For Humanity. I have spent 16 years trying to give more to Habitat than I receive. It just is not possible.
Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, our local Habitat affiliate raised the bar once again. We recently dedicated a home that was built by volunteers with mental and physical challenges. We called it The Special Build- Unlimited Possibilities. Volunteers were teamed up with people with special needs in a buddy system to build a the home. You could almost see people's hearts growing as these relationships evolved. It was a blessing for all involved.
We had special palm nailers so people with limited hand/arm motor skills could nail. We set up a work table in front of the home so people in wheelchairs could make parts and pieces.
At the dedication of the home, one young woman in a wheelchair spoke and said, "Just give us a chance. We might look a little different but that doesn't mean we can't build. It may take a little longer, but we will get it done."
Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, our local Habitat affiliate raised the bar once again. We recently dedicated a home that was built by volunteers with mental and physical challenges. We called it The Special Build- Unlimited Possibilities. Volunteers were teamed up with people with special needs in a buddy system to build a the home. You could almost see people's hearts growing as these relationships evolved. It was a blessing for all involved.
We had special palm nailers so people with limited hand/arm motor skills could nail. We set up a work table in front of the home so people in wheelchairs could make parts and pieces.
At the dedication of the home, one young woman in a wheelchair spoke and said, "Just give us a chance. We might look a little different but that doesn't mean we can't build. It may take a little longer, but we will get it done."
1546 Reads
- Posted by Tom Gerdy
- Aug 7, 2006
- Comments (0)
