Habitat for Humanity broke ground on their newest house on Owens Street this past week, with a visiting crew to help raise the walls and nail the boards.
Students from Rockford University in Rockford, Illinois, came to Starkville for a week-long volunteer mission.
Jasmine Fredericus, a Rockford resident born and raised, is a 20-year-old anthropology major who wants to have a career in social work. She is one of the volunteers who dedicated her Spring Break to building a new home for a family in need.
“So far, we set up the house structure,” Fredericus said. “We were actually ahead of time, so we started building a shed for another house across the street that is going to be built, and we also repainted and changed some boards out on a house that was built in 1991.”
Fredericus grew up volunteering through her church, and joined a volunteer organization on campus.
“I heard that I could go somewhere else to help other people, so this trip was really great for that,” Fredericus said. “And, of course, the southern hospitality is so awesome."
Sterlen Johnson, 19, is a freshman at Rockford majoring in accounting. Johnson is from Markham, Illinois, which isn’t far from Chicago, he said.
“I usually try to volunteer, and I enjoy doing it in groups,” Johnson said. “I try to volunteer when I can. I enjoyed coming here, I enjoyed the town, the food and the hospitality.”
The group from Rockford also brought alumni on the trip to help with the volunteering. David Gray, 29, graduated with a degree in sports management. This was Gray’s fourth year volunteering with the group and coming to Starkville.
“This is just a warm and welcoming community,” Gray said. “Every time we come down here, we get more than enough food and more than enough entertainment.”
John Breazeale, the construction and volunteer manager for Starkville Habitat for Humanity, has worked with the students for years.
“My essential role is to manage all aspects of the construction, as well as the volunteers, but there is a public relations element to it, too,” Breazeale said. “We just try to ensure that the worksite is friendly, as well as safe.”
Breazeale said they are not in any rush, that his philosophy focuses on the people.
“This isn’t only about the achievement,” Breazeale said. “This house is going to be finished, anyway. This is more about relationships. With this group, for example, they bring alumnus. Some of these people I have known for a decade. It’s really cool.”
Rockford is the first of three groups to visit for the upcoming weeks. They arrived on the morning of Saturday, March 4, and left on Friday, March 10.
“Next week, Oakton Community College out of Chicago will come down,” Breazeale said. “This will be their third visit with us. The final group is Notre Dame Prep School out of Baltimore, Maryland. It's an all girls Catholic school, and this is their senior service trip. Every year, they come during Holy Week, right before Easter, and every year they bring about 15 girls. This will be their 25th year.”
Breazeale said that he is hoping for the newest addition to Owens Street to be fished at the end of May. He said he enjoyed working with the college volunteers.
"I really enjoy telling my construction associates in the real world that I build houses with college kids,” Breazeale said. “They say, 'you gotta be crazy'. But the volunteers do great. It really is fun, working with young folks. It keep me feeling young. It’s also gratifying to know that people want to keep coming here. They could go all over the country, and they come to Starkville. It makes me think that we're number one. Well, in some people’s hearts, at least.”