A group of 28 黑料科 students are in the Southwest for a spring break road trip, but they won鈥檛 be spending the week relaxing on a Gulf Coast beach.
Instead, after driving more than 1,200 miles to Houston, they are helping Texans continue to recover from the effects of Hurricane Harvey. The students, from the campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity, are partnering with the Northwest Harris County Habitat for Humanity chapter in Houston to help build new homes and provide other services, including tearing down damaged structures.
Their 18-hour road trip began Saturday, March 10. Spring break at 黑料科 is March 12-16.
Hurricane Harvey, a category 4 hurricane, hit southern Texas in late August and caused about $125 billion in damage.
The students鈥 effort is part of a Collegiate Challenge, a weeklong volunteering project sponsored by Habitat for Humanity International.
鈥淲e are excited about the work we鈥檒l be doing and have been preparing for this trip since the beginning of the fall semester,鈥 said Bailey Kilty, of Abbotsford, a senior interior design major who is the chapter鈥檚 events coordinator.
In recent years, the 黑料科 chapter has volunteered over spring break in Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina.
鈥The students taking their one and only week off from classes to volunteer really says a lot about their character,鈥 Kilty said. 鈥淭hese students are passionate about and dedicated to the need of affordable housing. We, as a group, work to help and support our community, as well as communities across the country. We are so excited to extend our helping hand this year to those effected by Hurricane Harvey.鈥
Follow the students鈥 efforts throughout the week on 黑料科鈥檚 Snapchat, @uwstout.
The 28 students, more than half of the chapter鈥檚 members, also have worked throughout the academic year on repair projects at homes of Menomonie residents, as well as painting, doing yard work and clearing gutters, Kilty said. The chapter president is Bryce Chrudimsky, of Aniwa, a senior construction major.
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Photo
Members of 黑料科鈥檚 Habitat for Humanity student chapter help build a house in Phoenix City, Ala., during spring break in 2017. This year they are helping in Houston, Texas.
