Sarah Pruys
Diane Noonan completed her first project with “Habitat for Humanity” last fall and loved it so much, she’s since worked on two more projects with the volunteer organization.
“In November, I went to Louisiana,” the Fort Frances resident recalled.
“Then in March, I went to Kauai, Hawaii, and then I just got back from Thunder Bay,” she added.
Through “Global Village,” a short-term volunteer program run by Habitat for Humanity, Noonan applied to volunteer in Hawaii and soon was on her way.
Global Village is sanctioned by the government and although volunteers have to pay their own way, they are given a tax receipt.
“Basically, you’re going on a working holiday,” Noonan explained.
“It’s a great way to do things and it enables people to go.”
Noonan noted Kauai is the wettest of the Hawaiian Islands and also known as the “garden island.”
“It was great,” she enthused. “The build there was a lot better than the one in Louisiana.
“We were working in an area where there was a whole subdivision of ‘Habitat’ houses being built,” she said.
“The government is buying back some of the land because the native Hawaiians can no longer afford to live on their own land because Hawaii’s become so expensive,” Noonan added.
“All of the ‘Habitat’ houses we were working are on land now owned by Hawaii.”
Noonan said there’s a great demand for such houses.
“We were working on three different houses and they were at different stages of completion,” she remarked.
“It was all inside work; I worked a lot putting in hardwood floors, and there was a lot of trim and finishing touches being done.
“It was a really good experience because we did a lot of different things.”
Noonan said anyone can volunteer—you just have to be willing to work.
“It doesn’t matter if you have skills,” she stressed. “If you don’t, then they take the time and show you what to do and what’s expected of you, and then you go ahead and just start doing things.
“If you’re not sure of something, then you just ask.”
Noonan was gone for 10 days, including travel. Although they planned on working for six days, Mother Nature interfered and they only were able to work for five.
She then was back for only a few months before heading to Thunder Bay to help with a house Habitat for Humanity is building there for a single mother supporting four children.
Noonan had been interested in going last fall. But since they don’t build throughout the winter, she had to wait until spring.
“It was great,” she enthused, noting she stayed with her children there so the cost of her trip was very low.
“I’m hoping if I can get away for a week again, I’d like to go there,” she added, saying the house is expected to be finished by the end of July.
“I worked on siding, putting up soffit, insulation—we did everything,” Noonan recalled. “It was a really good [project] with a great bunch of people.
“It’s just a wonderful program, and if you’re looking for something to do, it’s a great organization to volunteer with,” she remarked.
“I wish our community was large enough to support something like this because it would definitely be something that I would do as often as I possibly could.”
In Thunder Bay, for instance, groups of volunteers from Shaw and Bombardier came to help build the house they were funding.
The rest of the volunteers were locals—usually retired people or people coming on their days off.
As well, the person getting the house also has to do some work as part of the arrangement.
“Their slogan is ‘It’s not a handout, it’s a hand-up,’” Noonan explained.
“They still have to be able to afford the house,” she stressed. “That’s why they tend to build simpler houses.
“The house is assessed, then ‘Habitat’ gives them an interest-free loan and then they make payments.”
Having had wonderfully positive experiences with her first three “builds,” Noonan plans on continuing to volunteer with the organization.
“I’m not ready to tackle the Third World countries so I’ll probably play it safe,” she admitted.
“I would like to continue doing it, but I haven’t picked a place I would like to go next.”
The process is simple. Noonan simply goes to www.habitatglobalvillage.ca, checks the “Trip Schedule” to see what is available (there are “builds” currently going on all over the world), fills out an application, and then waits to hear if there is room available.
Anyone can apply, although Noonan said those aged 18 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
“Some families come with their children and this becomes a family experience, and it’s great for the kids to see this type of volunteerism and be part of it,” she reasoned.
“It’s very rewarding and I enjoy doing that kind of work,” she added. “I did lots of new things, you learn a lot.
“I hope to keep doing this.”
