Peace Corps Volunteers Continuing Service with Habitat

All last week, members from the Minnesota Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (MNRPCV) organization have been putting up drywall, working on roofing and much more on the multi-unit townhomes in Hugo. 

According to their website, the MNRPCV is "an all-volunteer 501(c) 3 organization that offers service and social opportunities to Peace Corps Volunteers after their service." MNRPCV coordinator Gary Bank reached out to Habitat back in December to start planning a week for his group.

"Our group's Habitat experience has been good," Gary said. "Many in our MNRPCV group like doing this home construction-type work."

Seventeen volunteers from MNRPCV, along with members from the Saint Paul Area Association of Realtors (SPAAR), worked alongside one another to kick off the build week on Monday. Volunteers were split up amongst the eight units currently being constructed based on their comfort level with the work being performed. Inside the original four units, volunteers were measuring and installing drywall, whereas volunteers in the newly-started units were helping with roof work. This work continued throughout the week, in addition to insulation installation and painting deck railings.

Bruce Denny is just one of the many MNRPCV that helped out last week. He originally served in the Peace Corps in 1972 in the Fuji Islands and signed up to help out each day this week in Hugo.

"I find this work to be very rewarding," Bruce said. "I'm meeting a lot of new peers and learning a lot of new skills I didn't have before."

MNRPCV provided a full team of volunteers for a full week, and has also helped in the local community at other organizations like the Jeremiah Program, Second Harvest Heartland and a variety of environment clean up projects. 

"Our members enjoy working together and helping others," Gary shared. "Each volunteer shows up ready to work and possesses a giving attitude."