Old Dominion Job Corps Students Work with “Rebuilding Together” for the Charitable Program “Heroes at Home” 
By Jeanne W. Vaughan, Old Dominion Job Corps business community liaison

On Monday and Tuesday, March 21 and March 22, 2011, seven Old Dominion Job Corps carpentry students and their instructor gathered their tools and readied themselves for a few days of “giving back”.  They partnered with “Rebuilding Together – Lynchburg” to complete applying a new roof to a Vietnam veteran’s home in Lynchburg, Va.

Rebuilding Together is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization working to preserve affordable homeownership.  Rebuilding Together partnered with Sears customers who have donated over $12 million to the “Sears Heroes at Home program”.  The Heroes at Home program was created to assist military families and veterans in need by making necessary repairs and improvements to their homes.  Heroes at Home donated $9,000 this year and over $95,000 over the last 5 years to the Lynchburg area program.  The donations to the Lynchburg program provided repair services to 25 homes of veterans.  The veterans served by the “Heroes at Home program” were required to meet qualifications set by Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Vietnam Veteran Mike McCafferty, a Purple Heart recipient, qualified for the program and it was his roof that was replaced with the help and hard work of volunteers.  Two layers of roofing materials were removed from his house by the Lynchburg College Men’s Soccer Team, and then the six ODJCC carpentry students enthusiastically applied the roofing shingles and flashing to complete the job.  The students included six young men and one young woman.  The young men are Mark R, Nelson M, Jeffrey B, Lamorris W, Adam W, Christopher F and the young woman is Rachel C. These students were supervised by their Home Builders Institute instructor Monroe Baldwin.

The students enjoy the opportunity to use the skills they are learning in class and the feeling it gives them to know they have given back to someone in the community, especially a veteran.  The veterans served by this program have served our country in war times as well as times of peace.  Some of the recipients are currently serving active duty all over the world.

Several of the students who worked on this project have already asked to be put on a list to be considered for more volunteer activities.  For a few of them, this is not their first volunteer activity and certainly will not be their last.  

The Executive Director of Rebuilding Together – Lynchburg, Sandy Walton, said “I believe in partnerships.  Just like Sears, Rebuilding Together, Lynchburg College, and Job Corps all working together on this home.  These are the partnerships needed to serve our community.”

The students at Old Dominion Job Corps are encouraged to get involved in the community through community service and volunteer activities.  Their involvement and willingness to help has been noticed and applauded in the community.  Job Corps students are being described as helpful, polite and caring.  Their volunteering activities are truly a Win-Win situation.