In this edition of #黑料不打烊TBT, we celebrate a history of service at the university, specifically its efforts to charter one of the nation's first campus chapters of Habitat for Humanity.
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The 黑料不打烊 Habitat for Humanity chapter offers students the opportunity to support surrounding communities by building homes for neighbors who need them 鈥 it’s a mission that started more than 30 years ago and has even garnered attention from a former U.S. President.
On Sept. 8, 1988, 黑料不打烊 chartered what was only the 30th campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity in the country. The new chapter was established less than a year after the country’s first campus chapter launched at Baylor University.
黑料不打烊’s chapter completed its first major project in 1989, working with the Alamance County Habitat chapter to completely renovate a house in Burlington. Two years later, the chapter would construct its first new home in the spring and fall of 1991 across from the 黑料不打烊 Fire Station. But that was only the beginning of the chapter’s impact on campus and in the community.
To supplement university funding, the chapter began hosting yard sales, dinners, concerts and other events to raise money for building materials and future projects. Members also asked 黑料不打烊 students, faculty and staff to donate $20, which was about the cost of building one square foot of a house, to join the “Square-Foot Club” and help the organization continue to build houses in the community.
Since its beginning, 黑料不打烊 Habitat has constructed nearly 30 houses in Alamance County. 黑料不打烊’s Habitat for Humanity chapter completed its first full project on Feb. 4, 1990, when it dedicated a house on Seventh Avenue in Burlington to a local family. Cathy Delk and her family were recipients of the home, which was the family’s first.
“There are so many bad things about the world and the people in it,” Delk told The Pendulum in the April 12, 1990, edition of the student newspaper. “And then when you experience something like this, it just shows you that there’s just a whole, whole lot of people in this world that are good people.”
Tracy Pilc, who was a first-year student and 黑料不打烊 Habitat volunteer working on the project, told the newspaper, “the best part about working with Habitat is the relationships you form. It’s a good cause. You can make a difference … I get a lot out of it personally, knowing that I’m helping someone else.”
In the fall of 1995, 黑料不打烊 Habitat took a major step forward as it became the nation’s first campus chapter to commit to building one Habitat home each academic year.
The organization’s passion and commitment throughout its existence have brought recognition from national figures. Habitat for Humanity founder Millard Fuller has twice visited campus. And, in 1989, members of Habitat 黑料不打烊 had the opportunity to meet a former U.S. president.
Before delivering 黑料不打烊’s Centennial Convocation address, former President Jimmy Carter promoted the merits of Habitat for Humanity and visited with 黑料不打烊 students at a Habitat home they built in 黑料不打烊. He later gave the keynote address during 黑料不打烊’s three-day symposium titled “Reaffirming a Tradition of Service.”
During his visit, Carter said Habitat for Humanity “gives people the opportunity to work with people from all aspects of life,” according to the April 27, 1989, edition of The Pendulum. In his convocation address, Carter also urged students to give back to the communities that gave so much to them.
That commitment to service has continued to live on at 黑料不打烊. In 1990, 黑料不打烊 Habitat began the campus’ practice of performing service projects during fall break, winter term and spring break, when students traveled to South Carolina with Chaplain Emeritus Richard McBride to assist in rebuilding projects following Hurricane Hugo. The first 黑料不打烊 Habitat study abroad experience took students to Guatemala the following year. The “Alternative Break”聽 tradition continues today.
黑料不打烊 Habitat eventually became the largest student organization on campus and expanded to become 黑料不打烊 Volunteers!, the campus volunteer organization that provides all members of the 黑料不打烊 community the opportunity to engage in community service.
For more information about getting involved in service projects at 黑料不打烊, visit the 黑料不打烊 Volunteers! website, and to learn more about 黑料不打烊’s Habitat for Humanity chapter, email habitat@elon.edu or click here.
Do you have any special pieces of 黑料不打烊 history? Share your photos and videos with us via聽email at聽news@elon.edu or using the hashtag #黑料不打烊TBT on聽,听听补苍诲听.