We're in Miami, trick!! (Spring Break 4/22/11 - 5/1/11)
Each B&B rider must put in 10 hours of "sweaty equity" before the summer trip. This term refers to the time a person puts into contributing to the organization via building or other support work. Future Habitat for Humanity homeowners have to put in hundreds of sweaty equity hours before they can own a home. B&B riders have to put in a minimum of 10 hours to get on site experience with building, as well as have the opportunity to learn about the affordable housing cause first hand.
Each B&B rider must put in 10 hours of "sweaty equity" before the summer trip. This term refers to the time a person puts into contributing to the organization via building or other support work. Future Habitat for Humanity homeowners have to put in hundreds of sweaty equity hours before they can own a home. B&B riders have to put in a minimum of 10 hours to get on site experience with building, as well as have the opportunity to learn about the affordable housing cause first hand.
Northland College Volunteer Program has participated in Habitat for Humanity's Collegiate Challenge for 8 years now. This program offers an alternative spring break to young people, where groups can chose from over 100 affiliates located around to country to travel to and work with for a week. Past NC groups have worked in HI, MS, KY, LA, plus more. As this year's co-coordinators, Luke & I spent a large amount of our winter term organizing this trip. But all the fund raising ($5000 for this trip, simultaneous with B&B $4000), planning, and organizing was all worth it when we arrived in 85+ degree Miami!
A group of 11 students and 1 staff member traveled 30+ hours in one 12-passenger van from Ashland, Wisconsin to Miami, Florida --> snow to sunshine! We stayed at Central Bible Church in Westchester. We hit South Beach a couple hours after arriving on Easter Sunday, relaxing after crammed spaces and short stints of sleep at road side stops and RV parks. Our 2nd free day took us south 30 minutes to the Everglades. In less than 48 hours, may people knocked several things off their bucket list: going to Florida, swimming in the ocean, seeing an alligator. This was already adding up to be a stellar (and educational) trip!
So begins the work week on Tuesday. Safety orientation with the 50+ high schoolers from Bishop Brady High School in New Hampshire. Our group was small enough we were all able to be sent to the same work site, instead of being split up like the HS.
Day 1, House 1: Dry wall. Day 2, House 2: Base boarding and caulking. Day 3 & 4, House 3: Framing and ceiling bracing. Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami built 91 houses last year! This amazing expansion of effort allowed us to work on three different houses in different areas of Liberty City (may ring a bell to video gamers: Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City, anyone? --yep, that's where HFH is concentrating their work). Everyone found the niche at each work site, under the very patient guidance of our construction worker, Rick. What a great man... patient, patient, and did I mention patient? Everyone got their fill of cutting, measuring, nailing, screwing, lifting, painting, caulking, etc. We put in 250+ hours of building in our 4 days of work. Add on another trip to the beach, some delicious Cuban food, and bright, sunny skies and you have yourself a successful service learning project week!!
12 people down, 12 people back, alive. That trip not only fulfilled my sweat equity building requirement for the summer, but it gave me another good leadership role to gain experience and knowledge from. Plus, I got to have a great time with my friends, made new friends, and got a little refresher on what it's like to be with the same group day in and day out. Bring on the summer, with hammer and bike alongside!
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