Being a part of a caring organization creates some wonderful opportunities. I co-led a Thrivent Builds/Habitat for Humanity trip to Sebring, Florida back in February 2019, to work on houses for people who were displaced by Hurricane Irma back in 2017. Seeing a few of my design items at work was humbling. Giving back and "making a difference" has kept me at Lutheran Brotherhood and Thrivent Financial for almost 31 years, and Habitat for Humanity will always be a big part of my life.
Road Trip!
The Sebring event stemmed from a previous trip to Prince Edward Island, Canada back in 2017. A couple coworkers of mine invited me to that trip, and I invited my niece. We had the best, most rewarding time. It's funny how we set out to help others, but we end up getting as much--or more--than we give. After the trip, the coworker invited me to co-lead another trip, so we settled on Sebring, Florida, an area that was devastated by hurricane and straight-line winds back in 2017.
As the planning progressed, Donna Hein and I recruited a group of friends, family and co-workers, and ended up with a team of nine. It's funny how more than one of the descriptors of "coworkers, family and friends" apply to each member! I ended up driving to Florida with my mom and my kindergarten teacher! You almost can't make this up—but we did.
We worked for a week on a series of homes in a new subdivision, and worked alongside a large group of people called "Care-A-Vanners," who caravan and winter in the southern states, picking up as many weekly habitat builds as they can. Friendships were made easily, with the shared mission of helping families get affordable, secure and safe housing.
It's fun to see just a few of my designs make it into the build site. This is truly "where the rubber hits the road," and very humbling to see my work make a difference.
After the build, we had a little rest and relaxation and began to realize how many friendships were formed. As we began the travel home, we hit some sights along the way, and many of us went back to our jobs and lives. We won't forget the experience, and these builds will always have a special place in my heart and mind.
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