HANAPEPE — About 45 college students from at least three universities are spending their spring break here working to build houses for Habitat for Humanity. Wednesday morning, the students, already stripped down to T-shirts and some in shorts, were already
HANAPEPE — About 45 college students from at least three universities are spending their spring break here working to build houses for Habitat for Humanity.
Wednesday morning, the students, already stripped down to T-shirts and some in shorts, were already warmed up from the cold night Tuesday, as they hammered, carried, and assembled trusses and walls for homes that will eventually dot the Habitat ‘Ele‘ele project.
“It was freezing last night,” Radford University student Kimberly Hill said while holding a pair of 2x4s perpendicular to each other as team member Michelle Hosey whacked away.
“I thought it was supposed to be shorts and T-shirt weather,” another student piped in. “But, it was cold. The cabins we’re staying in let the air in, and that makes it cold.”
Tuesday night’s chill was caused by an front that’s bringing arctic air to the island, and according to weather reports, a record-low 53 degrees was reported at 7 a.m. Wednesday.
But, by lunchtime, all thoughts of the cold night had dissipated, as students concentrated on the lunch menu.
Liz Lorson, the team leader for the 15 students from Bucknell University, said this is the first time in Hawai‘i for members of her crew.
They connected with the Habitat project through their school’s Habitat chapter, as well as the Union/Snyder County Habitat program, she said.
“We travel each spring break for a Habitat project,” Lorson explained. “Last year we were in Lafayette, Indiana, and this is quite a change. We love it here.”
Lorson added that they are part of the Collegiate Challenge affiliated with the Habitat program, but they are late this year because their school’s spring break is late.
“There’ve been college students everywhere for the past several weeks,” she said.
Most of the students arrived here late last week, and will be leaving by the weekend, staying at cabins at Kahili Mountain Park.
Lorson said their university is located in Lewisburg, Pa., so this is quite a change. “It was snowing when we left,” she said.
Additionally, another crew from Andrew University was working to saw the raw 2x4s into lengths that would make up the trusses and walls.
“We are working on seven houses right now,” Lorson explained.
A Habitat supervisor added that the building permits are already in place, and all that remains is the grubbing that’ll be done by sub-contractors, and once Esaki Surveying teams do the actual pinning, construction can start in ‘Ele‘ele.
“It all depends on how fast they can get the work done,” he said. “It can happen in about a week.”
In addition to the crews working on trusses and walls, about a half-dozen students were helping out at the Habitat Thrift Shop next door to the county’s Hanapepe baseyard.
Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@pulitzer.net.
