Sailors Help Build Des Moines Community

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michelle Kapica, Naval Special Warfare Command Public Affairs

April 23, 2010 - DES MOINES, Iowa (NNS) -- Sailors swapped their Navy uniforms for jeans and T-shirts when they volunteered to help build a home for a family April 21 in conjunction with Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity in Des Moines, Iowa.

The group, composed of Sailors from the Leap Frogs, the Navy parachute demonstration team, USS Constitution, Navy Operational Support Center Des Moines and Navy Recruiting District Minneapolis, took part in the project as part of Des Moines Navy Week.

The small, ranch-style house wrapped in beige siding, began to take shape throughout the day as Sailors constructed a wooden staircase, installed cardboard insulation supports, dug two basement window accesses and cemented in breeze blocks. The outer frame of the house was originally constructed outside the state capitol building just two miles away, during the 20,000 Helping Hands Homebuilding Kickoff in March 2010. It was transported to the home site and seated on top of the foundation in the north of the city.

"I'm very excited," said future homeowner, Abraham, who immigrated to the United States from Liberia after spending seven years in a refugee camp on the Ivory Coast. "Homeownership is an investment in my family's future."

The home is scheduled to be completed by the end of June 2010, said Kim Stangl, site manager. That will be the first time Abraham's family will live together under one roof.

The greater Des Moines chapter of Habitat for Humanity has been helping qualified, low-income families with home ownership since 1986. Six homes are currently under construction in the area and 22 more are planned in 2010, said Stangl.

The majority of the work is done by volunteers, which cuts labor costs making homeownership more affordable, said Stangl. The number of volunteers it takes to make that happen was clear. The framework in the house is covered with the signatures of volunteers who have already contributed to the home and there will be many more before the house is finished.

"We don't build the house, you guys do!" said Stangl, referring to his volunteers. "There's no way I could do this by myself. We appreciate all volunteers."

It wasn't the first time many of the Sailors had volunteered with Habitat. Some had helped out at construction projects near their duty stations and were happy to volunteer again during Navy week.

"Working with Habitat for Humanity here in Des Moines is a fun thing to do, but it actually gives you good, heartfelt feeling about what you can do for a community to make people's lives better," said James Woods, retired Navy SEAL assigned to the Leap Frogs.

Des Moines Navy Week is one of 20 Navy weeks planned across the country in 2010. Navy weeks are designed to show Americans the investment they have made in their Navy and increase awareness in cities that do not have a significant Navy presence.