University of Tennessee Athletics
Habitat For Humanity Dedication
August 30, 2012 | Men's Basketball
Aug. 30, 2012
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- The Tennessee men's and women's basketball teams on Thursday attended the dedication of a new home that they helped construct earlier this summer in conjunction with Knoxville Habitat for Humanity. The teams initially built and raised the first four walls of the structure when the house was in its early stages of construction in June.
During Thursday's dedication ceremony, Vols senior Jeronne Maymon and Lady Vols senior Kamiko Williams presented homeowner Karen Lowe with the keys to the house.
"(Having the Tennessee basketball teams here) shows they really care," Lowe said. "They're not just doing it for show. Hopefully other people will hear about this and realize that if (the basketball players) can find time to volunteer during their busy schedule, anyone can go volunteer."
The home was constructed in such a way that it is completely accessible to Lowe, who is a little person. Light switches, thermostat controls, countertops and other facets of the home have been strategically placed so that Lowe can enjoy her new home with the highest level of independence possible.
"It's really funny to me that the tallest people helped me," Lowe said with a laugh. "If I had to do all this without Habitat, I would not be here now. It would have taken years to save up for the down payment and all of that. And even then, the house wouldn't have been built correctly for me. Habitat makes a huge difference."
For Maymon, it was the second Habitat home he's assisted with during his time as a Vol.
"It definitely feels good to help give someone a home - a place to lay their head and a place where they feel safe," Maymon said.
Lady Vols senior Taber Spani added to that sentiment, citing that the student-athletes took just as much away from the experience as the homeowner.
"It's really unbelievable," Spani said. "To be here (in June) when the foundation was laid and put up those first four walls and now to come back... it's just a beautiful home and a beautiful young woman who's going to hopefully enjoy it.
"We know we're looked to by the community as role models, and we love that. If we can help and give back in any way possible, we're willing and wanting to do that."
Knoxville Habitat for Humanity President and CEO Kelle Shultz expressed gratitude and appreciation for Vols coach Cuonzo Martin and Lady Vols coach Holly Warlick allowing their teams to take part in a Habitat build project for a second consecutive year.
"It's a tradition now," Shultz said of UT's involvement. "We're truly blessed. We are `The Volunteer State,' so it's such a wonderful honor, when we need so many volunteers to help us accomplish our ministry and our work of building houses, to truly have `The Volunteers' come out and be a part of this."
