Interview with our volunteer shed builders [with a timelapse video!]
It turns out it takes a village to build a garden shed! Using materials donated by J.Zsiros Contracting (with discounts from Slegg Building Materials) and Starline Windows and additional funding provided by Angela Zumbo - Your Island Mortgage Center, our team of four dedicated volunteers commuted to Campbell River each day during the week of October 17 to build this shed. You can now bid on the Garden Shed to help raise money towards affordable housing in our community.
We asked the shed-building volunteers to answer the following questions about their volunteer experience with Habitat.
How long have you been volunteering with Habitat for Humanity and what are your main volunteer responsibilities?
Tudor Davies: I started as a build volunteer in August 2017, building a "She Shed" for a raffle, so building this new shed was familiar, albeit with lots more building experience since then. My first actual house build was Lake Trail, which I saw from beginning to end, from building the lunchroom, to building concrete forms and pouring concrete, lots of framing, insulation, ventilation ducting, some plumbing, drywall, flooring, siding, fencing and landscaping. A few of us got trained to install ventilation systems, and we installed a whole bunch of them in Lake Trail and at Hilchey in Campbell River.
Brian Gadsby: I was involved in the first Habitat house in Whitehorse, Yukon some years ago and having moved to the island a short time ago, I thought it was a good use of my skills and time to help a good cause. A roof over one’s head is very important.
What do you enjoy most about being a Habitat volunteer?
Gardiner MacDermot: I can contribute my construction skills to a worthwhile cause and get some social interaction and physical exercise.
Tudor Davies: Habitat is a great way to learn new things and do things I haven't done before, and it is all completed with experts on hand for guidance and to help figure things out. Seeing how stuff goes together has come in handy for me for fixing stuff around my own house. It's also a great social atmosphere -- meeting people, making friends, and having fun while helping build affordable housing. I've worked alongside a variety of people, from high school students to retirees, military members, office workers, our local MLA and MP and their staff. All contributed and all had fun.
What would you tell someone who is contemplating signing up to volunteer with our organization?
Brian Gadsby: The shed/float was a fun project, and it was a team effort!
Gardiner MacDermot: It's rewarding to make a contribution to the community, and it is enjoyable work.
Tudor Davies: Volunteering for Habitat is a great way to contribute to the community, and it's also a great way to learn about so many aspects of building homes. You don't need a lot of experience, and you don't have to commit to a whole lot of time to help out (you can if you want). Even complete beginners can join in, learn from experts, and get that feeling of accomplishment from building something.