Habitat for Humanity constructing house near Memorial Stadium in 10 days

Trish Vosekas, a petite woman who knows her way around a construction site, wears a pink tool belt as she helps build her future home alongside more than 400 IU students and other volunteers.

Building a house in the parking lot of Memorial Stadium is not how Habitat for Humanity usually constructs a home, however, this is the scene taking place near  Dunn Street and the Bypass.

The 900-square-foot, two bedroom, one bathroom house is being built by volunteers from the Civic Leadership Development program in the Kelley School of Business, Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County and Whirlpool Corporation.

“Whirlpool especially wanted the build to be accessible to the students and sort of on their home turf,” said Kerry Thomson, executive director of Habitat for Humanity.

“When we talked to IU about it, they were just so cooperative with us, and they allowed us to have this space. We never thought that we would get such a great
location to build on campus.”

The build began Sept. 23 and will continue until the IU vs. Michigan football game Saturday. On Sunday, the house will be moved near the corner of 14th Street and Woodburn Avenue.

So far, volunteers at the site have been ready to work.

“The student volunteers that come out are excited, and they are enthusiastic, and they listen. They really just jump right in there,” said Meagan Niese, marketing and communications director for Habitat for Humanity.

Jessica Schuhler, a CLD volunteer, said being able to give someone a home is rewarding.

“My parents have had to rent house after house just because of their financial situation,” she said. “So being able to give back to other people in that same situation who don’t have the greatest living situation, that’s rewarding.”

Many of the other volunteers shared Schuhler’s sentiment. There were messages written to Vosekas on the house insulation. Many of the messages were wishing Vosekas well. Other messages thanked Vosekas for the opportunity to help her with her home.

The house has come a long way in a short amount of time, said Dan Meyers, a crew leader and long time volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. The 10-day project is much faster than the normal time allotted for a home to be built.

“A typical build for a Habitat house would be about 12 weeks long, and that would be working two to three days a week with volunteer crews. So doing this in 10 days means that. ...we have to build all day,” Niese said.

As Vosekas’ home is coming along, the site is filled with a mix of tension from wanting to build the house well and on time along with a sense of excitement radiating from Vosekas.

“It’s overwhelming. Really, excitement is not the right word to use,” Vosekas said. “I am past excitement, whatever the next level is. Euphoria.”