Lakeland Mirror

Issue date: 2/15/07 Section: Features

Media Credit: Jessica Larson Phi Delta Omega put this cardboard shanty together with duct tape and spray paint for Sally Bork to sleep in last year. Bork is Phi Delta Omega advisor and Krueger's hall director.

In 1976, the first Habitat for Humanity was established in Georgia. Since then, over 2,100 of these organizations have developed across the world.

Habitat for Humanity is an organization that builds affordable houses for people who lack sufficient shelter.

Lakeland College is part of the Habitat for Humanity Lakeside chapter based in Sheboygan, which was founded in 1993. They serve Sheboygan and Ozaukee Counties and have built 16 houses within them.

Habitat at Lakeland is a campus organization that volunteers and does community service in partnership with the Sheboygan chapter. They focus their volunteer work in Sheboygan, because there are few opportunities for Habitat to do volunteer work on campus.

Habitat hosts a Shantytown event on campus annually. In the spring, usually April, money is raised for Habitat. Selected faculty members then sleep in cardboard boxes to support the event.

Habitat also participates in what is called Acts Week or Build Week. During this time, Habitat for Humanity tries to raise awareness about their organization and encourage new members to join.

Habitat for Humanity is an international organization. The students in Lakeland's chapter hope to have the opportunity to go overseas and volunteer with other international organizations in the future.

Every year, Lakeland's Habitat for Humanity has the opportunity to participate in the Spring Break Collegiate Challenge, which is held in different locations each time. In years past, Lakeland has been to Houston, Texas; Mexico City, New Mexico; Oregon and this year they are heading down to Russell, Alabama.

Seventeen students and two advisors will be attending the Challenge in Russell, Alabama during Spring Break. They will be working with five or six different colleges from all over the country, which will consist of about 100 students.

"I've never worked with so many other people before. It's going to be quite different this year," said Habitat Treasurer Amanda Gorshe, who is a sophomore at Lakeland.

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