Volunteers work on Habitat home

Editor's note: This is the first in a series of stories highlighting volunteers and agencies who are active in or funded by the United Way of Southeast Missouri. To get involved visit the United Way online at www.unitedwayofsemo.org, at their offices at 430A Broadway, Cape Girardeau or contact by phone at 573-334-9634.

About 25 people from Nordenia came to North Main to help build a house as part of a team-building exercise for the group. The house at 1640 N. Main St. has been in the construction process since February when students at Southeast Missouri State University started building it in a parking lot on campus.

The house was then towed down Broadway and set in its permanent location. While there, the volunteers from Nordenia helped build a retaining wall, hang siding and finish or make progress on other parts of the house.

Habitat For Humanity builds homes for qualifying families, employing those families to help in the building process. The United Way of Southeast Missouri supports Habitat with grant money and by connecting volunteers with the organization.

Ron Gilliland, originally from Zalma, Mo., lives in Cape Girardeau and works as a quality engineer at Nordenia USA.

Here, Gilliland (second from right) talks about what volunteering, Habitat For Humanity and the United Way mean to him.

Q: How often do you volunteer?

A: About once a year

Q: How long have you been volunteering?

A: The past four years.

Q: What made you want to volunteer?

A: Through Nordenia our Operations team has the opportunity each year to give back to the community by working on a Habitat for Humanity house.

Q; What did you do for Habitat For Humanity that day?

A: This year I helped to build a retaining wall.

Q: How do you think volunteering here has changed/affected you?

A: It shows you that in this day and age there are still people out there looking out for one another and helping their neighbors.

Q: What lessons have you learned here?

A: That there are many different job skills/talents that can be used during the building of a Habitat house. Everything from painting and electrical to landscaping and drywall installation.

Q: Tell us about a specific experience that sticks out for you:

A: I would say the teamwork from this year. During the building of the retaining wall we started hearing some rumbles of thunder. In order to get the wall as close to completion as possible, several of our team members joined in and helped us get to a good stopping point before the rain started.

Q: Why should someone volunteer with Habitat?

A: Personally it makes you feel good to help somebody else that needs it and also to lend a hand to people locally. I think a lot of people don't give or donate because they feel it will not be used in this area. This is one way to make sure that it does.

Upcoming volunteer opportunities

Habitat for Humanity: Help finish the house at 1640 N Main St. from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Cape Senior Center: Help deliver meals with Homebound Meal Delivery at 9:45 a.m. daily starting at the senior center. Help with food preparation by assisting kitchen staff from 9 to 11 a.m.

Salvation Army: Work directly with children as part of the after school program from 3 to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday starting Oct. 1 until Nov. 13.

Junior Achievement of Southeast Missouri: Be a Junior Achievement Teaching Facilitator and help in a classroom for about 30 minutes once a week for 5 weeks (or as scheduled with teacher).