Huntington High School’s Habitat for Humanity club chapter is staying busy this winter, doing what it does best: helping others in need of a roof over their head.
Club members traveled to Storey Avenue in Central Islip on a cold day to work hard on a house build. Huntington Habitat’s ranks include dozens of teenagers. The group is led by Bella Thompson (president), Charlie O’Rourke (vice president/treasurer) and Aaron Chin (secretary).
The Huntington chapter was founded in 2003 when Robert Gilmor III was hired as a high school dean. He organized the club, which included a very energetic and enthusiastic group of young people who helped the group establish a solid footing that has endured. Mr. Gilmor continues to serve as the club’s faculty advisor.
“Habitat for Humanity is a global organization whose goal is to help build houses for people who do not have a home,” Mr. Chin said. Since the Huntington chapter was organized, club members have worked locally, regionally and nationally on projects. The group has trekked across the country helping communities rebuild after being struck by natural disasters.
At the house on Storey Avenue in Central Islip, Huntington Habitat members collaborated with other volunteers to save the homeowner thousands of dollars, doing the type of work that expensive craftsmen would have otherwise been hired to perform.
“During the build, we mostly stayed inside since it was a cold winter day and we worked on insulation,” Mr. Chin said. While some of the kids worked on cutting foam boards and inserting them onto the ceiling or walls, others helped to insulate the house by using spray foam to get into the corners. Although it was a long day, all of the students found their efforts immensely rewarding, as they knew that they were providing great help for the community.”
When the day’s work had wrapped up, the Huntington Habitat members signed their names inside the house’s walls. The teenagers felt good about what they were able to accomplish.
“The club has plenty of plans for the future,” Mr. Chin said. Mr. Gilmor will lead a group of nearly 20 chapter members to New Orleans next month to help ongoing efforts to rebuild from the massive destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina many years ago. The trip will run from February 16-22. This will be Huntington’s 14th excursion to help residents of New Orleans.
“Huntington Habitat is always striving to do great things,” Mr. Chin said.