The sounds at the start of the school year are familiar, like the screech of a bus arriving at its stop in the morning, or the sharp bell ringing out to begin the day. But at Roanoke College, the sounds of hammers hitting nails ring out in a different kind of chorus to begin the school year. Each year incoming students at Roanoke College spend their first few days together building a house with Habitat for Humanity. There are plenty of new Maroons on campus to pitch in this year, with 584 freshmen and 54 transfer students strapping on hard hats and getting to work.

This year marks the 13th annual Roanoke College and Habitat’s “R-House” a program founded by Roanoke College Chaplain Emeritus Paul Henrickson. Construction began on R-House in the Hawthorne Road parking lot on Sunday, August 26 and lasted through Tuesday, August 28. Groups of Roanoke students, Habitat staff and volunteers have worked together to build sections of the house. Soon, the construction will be moved to its permanent location on Fairfax Avenue in Roanoke.

Each student at Roanoke College is involved in the construction of the home in one way or another. There’s plenty of excitement and curiosity as students of all skill levels get to experience working on a building site. Students receive hands-on experience, anything from raising the walls to hammering down the roof sheathing. When their shift is done they sign their name in on the beams of the home, becoming a permanent mark of the home they have worked on.
Students have continued opportunities through the fall semester to continue to build the home off-campus starting after Labor Day. The four-bedroom R-House is being built for a single mother and her four children. Most Habitat homes are complete in four to six months, with this home looking to be dedicated at the end of this year. R-House has students build new friendships, learn new skills, and sets a foundation for a life of service.
To learn more about service opportunities like R-House at Roanoke College, visit the Roanoke College Center for Community Service at www.roanoke.edu/communityservice