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ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. -- Volunteering opportunities may
seem like just another task to complete in order to fulfill a bullet
on an upcoming performance report, but many overlook the positive
impact volunteering has within the community and how much it means
to the lives you touch.
I spent part of the weekend
volunteering for the organization Habitat for Humanity. Yes, I was
planning to use the volunteer opportunity as a bullet for my
upcoming performance evaluation, but as the day progressed, I
quickly realized it was more than a bullet - it was a learning
experience on so many levels.
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Senior Airman Travis Bellefeuille,
28th Operations Support Squadron targeteer, builds a roof during a
Habitat for Humanity project in Summerset, S.D., Nov. 8, 2014.
Bellefeuille and several other Ellsworth Airmen dedicated their time
constructing a roof for a house that will be provided to a Habitat
family in need. Habitat Black Hills Area volunteers have helped
house over 300 people in the local area. (U.S. Air Force photo by
Senior Airman Anania Tekurio)
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I arrived at the building site that morning to meet a few
Airmen from Ellsworth who were also volunteering. It helped
to see some familiar faces as I was not quite sure what to
expect, only that we would most likely be building some kind
of home for a family in need.
Cliff Shoemaker,
Habitat construction supervisor, was full of energy and had
quickly delegated specific tasks to all of the volunteers. I
liked him because he seemed like a hard worker, someone you
want to have around if you need something done quickly and
without questions.
Cliff and his staff handed over a
toolbox filled with hammers, nails, screwdrivers and
wrenches, yelling out measurements from the rooftop and
using construction jargon. It sounded like a foreign
language. Fortunately, Senior Airman Nick Watson, 28th
Aircraft Maintenance electronic warfare technician, is an
avid Habitat volunteer and helped me understand what Cliff
was asking us to do.
Watson began measuring out the
dimensions of the wood pieces that would become the roof
while I worked alongside another volunteer - Senior Airman
Remy Ochoa, 28th Operation Support Squadron targeteer –
helping carry those cut wood pieces up to Cliff who would
then nail them into place.
The eight-foot wooden
sheets were heavy and each time we handed one up, I held my
breath praying I would not let it slip from my fingers.
After a couple hours into the project, Donna Reeves,
Habitat partner family member, greeted all of us. Reeves
explained how Habitat works and how thankful she is for the
program.
She shared her emotional story with me,
telling me that if it was not for Ha, she doesn't know where
she would be living right now and thanked the volunteers for
giving their time and talents to help construct homes for
the less fortunate.
It was then that I began to see
how what we were doing was more than just putting a roof on
a house. We were taking part in building a home for a family
where memories can be made and shared, a safe haven from bad
weather and a place where those residing can sleep
peacefully without worry.
Her story struck a chord
within me and made me think of my life up to this point. I'd
been blessed to have a home and a family. I looked around at
all the volunteers working and felt an overwhelming sense of
accomplishment because of what our hard work meant to the
community.
The day finally ended and we had put a
roof over someone's head and that made me feel good about
what we had done as a team.
Overall, I left with a
few new construction terms and a better sense of why I
should volunteer in the future. I discovered that this was
more than a bullet completion – it was a growing experience,
where I learned that giving time to others is one of the
most valuable things one can give, especially to those who
have not been fortunate to have a home.
By U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Anania Tekurio
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2014
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