College students help build Habitat home

Carly James climbs the ladder, squints into the sun and drives a nail through two thick pieces of plywood. She can't imagine spending her spring break any other way.

"It's an amazing opportunity," said James, a senior at Siena College. "You're not just building a house. You're building a home for a family that needs it. Holidays are going to be spent here."

A group of 15 students from the Loudonville, N.Y. college last week helped Crystal Coast Habitat for Humanity build a Havelock family's new home. David and Vera Vann and three of their five children will live in the 1,552 square-foot, three-bedroom house at 1540 N.C. 101.

The Catholic liberal arts school has participated in local Habitat projects for four years, and James, who is majoring in social work, has helped the Carteret County group every spring.

"When our group comes together, we don't necessarily know each other well, we'd just seen each other in passing," she said. "But when we leave, we're like a little family."

Students worked alongside local Habitat for Humanity volunteers from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, adding manpower and momentum to the project. Heather Flood, a junior at Siena, said the work is satisfying.

"We have a blast," she said. "It's not a sacrifice at all, it's very rewarding to be able to come out here and work."

With more than $3,000 raised from a male beauty pageant, the students paid for their travel to eastern North Carolina and donated at least $100 per person to the local Habitat for Humanity, which builds and finances homes for low-income families using donated supplies and volunteer labor.

Flood said she's learned a great deal about construction. The work is methodical and precise, and she said her favorite part is using the power tools.

"I've worked with my dad in the garage before, just throwing the hammer around, but this is a lot different," she said. "If you're even an eighth of an inch off, that can throw off everything else. I like having that tired feeling at the end of the day, I feel like I really accomplished something."

Crystal Coast Habitat leaders are grateful for the extra volunteers. Having 15 more sets of hands - even for just one week - helps speed up the project.

"The condition of this house right now is about five times better than it would be with our current volunteers," said Bill Keefe, chairman of the Collegiate Challenge program. "They come down here and work for us instead of going to Cancun or wherever kids go on spring break."

But, a week of hard labor doesn't mean the Siena College students won't see a sunset over sandy shores and rippling waves. The group is staying in a beachside cottage provided free of charge by Atlantic Beach Realty.

James said working on the Vann home is the students' main attraction, but the work offers its share of fringe benefits.

"It doesn't hurt that we're in North Carolina where it's sunny and warm and we stay at a great house on the beach," she said.