Walking through Ho Plaza the last week of September, Cornellians might have noticed a small construction project by the entrance of the Cornell Store. Welcome to Truss Days 2010 – a shed building project sponsored by Cornell’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity (HFH). Although the center of campus is an unconventional work site for this organization, the event is meant to raise awareness about the issues of substandard housing, promote the club’s activities on campus, and give students a chance to get a taste of what HFH is all about. Naturally, I had to check it out.

After signing a waiver to get started, I was immediately put to work, moving shed pieces, measuring the materials, and even using a screwdriver for the first time! The Cornell chapter of HFH works mainly with three local affiliates in Tompkins County – HFH of Lansing, Dryden, and Cortland – so there were experienced members from these local organizations to manage the construction and provide instruction. One thing was clear though – everyone was welcome to help and was treated equally as we took turns using tools and worked as team, no matter your experience.

Following Truss Days, the shed constructed on Ho Plaza was transported to Varna and will soon be placed in Lansing as a place to house tools and supplies during an upcoming build there. After the completion of the project, it will remain in the family’s backyard for future use. It was a rewarding experience to help out even for just the hour that I was there and it sparked my interest in other service opportunities with this organization.

In speaking with the club’s president, Meaghan Cassin, it is clear that Cornell HFH has many activities for interested students. The club runs work trips every weekend, for as long as the weather in the Southern Tier allows it to. And, for the first time ever, the organization is planning a trip over winter break to Johns Island, SC. General body meetings are every other week, but signing up for trips and activities is done on their new website, http://www.cornellhabitat.org/. Interested students can join the listserv by emailing habitat@cornell.edu.

As an organization that provides meaningful opportunities and makes a difference in the community around Cornell, HFH is a great option for those seeking rewarding service-oriented activities.