As far back as I can remember, my mother has stressed the importance of never taking anything for granted and encouraged my brother and me to volunteer regularly. With countless hours spent working with members of NAMI Wake County and other local non-profit organizations, giving back is part of who I am. Coleman’s company-sponsored Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) days were one of the major deciding factors that made me want to join the Data Management team here. Coleman’s CSR program allows each employee two paid days every year to go out and volunteer with a nonprofit of your choosing.
This year, I decided to use both of my CSR days to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity Wake County. Habitat’s mission is to help build affordable housing for those in need, largely using volunteers and donated or discounted materials. The first build site that I worked on this year was a large house which would provide homes to several families. The second project was renovating the exterior of an elderly couple’s home in preparation for the cold winter months. They had lived in the house for over twenty years and had no heat, so Habitat volunteers like me were providing a new roof and insulation to keep them warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Coincidentally, both builds had my fellow Coleman colleagues and me responsible for hanging siding. This ended up being a lot more difficult than it sounds. Essentially, we had to measure each piece of siding, cut it to length, then nail it into the side walls every foot so it wouldn’t fall. I’ve not used a ruler since elementary school and neither have many of my colleagues, so we certainly needed to measure twice (or five times) and cut once! Cutting the siding itself was difficult work – it may be plastic, but it feels like cutting through steel. If you need advice on how to install siding, I’m your woman!
At the end of the day, I left with a sense of accomplishment and pride, looking at the visible proof of a hard day’s work. It was refreshing to be able to step away from my desk and give back. It’s heartwarming to know that Coleman cares about the community and the people around us enough to offer this rewarding program.