Progress West and Habitat for Humanity

On June 12, the Progress West leadership team traded in their pagers, computers and to-do lists for hammers, tool belts and safety goggles to spend the day volunteering with Habitat for Humanity of St. Charles County (HFHSCC). The volunteer work, a team-building activity during their quarterly leadership retreat, took place at Habitat's current building development at the Enclaves at Eisenhower in St. Peters.

Throughout the day, PWHC team members roofed half of the home, cleaned up the construction site, and built and installed all of the interior walls, providing nearly 300 hours of community service to the project.

"I feel that out of all of the team-building exercises we have done during our leadership retreats, this one will stick out as the most memorable," says Scott Austermann, manager.

Each home built takes about 17 weeks to complete, and requires 2,000 volunteer hours during construction. Nearly all labor on the houses is completed by volunteers, with the exception of two staff members and a few subcontractors for foundation, flatwork, electric, HVAC and plumbing work. Most subcontract work is completed at a discount or in-kind. This house -- designed for a five-member family -- is one of 14 to be built in the development. Construction began in May and is expected to conclude by the end of August, with a move-in date slated for early September.

"Without dedicated volunteers who give their time and talents to each project, Habitat for Humanity of St. Charles County would not be able to provide hard-working, low-income families with a safe, secure and stable place to live and grow," says Kelly Brooks, HFHSCC development coordinator. "Progress West was a wonderful group, and we're thankful for their support."