|
Children begin Habitat for Humanity drive
Published October 29, 2009
CLUTE — Just as a home is built piece by piece and nail by nail, students can give money to Habitat for Humanity penny by penny.
A home is built with lumber, nails and many other materials, Pct. 4 Commissioner Mary Ruth Rhodenbaugh said. Though elementary students are not old enough to build the homes, they are able to contribute money that purchases the materials necessary to provide a new home for a local family, she said.
“Without your pennies, we can’t buy materials and we can’t build houses,” Rhodenbaugh told T.W. Ogg Elementary School students during a presentation Wednesday morning about the annual Habitat for Humanity Penny Drive.
Students were excited to start bringing pennies.
Fourth-grader Theresa Perez said she plans to bring 200 to 300 pennies because there are a lot of pennies at her house.
Kevin Ivey also plans to bring a lot of pennies, but he wishes he could do more.
“I wish I could help build like the volunteers,” Ivey said.
Though donations are used to build homes, the home is not free to the family that moves into it, Rhodenbaugh said. Families put in 400 hours of sweat equity then make a monthly payment on their home, she said.
Both students agreed it would be pretty exciting to receive a home for the first time.
As part of the presentation, which Rhodenbaugh will repeat at 25 schools in southern Brazoria County, the former Habitat director talked about the importance of volunteerism and contributing to the community. She asked students to bring pennies to their schools that will be collected and put toward building a local Habitat for Humanity home.
“A volunteer is someone who sees something that needs to be done and does it without being asked and without being paid for it,” Rhodenbaugh said.
Schools all over southern Brazoria County are collecting pennies and will celebrate their accomplishments Nov. 7 at the annual Walk for Habitat for Humanity at MacLean Park in Lake Jackson.
Rhodenbaugh said she receives a lot of effort from T.W. Ogg Elementary, where there are many students who actually live in Habitat houses. To prove her point, many students already were showcasing the signs they will be carrying during the walk.
Walk for Habitat was founded 11 years ago to support the local organization and to teach children about the spirit of volunteerism. Registration is from 8 to 9 a.m. Nov. 7, and bands, cheerleaders, choirs and clowns will entertain people before the walk. Minor league pitcher Jared Wells, a West Columbia native who has appeared with the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners, also will be there signing baseballs.
Leading up to the walk, local school children contribute to a penny drive and community members and corporate sponsors are invited to donate to the effort. Last year, the penny drive raised more than $6,800. With the help of local sponsors, the walk earned more than $90,600 in 2008.
All the money raised through the penny drive and walk goes toward building area Habitat for Humanity homes.
Those interested in sponsoring or participating in the Walk for Habitat may contact Cindy Suggs at cindy.suggs(at)basf.com or 979-415-6273.
Katlynn Lanham is a reporter for The Facts. Contact her at 979-237-0150.
---
Walk for Habitat
• 8 a.m. registration, 9 a.m. walk begins Nov. 7 at MacLean Park in Lake Jackson.
• To sponsor or participate in the walk, contact Cindy Suggs at cindy.suggs(at)basf.com or 979-415-6273.
Share |
Save |
Mail |
Print
|
|
|
 |
|
Click for all
Top Ads listing
|
