Airmen help community by building homes

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Madelyn Waychoff
  • 388th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (AFPN) --  Spending a Saturday morning working on your house may not seem like anything new, but what about spending that Saturday morning working on the house of someone you do not even know? This is what a group of airmen from throughout the base here have been doing with their spare time for Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit, nondenominational Christian housing organization.

The airmen work in rain, snow or heat to help out those less fortunate.

“We do all sorts of basic construction work on these houses,” said Tech. Sgt. Daniel Vigansky of the 388th Equipment Maintenance Squadron conventional maintenance section, who has been working with the program since January. “On the house we’re working on now, we started with an overgrown plot of land, and now we’re working on the siding and insulation. There are 15 to 20 volunteers from the base who work every other Saturday on the houses. We also work with local contractors and volunteers from the community.”

The houses that are built average about 1,050 square feet, and have two bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen, living room and dining room.

“How we build them really depends on the situation of the family though,” Sergeant Vigansky said. “They are small, but convenient.”

Airmen building the houses also work on the structure, put in beams and do anything for which a professional is not needed, said Airman 1st Class Cory Kauffman of the 388th EMS ammo section. “Professionals come in to do the detailed work like the plumbing, electricity and to pour the concrete.”

They are not just involved in building new houses though; they also renovate old houses to ensure they are fit for families to live in.

“We gutted a house to bare floors and walls,” Sergeant Vigansky said. “Then we put in new windows, doors, carpet, appliances and plumbing. We had to repaint the whole thing, including the walls and ceilings. In the spring we will do the landscaping on all the homes we’ve worked on.”

The houses that are being worked on will be sold to low-income families, and families with special needs. Homeowner families are chosen according to their need, their ability to repay the no-profit, no-interest mortgage and their willingness to work in partnership with Habitat for Humanity, according to the Habitat for Humanity Web site.

When base people were asked why they take time out of their schedules to work on these homes for others, the answers were unanimous -- to give back to the community.

“I’ve come to a point in my life where I’ve decided it’s time to give back and work hand-in-hand for a good cause,” Sergeant Vigansky said. “And the people we help are always very grateful for the help and support.”

But, there were also other reasons people chose to volunteer.

“I’ve watched many home-improvement shows on (television), and many mentioned Habitat for Humanity, so I’ve wanted to participate for some time,” said Master Sgt. David Dean, assistant noncommissioned officer in charge of the 388th EMS munitions control. “I knew I wanted to get involved, but after I met the family who will live in the house, I feel this is one of the best programs I have had the opportunity to be involved with.”