December 31, 2012

It's an ordinary day on the job for Habitat For Humanity volunteer Bill Stackhouse. He's working in the Sunrise Park neighborhood in Charlottesville now, but has spent the last 13 years building more than 70 homes for area families.

Habitat For Humanity's goal is to help low income families become homeowners.

"Once you meet the partner family people they're wonderful," says Stackhouse. "They need a hand up to get their lives in a good place and then they blossom."

Stackhouse takes on many tasks during the four to six week project, but is known best for his electrical work.

He draws plans and installs the wiring, making sure everything runs properly in the new home.

And it's not always an easy job.

"The tough work is the cold rainy days with the wind blowing and we're out here doing stuff."

But he says it's worth it to give families a place to call their own, and children opportunities for a better life.

"Their children become anything form a doctor, lawyer, engineer, you name it. They become that sort of a thing because they've had a hand up to help them do the things that they would like to do in their lives."

Folks on the job site say Bill Stackhouse is a hero. Not only for constructing new homes but for building a brighter future for every person living inside a new Habitat For Humanity home.

Sunrise Park is nearing completion. The second and final phase includes six partner family homes, and all families are expected to move in in the Spring.

If you'd like to volunteer just visit Habitat for Humanity's website at http://cvillehabitat.org/