Habitat Hammers Spring Break

by: Paige Cole

Amanda Byrne doesn’t make a lot of money. Yet, that doesn’t seem to matter, and this notion is evident through the passion and dedication that Byrne shows toward her job.

Byrne works at the Carolina Tiger Rescue, an animal sanctuary that is home to over 300 animals including binturongs, caracals, kinkajous, ocelots, servals and tigers.
Her job duties vary from clerical work to giving tours. Most of the time Byrne is unacquainted with the patrons to whom she provides tours. However, one tour was different.

On a hot, March day, Byrne gave a tour to a group of students and advisers from Lycoming College, all of whom were helping her achieve a life-long dream.
Over spring break, I traveled with the Lycoming College Chapter of Habitat for Humanity to Pittsboro, N.C., and worked with the Chatham County Habitat for Humanity affiliate.

This is my account of the 2011, Lycoming College Collegiate Challenge:
North Carolina boasts 70 degree temperatures during the month of March. Perfect beach weather! However, we were no where near the beach. And our activities required much more commitment than sunbathing.

The work wasn’t as attractive as a beach either, and the group spent the week in jeans and T-shirts.

Each day some of us climbed onto the roof and worked relentlessly under the hot Carolina sun. Others scaled scaffolding with hammers and nails and pounded in siding. Some held paint cans and others measuring tapes. The Chatham County Habitat had a goal to reach, and we weren’t about to come up short.

However, the week wasn’t all serious work, and there was some fun involved. Each day held a theme, and we were expected to abide by it.

Tuesday was Temporary Tattosday and while I hadn’t put one of those on my person since the days of Crackerjacks, it was fun imprinting gaudy images on my arm.
A group favorite was War Paint Wednesday where we showed our creativity.

An adviser faced her fear of turtles by painting a whole set of Ninja Turtles, while others sported the colors of their favorite football team or sought to catch them all with a Pokémon-inspired look.

The theme days ended with Thug Thursday and we all sported bandannas on the worksite.

We stayed at Camp Royal, a summer camp, and we had full access to camp facilities such as the dining hall, soccer field and our own personal cabin.

The showers were lukewarm, but nobody really complained. After all, if you spent too much time in the shower, you were missing out on all the fun. Downtime was spent playing card games, such as Mafia, or in an engaging game of Ultimate Frisbee.
Another group favorite was kan jam.

At the end of the week, the site supervisors commented on our progress. When we started, there was no siding on the house or shingles on the roof. By the end, two sides of the house were completely sided and painted, and the other two were more than halfway done.The roof was shingled.

We sauntered around the house admiring our progress. Some wanted to complete projects, but that couldn’t be done. After all, some work needed to be left for the University of Scranton’s Habitat for Humanity chapter.

We ate our packed lunch, and departed the worksite that day with heavy hearts. The last day of work meant the trip was coming to an end. The day was spent at the tiger rescue and that evening we went to Chapel Hill, amidst a crowd of rowdy basketball fans. After our outing, we spent the remainder of the night around the campfire reflecting about our experiences.

For me, the Habitat Trips always come at a good time. They come at a time when things at school seem to be most tense.

For a week, I’m able to forget the little dramas that come in everyday life. This week, I worked beside the homeowner and I saw firsthand that not everybody has the same privileges that I’m accustomed to. I got to see my work pay off and make another person happy.

I got to interact with students that I never talk to on a daily basis. It didn’t matter what my major was, or what sorority I was in. We bonded while trying to reach a common goal.

This spring break trip was life-changing and I would trade my hot Lyco showers, for lukewarm camp water just to go back.