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WomenBuild volunteer Stephanie Waisanen has a long history with Habitat for Humanity. She started at the St. Louis affiliate during college in 1988, and continued with TCHFH since the early 1990s. Her volunteer experience over the years helped solidify Waisanen’s commitment to affordable housing.
“I try to stay engaged in housing and homelessness volunteer work. This passion was not as clearly defined at age 18 or 19, but as I’ve grown older, I’ve become more focused in this area,” said Waisanen.
The opportunity to learn new skills also provides incentive for Waisanen. “It’s a great experience to work on different parts of construction. There are a lot of people who have never done construction before and are brave enough to come out and learn how to use power tools. It’s a lot of fun, and that’s what keeps me coming back,” she said.
Brenda Cornell has volunteered for TCHFH for the past seven years. She remembers the patience of the early crew leaders as they taught her aspects of construction. “I wanted to do the same thing for others,” she said.
Now a WomenBuild crew leader herself, Cornell enjoys empowering other women with new skills in a nurturing environment. “It’s a very non-threatening worksite for women. It’s okay to go out there and not know something. We’re here to help you learn.”
Cornell encourages women to challenge themselves and learn something new - “to go beyond painting.”
“There’s a whole lot more that goes into building a house besides paint. Give it a try and you might find another niche, another project you enjoy. Plus, what you learn can make your own house better, then you don’t have to spend money getting something fixed because you don’t know how to do it,” said Cornell.
This spring’s WomenBuild project takes place in Minneapolis.
For more information about getting involved, contact Volunteer Services at 612-331-4090, ext. 650. Click here to sign-up for WomenBuild online.
Contributed by Sharon Rolenc
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They may come for the paint, the power tools and the chance to work on an all-female crew, but WomenBuild volunteers gain a whole lot more from their experience.
