H-ton Habitat for Humanity Club Set to Travel

Huntington High School’s Habitat for Humanity club chapter is set to travel to New Orleans during the February break and help build needed housing in that city, which has never completely recovered from the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.

This year’s chapter membership includes dozens of Huntington students, who are led by an executive board that features Olivia Polinsky (president), Victoria Befumo (vice president) and Sana Amin (secretary).

Habitat for Humanity is a worldwide organization dedicated to eliminating poverty and homelessness by building housing side-by-side with those in need.

The Huntington chapter dates to 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.

A graduate of the College of Wooster in Ohio, Mr. Gilmor earned a Master of Social Work degree at SUNY Stony Brook in 1994. He later obtained certification as a school administrator through Long Island University. He was employed from January 1997 through the summer of 2003 as a social worker in the Elwood School District. He founded Elwood’s Habitat for Humanity chapter.

Since its founding, Huntington High School’s Habitat for Humanity chapter has worked locally, regionally and nationally to accomplish its goals. The group has traveled to cities across the country, helping communities rebuild after being struck by natural disasters.

Chapter members started fundraising at the start of the new school year and have never stopped. There will be bake sales and holiday dessert sales and other money raising initiatives.

Mr. Gilmor will lead a delegation of as many 15-20 chapter members to New Orleans for the trip, which will stretch from February 19-25. This will be Huntington’s fifteenth trip to help residents of New Orleans.

During down time the group has tentative plans to enjoy the family fun celebration of a Mardi Gras float parade, visit Tulane University and Loyola University New Orleans, go on a swamp boat tour and visit the zoo and dine at some well-known spots, including the 111 year old Parkway Bakery.

The Huntington Habitat club welcomes new members of any grade level. It also hopes to receive community support and even corporate sponsorship. Interested in joining the campaign to make the world a better place? Send a message to Mr. Gilmor at rgilmor@hufsd.edu.