Habitat for Humanity

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. -- Retired Senior Master Sgt. Dave Zimmerer works with an electrical switch Saturday at a Habitat for Humanity house being constructed in State Park Place near Collinsville, Ill. Volunteers from Scott have been working on the house since fall 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Steve Berry)

Habitat for Humanity

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. -- Volunteers talk with T.J. Beckman, the home’s new owner. Ms. Beckman currently lives in a one-bedroom apartment in Collinsville with her twin teenage boys. Habitat for Humanity requires the home’s recipient to volunteer where they can with the home’s construction and Ms. Beckman’s will pay a mortgage on the home when its complete. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Steve Berry)

Habitat for Humanity

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. -- Staff Sgt. Franklin Rudd, 375th Communications Squadron, runs electrical wiring Saturday at the Habitat for Humanity house. Volunteers worked with wiring, roofing and other tasks. The 1,000-square-foot house in State Park Place will feature three bedrooms, one bathroom, kitchen and living room. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Steve Berry)

Scott Airmen help build with Habitat for Humanity

Published Jan. 21, 2010
By Steve Berry
375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Ten volunteers from Scott helped construct a house Saturday near Collinsville, Ill., with Habitat for Humanity.

The new home is going up on Black Lane in State Park Place--an unincorporated, low-income area west of Collinsville.

Habitat for Humanity volunteer coordinator Georgia Schefft described the home as "pretty much the house that Scott Air Force Base built."

Airmen have volunteered with the Lewis and Clark Habitat for Humanity Collinsville Chapter on Saturday mornings since building began last year.

The most recent tasks included roofing and running electrical wire through the raw infrastructure of the modest three bedroom home.

Staff Sgt. Chris Higgins, Air Mobility Command Headquarters, was volunteering with Habitat for Humanity for the first time Saturday morning.

"Anytime you can help somebody else out--it's always worth it," Sergeant Higgins said.
The home's new owner will be T.J. Beckman of Collinsville and her twin 13-year-old sons. Ms. Beckman said she was currently living in a one-bedroom apartment, so the house was a blessing. She said she was very thankful for the volunteers from Scott.
Ms. Beckman and Mrs. Schefft said the habitat house could be a catalyst for positive changes and growth in State Park Place.

"It's a time of hope and change and its coming to State Park--its happening with this house," Ms. Beckman said.

Habitat for Humanity is an international non-profit organization that builds homes in partnership with families in need. Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1976 and the organization has constructed more than 350,000 houses world-wide. Families approved for a habitat house help with construction and the home is sold to the family at no profit. The new homeowners then pay an affordable, low or no-interest mortgage.