Brad Hargrave traded a relaxing Saturday morning in his room for a dirt-filled volunteer project.

Hargrave, a sophomore in philosophy from Jerseyville and a Smith Hall resident, decided to volunteer his time with Habitat for Humanity International.

He was assigned to clean out the trash that was left in a basement.

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It was musty and mildewey smelling, he said. It was really dark because there was only one light, but working with everybody else made it fun.

Forty SIUC students from Smith and Warren halls in Thompson Point got involved with Habitat for Humanity last semester and came back to work with the program last weekend.

When Hargrave realized the importance of the job he did last semester, he decided to do it again this semester.

We saw how much it really meant to people, he said. We spent such little time and saw the big difference that it makes for people.

Founded in 1976, Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit organization that builds and renovates homes for families in need. Work on the homes relies on donations and volunteers.

Habitat for Humanity has built more than 60,000 houses around the world and provided more than 300,000 people with safe, decent and affordable housing. The homes that are renovated and built are given to those who cannot receive bank loans to buy housing.

The Carbondale chapter of Habitat for Humanity, established in 1989, has built and renovated seven houses and is working on three more.

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Volunteers, like those residents for Smith and Warren Halls, are the only way Habitat for Humanity can provide adequate homes.

Students went to a home at 306 S. Graham at 8 a.m. and were scheduled to work until 2 p.m. Because of their efficiency, work was done by 11 a.m.

Students were to repaint cabinets and tables, strip paint off the walls, clean out the basement and completely reconstruct a room.

Elsie Speck, a member of Habitat for Humanity Family Selection Committee, supervised the work.

(The students) are so wonderful, she said. I’m so surprised at the amount of work that they have gotten done.

Smith Hall Resident Assistant Amy Price, a senior in community health from Watseka, said having the students work with Habitat for Humanity gave her residents a feeling of community.

One of our goals was to get the residents involved with the community, she said. We wanted to give back to the community.

Along with resident assistants and students, Warren Hall’s Faculty Assistant Paul Sarvela also worked on the house.

Sarvela said he was pleased with the number of residents who came to the house to help.

It’s really nice that these kids came out to work, he said. They could still be in bed sleeping.

Factoid:Students interested in getting involved with Habitat for Humanity can contact Bridget Barts at 536-7011