University of Tennessee Athletics
Rowing Bonds As They Build Habitat Home
September 09, 2015 | Rowing
By Brian Rice
UTSports.com
KNOXVILLE -- -- Teamwork, communication and sacrifice are concepts that are critical to the moves the Tennessee rowing team makes in building success on the water.
Over three Saturdays this fall, the Volunteers will come together to apply those same concepts to building something special in the Knoxville community with Habitat for Humanity.
The community service project is the perfect fit for a program that has a long history of dedicating itself to helping others. Building a Habitat home is not just an opportunity to help others, it is also a chance to develop the skills that Tennessee will utilize on the water once fall practice begins in earnest.
“Working together building trusses, securing walls, and installing siding allows us to learn more about each other,” Tennessee head coach Lisa Glenn said. “Being generous with our effort and energy allows us to give back and support the incredible work of Habitat for Humanity. Finally, being involved in creating a home for someone who needs it gives us a reason to reflect on, and make more of, the good fortune we have enjoyed in our own lives.”
The team is building a home for Stephanie, a cardiac technician at a local hospital, who is a single mother of four. The team began the project with the “Home Blitz” on Aug. 22, where the exterior walls and trusses went up. The Volunteers assisted as the roof and interior walls went up on August 29. They will return this weekend to help put siding on the home and prepare for the final steps inside before the keys are turned over to Stephanie at a dedication ceremony later this fall.
As a family partner with Knoxville Habitat for Humanity, Stephanie has put in over 500 hours of “sweat equity” as a down payment toward home ownership. She and her family have been present and hard at work alongside the student-athletes at each of the team’s sessions.
“It was so wonderful to see the family,” said sophomore Iman Woodyard. “It’s obvious that they were very thankful and appreciative for us being there. [Stephanie] made it a point to come up to us and ask how our day was going, she was very involved with the whole process.”
Approximately 70 rowing student-athletes will contribute time and energy toward the building of Stephanie’s home. As they worked, the bonds they formed as a team showed in every element of their work.
"I have enjoyed observing the team at work,” Glenn said. “You have Nikole Chojnacky getting right to work with a hammer. You have Harper Lucas, Iman Woodyard, Olivia Rustin and Morgan Suffridge using mallets to level door frames. McDarragh Minnock and Lauren Higdon are climbing up to secure trusses, and Natalie Tavares is organizing a group to take care of something requiring collaborative effort. Then you've got Lily Emerson reminiscing about working in the yard with her dad as she nails in another row of shingles. And there are lots of others, but it's really a full circle experience, and I am appreciative of the great people on my team and the great people at Habitat for the opportunity."
The passion her teammates showed at every step of the project stood out to junior Lauren Krawczyk.
“All of the girls on the team are so passionate about getting things done, and contributing to something bigger than themselves,” she said. “All of the people from Habitat are so passionate about teaching, directing, and having just an amazing time. You can't be around the building site and not be smiling about something going on.”
Through that passion for the project, the team formed bonds that will help strengthen their focus together on the water. They also found how to work outside of their comfort zones to build the project.
“It was great bonding and working with my teammates and finding ways to make the process easier for us,” Woodyard said. “We had to do a lot of work in a short amount of time, so that gave us a great element of teambuilding as we accomplished what we set out to do.”
Most of all, the project was about serving others. The fruits of their labor will help a Knoxville family find a place everyone strives for: Home.
“We are truly honored,” Glenn said. “Honored to be asked to help make this home for Stephanie and her family a reality.”
