Garland County Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit housing organization that partners with families to construct affordable housing, is seeking volunteers to help place 20 pallets of sod at two homes on Thursday.
The two homes are being simultaneously built with the help of local women as part of Habitat's annual Heels to Hammers event. This year's homes are nearing their dedication, and the sod for the yards are next on the agenda.
The two houses are at 222 and 226 Eddiemee St., making them the second and third Habitat homes on the street.
Dennis Cooper, Habitat's director of community engagement, said they have several volunteers booked, but "even though we have some coming, we need more people to come out Thursday to help us."
The sod laying will start at 10 a.m., and Cooper said they intend to work until at least 3 p.m.
Video not playing? Click here https://www.youtube.com/embed/RIbN2aIyNdU
"We'll be here at 10 o'clock, and if we have people that want to show up at 5 o'clock, if they will call me and let me know ... and if we don't get it all done on Thursday, guess what? We'll be here Friday morning," Cooper said.
"We actually have 20 pallets of sod to lay, and that's a lot," he said, noting anybody interested in helping can contact him at 870-904-2767 and "I can give them more details, that way I know that they're coming."
Volunteers do not need any previous experience, he said, "Just need a good back."
"The more that we have, the quicker we can get it done," Cooper said. "We could use 40 or 50 people."
In 2020, the Heels to Hammers event was canceled due to COVID-19, but the houses were still able to be built. Courtney Post, public relations coordinator, said that since the sponsors were unable to help with the building of the two houses last year, they will be able to come out and help lay sod.
Heels to Hammers will return this year in September, Post said, describing it as "a women's event. It's a week-long event. Typically, on a normal year, we have around 200 women that come out during the week, and they help build these two homes."
The homes are planned to be dedicated in June, and will be the 151st and 152nd Habitat has built.
"We are still looking for lots. We need lots and we need land to build on and we really, really appreciate it when people are generous enough to donate lots that they no longer need or are not using," Post said.
