They’ve been volunteering for almost 20 years. How many homes have they worked on? Bob says,
“I stopped counting at 100.”
Bob is a retired electrician and a lifelong mentor. He’s the reason why Habitat Tucson homes have reliable, quality electrical work at only the cost of supplies. Ginny is a retired employment professional and a people person. She volunteers in the office, as well as helping set up and run events such as Women Build.
They met when they were each over 50, and Ginny made the first move. Bob says, “And we’ve been having fun ever since!” Volunteering together has only strengthened their bond. They see it as an opportunity to grow as individuals and as a couple. Bob says, “We have different roles but we are in the same structure. Volunteering helps us communicate.”
Volunteering has also helped them meet others in their community. “You have one goal. You tell stories with each other, and you learn about people’s backgrounds, where they come from. That’s the important thing: Habitat brings people together. I don’t think we would have met any of the people that we know now had it not been for Habitat.”
Mentoring young people is a passion for Bob. He says, “I keep teaching and complimenting the work of volunteers that come to the site. Because I know that helps to bring them back.” When we asked Bob what he would say to a young person starting their career in construction, he says, “Whenever you’re learning, you’re advancing yourself and your self confidence. And in construction, you’ll probably never be out of a job.”
Ginny and Bob are also loyal donors to Habitat Tucson. When we asked them why they keep giving, Ginny says, “You know where it’s gonna go. It’s not going to get filtered off. There are so many organizations out there that you don’t really know where the money really goes.”
Plus, they can see the impact of their gift.
Ginny says, “Put your money where you’re working!”
Ginny believes, “The volunteers at Habitat are just a nice group of people. We’re similar. And everybody brings all these different strengths. Combining all the different things to make a beautiful finished house—a home.”Put your money where you’re working!
