Women, strap on your tool belts.
Then head out to East State Street this weekend, where the Bristol community is building a home with Holston Habitat for Humanity and the YWCA.
Habitat, a nonprofit Christian housing program, and the YWCA in Bristol are hosting a Women’s Build Day, and asking local women to volunteer an hour or a day Saturday to help complete a home for one of the YWCA’s own, Food Services Coordinator, Robin Wright, and her 5-year-old son, Damien.
“We like to get as many people involved [with Habitat building projects] as possible,” said Laura Swanson, executive director of Holston Habitat for Humanity. “Often, women seem to feel they don’t have something to contribute … this is just another way to get people involved.”
Kathy Waugh, executive director of the YWCA, said volunteers will likely be painting inside the home. She said at an earlier event last month, volunteers helped with vinyl siding on the exterior of the house, but this time, the sheetrock inside is ready for a coat of paint.
“There are no skills required,” she said. “There will be a site supervisor there who gives you all you need.”
She said the project is a good one for a mother-daughter team to tackle, since students may be home for the summer.
Volunteers need to be at least 16 years old, Swanson said, although those between 16 and 18 might be more heavily supervised and there may be some tasks teens can’t do.
Waugh said the YWCA has spearheaded the volunteer efforts for building the home, organizing volunteers and running registration on Thursdays and Saturdays, when the home is worked on. She said she’s amazed at how quickly the home has come together.
“It really is very rewarding to watch the development and how quickly it’s come along,” she said. “It’s amazing what volunteers can do in 10 weeks.”
She said the YWCA got involved after officials there learned of the build’s recipient, a YWCA employee.
“Our mission is to empower women,” she said. “What better way than to build a home for Robin and her son – she’s a single parent. As an association, we thought, what better way” to help.
Swanson said that empowering women seems to have been a theme throughout the build, which started May 7.
“[Women’s Build Day] is fitting for the project because she’s a single mom,” she said. “It’s a great one to … do.”
Waugh said she’s excited about the building day, for which she said there are special tool belts commemorating the occasion.
“It will bring together women from all walks of life,” she said. “There’s just no greater joy than to be able to help with this project.”
Waugh said drinks and lunch will be provided. The home is at 929 East State St.
To volunteer for Saturday, contact volunteer coordinator Rhonda Greene at (276) 614-6160. To volunteer for a Thursday, contact volunteer coordinator Terry Carrier at (423) 571-1440.
arobinson@bristolnews.com
(276) 645-2531
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