Two families are closer to owning their own homes after volunteers gathered Thursday morning to help lay sod at each of their neighboring Garland County Habitat for Humanity houses on Eddiemee Street.
Around 20 volunteers showed up to help lay 20 pallets of sod between the two houses at 222 and 226 Eddiemee that were built by Habitat for Humanity.
While Habitat had hoped for more volunteers, the mood at the site was pleasant. Shirley Simmons, the mother of Renee Osborn, one of the new homeowners, said, "I'm enjoying it," when asked about the community effort.
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"This is actually my daughter's house, so we're watching it grow," Simmons said. "It seems wonderful. It is really wonderful."
Asked if she was excited to see her daughter get the new house, Simmons said, "Listen, I'm thrilled. I don't think excitement does it. This is her first new adventure."
While Osborn wasn't able to attend the event, her daughter, Geah King, who will be living with her mother, was helping out, not only with her home but with her neighbor's home, as well.
King said she was helping "for a good cause," noting the sod "is really heavy." King was also appreciative of all the volunteers. "That's a really good thing, that everyone has a good heart to come out and help," she said.
Jeremy Speed, who will own the house next door, also showed appreciation for the help from the community.
"I love it. I love seeing everybody come together to help the next person to achieve a goal that they've been trying to reach," Speed said.
Speed will live in the house with his three kids, "and they're more excited than I am. Got a backyard to run around in. They got their own separate rooms that they've already planned on decorating their own way, so it's exciting," he said.
Helping with the effort was Louis Jimerson, program administrator for Habitat for Humanity, who noted he usually doesn't help with laying sod at the events, but COVID-19 caused him to offer his help.
"As you know, COVID threw us all for a loop as far as volunteer-wise. Of course, to keep true to our mission, the admin staff decided it was time for us all to pull together and come out here and get the job done," he said.
"The mission means so much to me so whatever it takes to get it done, I'm here for it," Jimerson said.
Shawnee Cooper, another volunteer, said she was helping out "to give back to the community," noting, "I enjoy helping. I volunteer in many different areas, and Habitat is one of them. I get more out of it than I feel like I'm giving to someone else, I just enjoy it."
Norma Turner, who was also helping, said she is in Habitat's program and is working toward her own house.
"I think it's awesome how we can just come together and do something for someone else," Turner said. "One reason I'm out here, I'm hoping when I get my house, that I can still have this same support. I mean, teamwork makes the dream work."
Cindy Wagstaff, Habitat's executive director, said they had hoped for more volunteers, but "unfortunately, that did not happen, and the people that were planning on coming were not happy about not being able to come, either."
"It's fantastic, they just, you know, you put out a call, and they come, and they're wonderful," Wagstaff said about the volunteers.
Both of the houses "will be ready to dedicate next Saturday, so we plan to have a double dedication, and we are really excited about that," she said.
