Today was the first day of the Collegiate Challenge, involving long car rides, friendly new characters, and the exploration of a new setting. The first stage of the day consisted of a five-hour journey from the University of Portland campus to Oak Harbor, where we will be staying in a Habitat for Humanity house. Along the way, at a pit stop, our group encountered an amiable couple who gladly let us interact with their well-behaved pet cockatoo. Upon arriving at the Habitat for Humanity store, we received a warm greeting from Melissa, the Oak Harbor Habitat for Humanity Program Director– who also provided generous amounts of pizza and snacks. After a general overview of the program, our group drove out to the house that we will be residing in for the next week – a small, but cozy, two-bedroom home located a few miles out of town. After unpacking and a bit of planning we split into two groups; one went to the market to buy food, while the other took a walk around the local neighborhood to explore the area.
We learned that Habitat for Humanity is an international organization who maintains projects all over the globe. The organizations provides homes, built by volunteers, to those in need. Those that receive the house are expected to pay monthly mortgages and commit their own time to building other homes, as a form of paying it forward and helping others.
-Jarrett Okita