Hartselle High School Interact Club members used four days of their spring break to help build a Habitat for Humanity house in Decatur. Pictured, from left, are Ricky Pugh, Jamie McKelvy, Rachael Robbins, McKinley Livingston of Priceville, Casey Henderson, Jacob Briscoe and Tristan Ponder. | Special to the Enquirer

HHS Interact members use spring break to help build Habitat house

Seven members of Hartselle High School’s Interact Club chose to volunteer as Habitat for Humanity house builders rather than to spend their spring break basking in the sun on the beach or taking in the sights and sounds of the Smoky Mountains.

Ricky Pugh, Jamie McKelvy, Rachael Robbins Casey Henderson, Jacob Briscoe, Tristan Ponder and McKinley Livingston of Priceville worked on a Morgan County Habitat for Humanity project at 1507 Tower Street in Decatur Monday through Thursday, March 25-28.

Their job was to assemble and install the framing for a three-bedroom house alongside volunteers from the University of Chicago.

The house is being built for Nancy Thomas, a single mom, and her three children. It is scheduled to be completed by the end of May.

“I think it’s amazing that these kids would give up their spring break to help a family in need,” said Jan Walker, who serves as a club sponsor with Kenny Lopez and Linda Roberts. “It always humbles me to see how selfless young people are when they know there’s a need.”

“They were wonderful workers, never hesitating when something needed to be done,” said Ashley Fuqua, Habitat volunteer coordinator. “They were also well behaved and got along great with other volunteers.”

“I see their willingness to put others ahead of themselves as exemplary of the community spirit and responsibility that exists in our county,” Habitat executive director Mindy Wing added. It is the positive energy and upbeat effort they brought to this project that will make it successful.”

Ming said the house on Tower Street is one of two that Morgan County Habitat for Humanity is building this spring.

“Both got off the ground at the same time and two groups of volunteers from universities in Kentucky helped frame up the other project, also located in Decatur,.” said Ming..

“We plan to build two more houses in the fall and one of those could go up in our subdivision in Hartselle,” she added.