College student Megan Schlefke isn’t enjoying your typical spring break in Florida.
The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point senior is working on a Habitat for Humanity project at House of Hope in Wildwood.
She is part of Habitat’s Collegiate Challenge which gives students a chance to take part in housing projects. Students from UW-Stevens Point, the University of Louisville and Ohio State University have been working on Habitat projects in Lake and Sumter counties over their spring break.
On Wednesday morning, the Wisconsin students, with masks covering their faces, hardhats on their heads and heavy gloves on their hands, demolished the interior of a building at the House of Hope campus.
It was a moment that Steve Thomas, who became well known for the “This Old House” series on PBS, couldn’t pass up. These days he’s working as an ambassador and telling the story of Habitat for Humanity.
He was filming with a videographer at House of Hope.
“Most college kids want to give back,” Thomas said. “This gives them a way to do it.”
The buildings at House of Hope suffered heavy storm damage in 2004 and 2005 and most were not fully repaired. Removing and replacing walls, floors and roofs of the buildings and landscaping will be a part of the students’ tasks.
Schlefke, who will graduate this spring and is already holding down a busy internship, said she enjoys the feeling of giving back, particularly to those who are in need.
“Just to hear that, ‘thank you,’ is an amazing feeling,” she said. “People say ‘thank you’ all of the time. But when you hear it from people you’ve helped through Habitat, it takes on a whole new meaning. It’s a lot better than being some place drinking beer.”
The students’ dedication inspired Debbie Diroff of the Village of Charlotte. She was helping with painting on Wednesday morning.
“You see how hard they work and it’s reassuring. There are a lot of great kids in this country,” she said.
Learn more about the local Habitat for Humanity through the link below:
