Enviva Hamlet volunteered to help Habitat for Humanity of the NC Sandhills most recent restoration build in Dobbins Heights as part of Habitat’s ongoing Dobbins Heights Restoration Project.
The goal of the project is to enable homeowners in the community to make minor repairs and upkeep while maintaining access to their residence as they grow older. Consequently, construction is typically focused on building ramps, walkways, decks, and stairways.
It was a brisk morning, and Habitat’s Rick Ford and Ed Kaylor kept the same pace, brisk, with their instructions and leadership of the tear down and rebuild of a deck that had beginning to show signs of aging. A total of eight Enviva associates participated in the task, including several members of Enviva Hamlet’s Safety Committee.
After volunteering for a Habitat house build earlier in the year as part of a United Way of Richmond County initiative, Enviva Hamlet’s Environmental Health & Safety Manager Kaylie Hogan thought a Habitat build would be a great team-building exercise for her Safety Committee that was established two years ago.
“Our team wanted to do an outreach activity that was really hands-on, so a Habitat build was a great opportunity,” stated Kaylie Hogan. “It was a little chilly this morning, but everyone showed up with a smile on their face and ready to get going. That’s great.”
While Ford and Kaylor figured the job would take the better part of two days, the Enviva crew completed the deck replacement in one volunteer day to the pleasant surprise of Rick and Ed.
Habitat’s Ed Kaylor reached back out to Enviva’s Senior Community Relations Manager Chris Brown the next day, stating “Please tell your group that they really did a great job yesterday.”
As with the tradition of Habitat, all the debris that was accumulated during the build was packed up on a truck, leaving the house and yard in the same condition before the build. Well, except for the smell of fresh lumber and a nice new clean deck.
At the end of the day, the homeowner appreciated all the great work of the Habitat team, commenting that they treated her like a family member or a close friend.
“We always have a good time on our Dobbins Heights projects,” stated Brown. “Per usual, Rick and Ed kept us on track. They both are constantly teaching during the day, giving our people a chance to really make an impact on the project. They are hands on when they need to be, but for the most part, they encourage the volunteers to get it done. This approach certainly makes it more rewarding for everyone at the end of the day – everyone can say they chipped in.”
Enviva’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity of the NC Sandhills dates back to 2018, even before the Hamlet facility was up and running.
