Oakton students rehab home for Vietnam vet in Sangamon County

While some college students head for a warm beach this time of year, others roll up their sleeves and grab a hammer. During spring break, the Oakton Community College Habitat for Humanity Club visited downstate Sangamon County for a week of building structures and making friendships.

"We do it to help others," said club President Johnathan Powell, "but no matter how hard you work, you always get 10 times more out of it than you put into it."

Seventeen students from many different ethnic and religious backgrounds worked together with two faculty club sponsors for several days putting on new siding and finishing drywall on a house that was being rebuilt for 66-year-old Vietnam veteran Marshall Brown.

A grandfather who has undergone four hip surgeries, Brown needs a house that has handicap access and is free of the air quality and mold problems that plague his health at his current rental unit. All funds raised for the project by the club were matched by a State Farm Insurance Co. grant.

"It was a lot of hard work for a great cause, but I think the student volunteers had a wonderful experience," said Marvin Bornschlegel, one of the faculty leaders. "They had fun, made new friends, and went home excited about what they accomplished."

Two of women in the club who participated wanted to assure other women that construction work isn't just for men.

"I was afraid at first that I was too small or not strong enough for the work," said Angelica Ramirez, "but this experience definitely boosted my self-confidence."

"We were exhausted at the end of each day," said Cory Melnick, "but it was a good feeling. Everyone was very encouraging and I discovered that I could accomplish as much as anyone."

Oakton students and faculty were fed and housed by Sangamon County Habitat for Humanity staff and volunteers, and the Westminster Presbyterian Church. Students also worked on smaller projects, including building handicap access ramps for local residents and helping with shelving projects at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore facility.