SM&SP volunteers with Habitat for Humanity

Photo By Staff Sgt. Brittney Vella | Volunteers with SM&SP pose for a photo at the ReStore in Honolulu. The group spent 6 hours help moving building materials throughout the facility.  

HONOLULU, HI, UNITED STATES

03.27.2015

Story by Kristen Wong 

Marine Corps Base Hawaii

HONOLULU — Marines and Sailors volunteered in Habitat for Humanity’s Honolulu ReStore through the Marine Corps Community Services Hawaii Single Marine & Sailor Program, March 21, 2015.

During this visit, 10 service members moved building equipment within the organization’s store, which collects and sells donations of new or gently used home items such as furniture and building materials. The funds generated from the store support Habitat for Humanity in several ways, according to Krajewski, from buying building materials to providing food for volunteers.

The volunteers helped relocate equipment used at the organization’s building sites, including goggles, hard hats, paint supplies and gloves from one storage space to another within the store. The Marines and sailors also dismounted a rake and shovel caddy and remounted it on the wall of the new space.

Anthony Krajewski, the ReStore volunteer coordinator for Habitat for Humanity said without the volunteers, the staff would have taken longer to move the equipment, because they needed to take care of store operations.

“Realistically, there are three of us here who work (in the store) full time,” said Krajewski, who has been with the ReStore since June 2014. “It was pretty busy customer-wise too, so (the Marines and Sailors) were a big help.”

Habitat for Humanity is just one of the numerous organizations with which SM&SP has coordinated volunteer activities.

“We’re always looking to get involved with other organizations within the community,” said Karley Peterson, the SM&SP coordinator. “Habitat for Humanity is a really good organization for us.”

Peterson explained that Habitat for Humanity’s volunteer opportunities are flexible enough so different people can sign up each time. Given the nature of military training schedules, she said it is not feasible to have individual service members commit to volunteering for long periods of time.

“We hope to continue working with Habitat for Humanity on a monthly basis,” Peterson said.

Marines and Sailors who are looking for a variety of volunteer opportunities can find a calendar online at the SM&SP website.

Lance Cpl. Zachary Miller, a cyber network specialist from Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3, said it was fun to help Habitat for Humanity.

Miller, of Flagstaff, Ariz., has volunteered on several occasions with SM&SP. He’s run with the dogs at Hawaiian Humane Society, cleared algae with the Waikiki Aquarium, supported Special Olympics Hawaii athletes and prepared food for the homeless with the Institute for Human Services. He said the day at ReStore was the most “physically demanding” of all his volunteer work with SM&SP.

“It was good to see us making an impact on the store,” Miller said. “(We could) look back (at) the end of our day and see how much we had accomplished.”

The Habitat for Humanity staff is always looking for volunteers. The ReStore will be gutted, April 25 through 27. Those interested can call 538-7070 or 380-8617. Upcoming SM&SP volunteer opportunities are posted at mccshawaii.com/smsp. All single or unaccompanied Marines and Sailors are eligible to participate in SM&SP events. For more information, call Peterson at 254-7593.

• Date Taken: 03.27.2015
• Date Posted: 03.27.2015 21:19
• Story ID: 158435
• Location: HONOLULU, HI, US
• Hometown: FLAGSTAFF, AZ, US