Caitlin White
Staff Writer
A family has been chosen as recipients of the Pepperdine-sponsored Habitat for Humanity House that should be completed at the end of March. The Saravias, a family of four, will move in as soon as the house is ready.
Construction is progressing well, according to the Pepperdine Volunteer Center and American Humanics Adviser Dr. Regan Schaffer, who wrote the grant to fund the house.
Members of American Humanics, a nonprofit service group at Pepperdine, are the main volunteers for the construction on the “Pierre” Pepperdine House. Named for local philanthropist Pierre Claeyssen, the Pepperdine Habitat House is being built in the Villa Cesar Chavez neighborhood in Oxnard.
Ground was first broken for the house in late September, and building has been in progress ever since. Currently, the framing is completed on the house.
“The majority of work left on the house is indoors,” said Pepperdine student Jennifer Hollingsworth, who works weekly to coordinate volunteers for the build. “The progress since the beginning of the semester is better than expected.”
The original goal of the Habitat house was to have the entire community of Pepperdine involved with the entire community at Villa Cesar Chavez, so although the house is nearing completion, volunteers from any and all groups are still encouraged to come out. Licensed contractor Dave Bussing supervises all operations.
“I have been impressed by the number of groups that have come out,” Hollingsworth said. “They have included sororities, fraternities, SGA, living areas, seminar classes, and the Psychology Club.”
Hollingsworth also encourages volunteers who aren’t affiliated with any group to visit the PVC Web site. “There have also been quite a few individuals out to build,” she said.
Aside from directing the weekly volunteers, Hollingsworth also works with the family every week.
“Every time I have spoken with the family, they have only expressed overwhelming gratitude,” she said. “They have also been there to help on many of the Saturdays we have been there.”
Noe Saravia has been in the United States for 27 years and has only recently begun taking English lessons. Originally from Mexico, he is married with two 15-year-old twin sons.
Part of the contract that Habitat offers to local low-income families is the stipulation that they put in 500 hours of “sweat equity” labor on the house.
Last semester, more than 400 volunteers from Pepperdine worked on the house. “But there is still the need for at least that many this semester,” Hollingsworth said. “I am always so encouraged to see people who consistently give up their Saturdays to serve.”
An Advertising 471 class, instructed by Dr. Ginger Rosenkrans, was also involved in the Habitat House. They developed newspaper and magazine ads, radio clips, direct mailings and more in order to increase awareness and participation in the program in the Los Angeles and Ventura county communities.
The house dedication is scheduled for March 31st. “The entire campus is highly encouraged to attend,” said Schaffer, who hasn’t been as involved in the project recently because of her maternity leave. “It would be wonderful to have a large community of Pepperdine students and faculty there,” Schaffer said.
01-18-2007
