Photo credit: Graphic by Evan Brooks using Wix.
This being the last edition of this column for the semester, the featured organization for this week aptly fits this time of year. ‘Tis the season for giving thanks and being grateful, just as much as it is the time for giving to others in an act of humility. West Chester University is home to many service-dedicated organizations where members donate their time and energy to give back to their surrounding community.
The organization in the spotlight of this article was first founded in Georgia in 1976. In March of 1984, President Jimmy Carter joined this organization and is still an active member today at age 96. The organization is none other than Habitat for Humanity, also known simply as Habitat. Habitat can be found at many of America’s universities, including here at WCU.
Treasurer of Habitat Courtney Wagner has been with the organization for three and a half years. Wagner explained how Habitat does “service activities within Chester County,” and how her involvement within the organization started with a desire “to get involved on campus as well as help out around the county.”
If you too have the desire to help your community, joining the excellent team that runs Habitat would be a great start. Wagner also pointed out how the organization holds “some scheduled events,” and that “they are always posted on the club’s Instagram,” which will be listed at the bottom of this article.
The Community Service Chair of Habitat, Kaelin Bettler, has been with the organization for three years. Bettler said that “Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope.” Bettler stated how all of that is accomplished, through participating in “local builds to help local families who are in need of safe, affordable homeownership,” volunteering “at the ReStore, which is a thrift store that sells home goods to benefit the construction of the Habitat houses,” and through helping the community in other ways.
Bettler elaborated further, describing programs like “adopt-a-blocks, writing cards to community members in hospitals or nursing homes, and collecting and donating food to the local food pantry.” All ideas are also welcome in Habitat, as Bettler said that the organization is “always looking for new ways to help the local community.” Bettler highlights that Habitat is home to diverse thought and WCU students that are dedicated to making a positive impact on their surrounding community.
The President of Habitat, Maddie Abrams, has been with the organization for four years and stated how she “gravitated towards Habitat for Humanity” because she “wanted to be a part of a group that shared similar values and interests.” Abrams further explained how she “wanted to give back” to her “local community, and Habitat was the perfect outlet to do that.” Abrams reflected that she has “had a great time meeting and getting to know other members,” and how Habitat has given her “a greater purpose” and has made her “feel like an important part” of her “local community.”
The Secretary of Habitat Miranda Vigder has also been with the organization for three years. Vigder stated that she joined the organization because she “wanted to learn how to make [her] community a better place.” Remarking on her time in Habitat, Vigder said that “it has been incredibly rewarding to see how the club has been able to maintain” their community service goals, even as their executive board changed.
Vigder highlighted the fact that Habitat is “the only club” she has stayed with during her three years at WCU. She continued, explaining how Habitat has made her “a better person” and has helped her during her time at WCU “with an outstanding group of people” in Habitat, supporting her all the way.
Habitat for Humanity is a long-standing organization, made up of service-driven individuals, looking to help their community as much as possible. Just recently, they made Thanksgiving cards and are mailing them to the local nursing home. If you want to be a part of this amazingly welcoming group, please get in contact with them via any of the ways listed below.
This will be the last article of this column for the semester. If you enjoyed this column, please head to the attached link to vote for its continuation in the spring. And if you have any ideas that relate to this column, that you think I should write about, email me using the email in the byline below.
Survey Link- https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/S96JTQL
Evan Brooks is a third-year Business Management major with minors in Economics and Civil and Professional Leadership. EB916132@wcupa.edu
Instagram- @wcu_habitat
Ramconnect- https://ramconnect.wcupa.edu/student_community?club_id=19818
Website- https://ramconnect.wcupa.edu/habitat/home/
Habitat For Humanity Secretary- MV904020@wcupa.edu