Saturday afternoon, there was nothing but a concrete slab at 904 Martin Ave. By Monday afternoon, dozens of young people from Baylor University’s Habitat for Humanity chapter and First Baptist Church of Woodway had erected enough of the frame to show clearly what the 950-square-foot house will look like.

As about 30 young men and women and their supervisors hammered, sawed and painted, the house’s future occupant, Ira Ridge, explained how she lost her job after her husband died and has been trying to make ends meet on two part-time jobs.

Baylor students Abby Garnett (front) and Rachel Raught work on the Habitat for Humanity house being built during spring break.
Jerry Larson / Waco Tribune-Herald

“I help my daughter raise her little girl,” she said, “and I take care of her a lot of times in the afternoon because my daughter works afternoons and evenings. . . . In the apartment where I live now, I’m afraid to let my granddaughter go outside. You can hear fights, sometimes gunshots. So she has to stay inside and watch TV and play video games. Now when this house gets finished, she’ll have a yard to play in.”

The project is the first Spring Break Build of the Baylor Habitat chapter, which became the organization’s first university chapter in 1987, said chapter president Angelica Quintero, of Plano.

It’s intended to cooperate with other youth organizations’ “alternative spring breaks” and has help this year from youths from First Baptist Church of Woodway.

Rachel Raught, a Baylor junior from Kingwood, belongs to both the church and the Baylor Habitat chapter.

“We usually stay overnight at the church during spring break and work on various service projects,” she said. “This is a great opportunity this year. I guess my favorite job is stapling, but we all do a little of everything. I’m learning how to hammer a nail straight, and I’m using muscles I never knew I had.”

‘Sweat equity’

Ridge was accepted into the Habitat program in March and immediately started her 300 hours of “sweat equity,” helping with other building projects and at the Habitat’s ReStore building materials outlet. Now she qualifies for a no-interest loan to buy the home.

Ridge is buying the house for the cost of building materials, which is about $60,000. Her monthly payments will be $380, which includes insurance and taxes.

Future homeowner Ira Ridge smiles at the progress of two days of work by Baylor University students and volunteers from First Baptist Church of Woodway on the Spring Break Build of the Baylor chapter of Habitat for Humanity on Martin Avenue.
Jerry Larson / Waco Tribune-Herald

The house, with two bedrooms and one bathroom, is the smallest plan that Habitat builds, because Ridge will have no family living with her, said John Alexander, executive director of Habitat’s Waco chapter.

The Waco chapter already plans two other larger houses right beside Ridge’s.

Alexander said the students have signed up for four-hour shifts, about 30 at a time, the rest of this week.

They’ll also work Saturdays until April 30, when the house is scheduled for completion with a dedication ceremony at 1 p.m.

The Waco chapter has inspectors who make sure the houses comply with city building codes.

Waco chapter officers also take applications to select beneficiaries, called “partner families” or individuals, on the basis of need, willingness to assist the program and ability to repay the loan.

The Baylor chapter also has donated $5,000 to the Waco chapter and dedicates its fundraising efforts to the larger group.

Working year-round

Throughout the year, its 85 members help the Waco chapter at other build sites. Alexander said three houses usually are under construction at a time.

“The Spring Break Build was the idea of the administration and our officer team after some discussions in December last year, when the team as a whole agreed on working toward a greater community presence,” said Malcolm Ladines, service chairman for Baylor Habitat this year. “We intend to make this an annual service project to extend our arms to the community in need.”

The group still is looking for more Baylor students and organizations to help on the current project. Volunteers are treated to lunch, museum and zoo visits, and organizations can get their logos on Spring Break Build T-shirts and the dedication plaque.

“We have room for at least 15 volunteers every day of the Spring Break Build,” Ladines said.

Baylor student Rachel Raught helps build the home’s frame.
Jerry Larson / Waco Tribune-Herald

According to its website, Habitat for Humanity International was founded in 1976 as a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry “dedicated to eliminating substandard housing and homelessness worldwide and to making adequate, affordable shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat invites people from all faiths and walks of life to work together in partnership, building houses with families in need.”

Other information on the Baylor and Waco Habitat chapters is available at wacohabitat.org.

Baylor students interested in volunteering may contact Angelica_Quintero@baylor.edu or Veronica_Renteria@baylor .edu.

dbolding@wacotrib.com

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