Habitat House: Built of love

It's snowing. \nTwenty volunteers bundled up in winter coats and hats are trudging through a muddy lawn, hauling and hammering boards.\nIt's windy.\nPlywood walls anchored together with nails and sturdy two-by-four boards are being anchored together in what will soon be a house.\nEarly Saturday morning, IU students and Bloomington residents are braving the elements to work on a Habitat for Humanity house. \n"This is definitely an answer to our prayers," said Pete, a man who goes by his first name and will be the owner of the house. "It's phenomenal to see people out on a day like this."\nIt's Habitat for Humanities Martin Luther King Diversity Build-Habitat's response to the events of Sept. 11.\nHabitat, a non-profit ecumenical organization that builds low-income housing for families, is holding the Diversity Build every weekend until March 17. It has invited county churches and international groups from IU to participate every weekend.\n"Because of the religious nature of Sept. 11, we felt it was important to include religious and ethnic diversity," Habitat Director of Ministry Kerry Thomson said. "Clearly, there's no better person to honor than Martin Luther King."\nAll day Saturday, South Bryan Street is a hum of activity, with trucks and cars pulling in and out, delivering materials and volunteers. It's an old neighborhood with three new houses sticking out -- all three the work of Habitat for Humanity. The middle house is in the early stages of construction; it's the house being built in partnership with Monroe County Public Library employee Pete, and his son, Chico.\n"The work that is being done here is being done with love," Pete said. "There's a certain ambience here."\nIt's an air of camaraderie that pervades the cold January weather. Volunteers are sporting buttons honoring Martin Luther King with the slogan "A Day on! Not a Day off." \n"If Martin Luther King were here today, he'd be really proud of us," said Bob Whitaker, pastor of the Evangelical Christian Church and first-time Habitat volunteer.\nFor some, the day simply presented an opportunity to volunteer on a day that would normally be inundated with schoolwork. For others, the day meant more.\nLaura Cheng, an international doctoral student from Taiwan, came to volunteer after receiving an e-mail through the international center. \n"I had a great time even though my clothes and shoes were full with dirt and mud," Cheng said. "And now my right arm is sore from pounding a lot of nails. However, I got to build the porch floor. This is a great accomplishment to me!" \nStraining to talk over the echoes of hammers and the whirrs of electric saws, IU sophomore Alex Ippoliti said he volunteered after hearing of the opportunity through St. Paul's Catholic Church. \n"I feel like I'm working towards a more just society, even though it's just a small thing," Ippoliti said. He added that he doesn't really know that much specifically about Martin Luther King Jr.\nGraduate student and Habitat volunteer Matt Guschwan said he appreciated the opportunity to get out and do something on the three-day weekend.\n"It's a good way to get out in the community, instead of going about the day passively," he said.\nMore than 100 volunteers were expected this past weekend, representing all of the different groups that were invited to the Diversity Build. Thomson said they would actually have to slow down the work Sunday to have enough work for all of the volunteers Monday. \nJennifer Marcum, a Habitat homeowner whose house was completed in December, said she has been impressed by the work of the volunteers this weekend.\n"It's amazing…I've never seen them do a build so fast," Marcum said. "They've accomplished a lot more than they usually do"