Ladue’s Habitat for Humanity club volunteered in University City on Dec. 1, where they helped construct a home for a family in need.

Saturday, Dec. 1 was an unusually warm day. However, the morning and the evening were colder, dropping to 39 degrees.

“When it gets really cold outside we dress in layers but you would be surprised even on thirty degree weather day you will be peeling layers off because you are hammering, you’re sawing, and you’re climbing ladders,” club sponsor and math teacher Debra Carson said.

Senior and club member Annie Kopp has attended numerous trips, many of which last all day, from 7:00a.m. to 3:00p.m. Although Annie is not yet 18 years old, and thus not allowed to use power tools, the younger students still contribute.

“Us youngsters do a lot of painting,” Kopp said. “We turn on some music and paint away.”

Volunteer jobs on the site range from painting, landscaping, to insulating. On most occasions, Carson occupies the role of safety instructor and ensure that everyone completes his or her work safely.

“I try to take as much of a backseat as possible but I do like to get in there and get my hands dirty as well,” Carson said.

Through building homes for those who could not afford their own, Habitat for Humanity offers teenagers and adults alike a chance to contribute to their communities. The club benefits not only the recipients of the homes, but volunteers who feel inspired by their charitable work and interactions with others.

“Habitat totally changed my perspective on charity,” Ladue alumnus and former club president Adam Kopp said. “It sounds cliché, but it is what made me feel that great feeling inside of helping others.” #