April 2011
Tom Takes 
Tom Takes has been a part of Habitat for many years. He is active on the construction committee and has taken part in several days of volunteering his skills and knowledge about construction on the build site! In addition, Tom has taught our homeowners' maintenance class for the past two years. We are very grateful to have him on our Habitat team!
Q. How long have you been involved with Habitat for Humanity?
I have been volunteering for about 15 to 20 years.
Q. How did you become involved?
Through the Greater Cedar Rapids Area Home Builders Association.
Q. What have you enjoyed most about working with Habitat for Humanity?
I have enjoyed meeting new people and making a difference in the community!
Q. Do you have any advice for our future volunteers?
Give time when you can!
March 2011
Randy Parks 
Randy has been an avid and devoted member of Cedar Valley Habitat’s Construction committee, as well as the Site Selection committee. He serves as the chair on the Construction Committee and has for over a year now. His role and dedication has been a vital part of the building process and we can’t thank him enough for being a part of our Habitat team!!
Q. How long have you been involved with Habitat for Humanity?
1 ½ years
Q. How did you become involved?
I met Steve Smith, who encouraged me to get involved. He thought with my construction background, I would be a good fit. I thought that I could help estimate or even pick up a hammer. I think it was only a couple of hours before my first committee meeting when Steve told me that I was the new Chair of the Building committee!
Q. What have you enjoyed most about working with Habitat for Humanity?
The People! Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity members are inspiring with their generous contributions. It’s contagious and it motivates me more to help!
Q. Do you have any advice for our future volunteers?
Try Everything! Don’t be afraid to tackle a job or task, just because you haven’t done it before. Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity has plenty of guidance and support to make sure you succeed!
February 2011
Lynda Barrow
Q. How long have you been working for Habitat for Humanity?
I’ve been actively involved since 1999. After Hurricane Mitch devastated parts of Central America, I urged my church (which was then Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago) to respond in a hands-on way. We decided to do a Global Village mission to Honduras. At about the same time, as I was preparing to move to Cedar Rapids and start teaching at Coe College, a Coe student contacted me and asked if I would help him establish a Habitat chapter at the college. I agreed, and Coe soon got its charter.
Since then, I’ve led two Global Village missions to southern Mexico, and I’ve worked on variousCedar Valley Habitat projects, including a women’s build a few years ago. I’ve also gone on Collegiate Challenge trips to Athens, Georgia and Battle Creek, Michigan. In March, I’m accompanying about twenty Coe students on a Collegiate Challenge trip to Beaumont, Texas.
Q. How did you become involved?
My initial connection with Habitat was through a friend who worked at the Habitat affiliate in Syracuse, New York. (I lived in Syracuse at the time.) When Millard Fuller came to town, my friend provided a ticket, and Fuller provided a whole lot of hammer-type inspiration. A couple of years later, I picked up a hammer – a piece of rebar is really more like it – and helped build a house in Honduras.
Q. What have you enjoyed most about working with Habitat for Humanity?
Volunteering with Habitat is very rewarding, whether it’s on a local project, a spring break Collegiate Challenge, or a Global Village mission. On local projects, I enjoy the camaraderie of the hammer. I like feeling like part of a team of people who I’ve just met. The Habitat staff and other volunteers are pretty patient with me, which I appreciate. Working with the Coe chapter, I’ve been impressed by students’ dedication to Habitat. They do quite a bit of fund-raising, including a yearly overnight “Shack-a-Thon” in the quad. They also do all the organizing for the Collegiate Challenges – and, frankly, I just like being with students who devote their spring break to working on a service project. On Global Village trips, I’ve been humbled by how hard our Honduran and Mexican counterparts worked.
I like to joke that it’s always good to develop a marketable skill, just in case my teaching career doesn’t pan out.
Q. Do you have any advice for our future volunteers?
Do a good job on the worksite, but also take time to get to know a bit about the people you’re working with. Millard Fuller said Habitat for Humanity is about more than building houses; it’s about building relationships.
January 2011
Roger Haerther
The following is a tribute to long-time CVHFH volunteer, Roger Haerther, submitted by ReStore director Julie Palmer Nelson.
Roger originally approached Habitat volunteer, Kathy Jacobsen at church because he knew she was involved with Habitat, and he wanted to know what Habitat was all about. It was 2005 and he was retiring and looking for something to become involved in. Kathy knew immediately that Roger would be a good fit with Habitat. “He genuinely cares about others, works hard and is dedicated to the causes he volunteers for,” said Kathy.
In those days, Habitat wasn’t building many homes, so Kathy suggested to Roger to come to a meeting about setting up a place called ReStore. He jumped in with both feet!
Roger is definitely a behind-the-scenes sort of guy! He can be seen especially enjoying the community and fellowship with his fellow volunteers, but Roger is the first to shy away from any activities that put him in the limelight. He is always eager to share a funny story or even a joke. He is often clad in his overalls or “bibbers” as he calls them, and ready to jump into whatever project that presents itself. He comes equipped with truck, trailer, tools and talents wherever he goes.
Roger is a true “jack of all trades” and was instrumental in getting the ReStore off to a good start, from its planning stages in late 2004 to its grand opening in January 2006. He has maintained active involvement in the ReStore since that time and was an instrumental part of the store’s recent move to downtown Cedar Rapids. In addition to his work with ReStore, Roger currently serves on the Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors, is an active member of the Benton County Board, serves on Habitat’s construction committee, and is active in volunteer work with his church. On top of all of that, he still finds time to fiddle around the farm and in his workshop when he’s not so busy!
We are truly blessed to have Roger as a vital part of Habitat’s past, present and future!
December 2010
Mark Olsen
Q. How long have you been working for Habitat for Humanity?
Approximately three years.
Q. How did you become involved?
Was looking to volunteer somewhere and heard about Restore and decided to look into it. I went to the store and asked about it and was impressed with the people. I started right away.
Q. What have you enjoyed most about working with Habitat for Humanity?
The people, the customers, and what it stands for.
Q. Do you have any advice for our future volunteers?
Don’t be afraid to jump in. It does great things and helps a lot of good people that need the lift!
November 2010
Larry Lacy
Larry Lacy has made such a great and positive impact on the construction site at Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity. He has been such a dedicated volunteer this past summer and always had a positive attitude toward others! Larry was the type of person to ask what more he could do when he was finished with a task. He is such a great person to be around and always motivated others with his personality and desire to help others!
Q. How long have you been working for Habitat for Humanity?
My first experience working with Habitat for Humanity was in June 2010 putting decks on basements at the Robins site.
Q. How did you become involved?
I am partially retired and was looking for something productive to do with my time. I received a post card from a group at my church requesting that I attend a planning meeting for a (one) house they intended to assist Habitat with. Jeff Capp was there and asked if I wanted to be on the construction committee, I said yes (still thinking this was one house) and found myself on THE CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE. Things moved along from there. (My church continues to plan for a future build but it didn't happen this year)
Q. What have you enjoyed most about working with Habitat for Humanity?
I have enjoyed the opportunity to exercise what construction skills and knowledge I have in a way that will help others. I have enjoyed to opportunity to learn new skills, and teach others in skills I have, and essentially do something different every day there. I've really enjoyed the people I've met from all tracts of life, the feeling of being part of a team working toward a common goal and actually getting things done! I've learned a great deal (some good, some maybe not ) from a wide variety of folks out there, and I've learned there are a lot of different ways to do the same thing. I look forward to continuing on to other Cedar Valley Habitat activities upon completion of work at the Robins site.
Q. Do you have any advice for our future volunteers?
Contact the Volunteer Coordinator and sign up to help, show up (on time!), and have a ball! While some specific skills are needed in many areas, there will be people there to direct and train you if you don't have the desired "skill of the day".
October 2010
Marlin Oeltjen and Martin Looker have made a great impact on our construction site this summer. Their construction knowledge and leadership experiences have been extremely beneficial on site. Marlin and Martin have continually supported and dedicated their time as volunteers to our affiliate! We consider them to be a part of our Cedar Valley Habitat family of volunteers and staff!
Marlin Oeltjen
Q. How long have you been working with Habitat for Humanity?
At least 15 years. I started when the Marion Habitat began.
Q. How did you become involved?
I worked on the Committee for all the Habitat houses in Marion through the Marion social concerns committee.
Q. What have you enjoyed most about working with Habitat for Humanity?
The camaraderie in working with others interested in home building
Q. 4) Do you have any advice for our future volunteers?
Get involved as much as you can! It is very rewarding to stand back and say you helped build a home for someone that really needed it!
Marti Looker
Q. How long have you been working with Habitat for Humanity?
This is the second year I’ve been volunteering for Habitat for Humanity.
Q. How did you become involved?
I had a lot of free time and decided to use my carpentry skills to help a good cause.
Q. What have you enjoyed most about working with Habitat for Humanity?
Meeting and working with different people. I also enjoy being able to use my construction experience to show people how to do the different things involved in building a house!
Q. Do you have any advice for our future volunteers?
Just be ready for a variety of tasks. Be willing to listen and in turn you have the opportunity to learn something new.
Tim Hayes and Josh Thompson have had a great impact on our projects this summer. Their construction knowledge and leadership experience have been invaluable on site. They both initially became involved through Kirkwood’s Construction Management Internship program.
Their involvement with Cedar Valley
Habitat for Humanity has grown now that both work as staff on Saturdays, independently leading teams of volunteers. Our projects would not be possible without committed volunteers like
Tim and Josh, and we thank them for their help.
Tim Hayes
Q. How long have you been working for Habitat
for Humanity?
I started helping cap basements in late May of this
year, then I was asked to help prep houses for the brush
with kindness program and was also a house leader. Then
I was asked to lead crews on the new construction site
which has been a lot of fun, a lot of the groups of
volunteers are a lot of fun to work with.
Q. How did you become involved?
Someone from Kirkwood College mentioned that Habitat was
looking for some volunteers so I started going to
construction committee meetings. At those meetings I
found out that they were going to build on the edge of
Robins, I happen to live nearby and I need to do some
internship stuff for Kirkwood this summer and it just
seemed like a good fit
Q. What have you enjoyed most about working with
Habitat for Humanity?
I have met many fine people from all over the United
States. I have learned a lot of things about
construction I didn't know, and I have taught others
some things about construction they didn't know. I was
asked to lead crews on the new construction site which
has been a lot of fun, a lot of the groups of volunteers
are a lot of fun to work with.
Q. Do you have any advice for our future
volunteers?
To get involved and you will find out how rewarding it
can be . We work hard but we also have a lot of fun
while we are working.
Josh Thompson
Q: How long have you been working for Habitat
for Humanity?
Since May of this year.
Q: How did you become involved?
One of the requirements for my construction management
degree was an internship and a practices class. Habitat
seemed like a perfect place to do this. Having
experience with the labor side already, Habitat has
given me the opportunity to teach skills to others and
lead crews on various tasks.
Q: What have you enjoyed most about working with
Habitat for Humanity?
The job we are doing, building simple affordable houses.
It is awesome to see a group come together, click, and
get a job done. Everyone working for the same purpose,
helping someone who needs the help. A hand up.
Q: Do you have any advice for our future
volunteers?
First, get your name tag. Have fun and at the end of the
day , feel good knowing you've done something great for
someone else whether you know them or not, A random act
of kindness if you will. No prior construction skill is
required. Just show up and be ready to do great things,
and remember to grab a name tag. If you or your group would like to volunteer with
Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity, please call (319) 366-4485 or email
volunteer@cvhabitat.org today!
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