A break from the norm

Bryan Valentine says he has been blessed to build Habitat for Humanity homes for the past six years. "I think the best part is meeting the families we are building for and hearing their stories," said the student organizer for Habitat. "You just feel really good about yourself for helping them out." Valentine and a group of 16 other students and staff from the University of Pittsburgh made the 18 hour bus trip to Florida to be part of something bigger than themselves. The students, who pay $150 out of their own pockets to cover transportation costs, will be framing, adding trusses, roofing and siding the house on Fish or Cut Bait Road in DeFuniak Springs. The students will be working a 40-hour work week, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., for the entire week they are here. The students will be living in the employee quarters at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort when they are not on the jobsite. "All the kids that come down are pumped up and ready to go," said construction site supervisor Steve Dixon, who is working on his 11th Habitat house. "It's really refreshing that people are doing this out of the goodness of their hearts." Carly Wetmore, a senior at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, is spending her third spring break in Walton County. "I try to do as much as I can with my campus chapter back home," she said. "This is my favorite time of the year though. This is when I really get to shine." Wetmore said people are thrown off at first when she tells them she is going to spend spring break in Florida building houses. "I think they really respect it though," she said. The University of Pittsburgh has sent more than 100 students to build Habitat homes in the southeast. Valentine said his campus is a rural school that still has a lot of family values and knows the importance of doing service and giving back. "A lot of people go on a traditional spring break and come home with regrets," he said. "We come here and go back home with great memories and a sense of accomplishment." While the students may be focused on the task at hand, they do find some time to hit the beach. "Depending on how hard and fast we work," Valentine said, "we may finish up early and then we get some time to relax. Last year we were done by Thursday so we had all day Friday to hang out at the beach." Valentine did say the beach was secondary though. Future homeowner Jessie Cook and his daughter Marsha Dean were on hand Monday afternoon to help the work crews. "This really means a lot to me," Cook said looking on. "I am excited for my family and can't wait to move in." Cook, who has lived in DeFuniak Springs since 1959, said he enjoys being out in the country area. "I am definitely not a city kind of guy," he said. "I just love it out here. It’s just so quiet and you don’t have to worry about much." Dean said this new home is going to help her dad live longer. "He has not been in the best health," she said tearing up. "He is everything to me. I just think this has been a rewarding process for everyone involved." With the students and habitat crews hard at work, Cook should be ready to move into his home in about nine weeks. "I am just really proud of these kids and what we are going to accomplish,” Valentine said.