By
Maya Schechter
Arizona Daily Wildcat
160 students spread throughout Tucson for community
As the sun beat down on Tucson Saturday morning, members of the UA's Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps beat down on wood and drywall as they helped build houses for Habitat for Humanity.
About 160 University of Arizona students involved in the Naval ROTC were assigned to four different Habitat for Humanity sites throughout Tucson to fulfill their community service requirements.
Matt Bailey, a business economics and political science sophomore, said that everyone is required to serve four hours of community service each semester, and they are usually done together with their platoon - made up of 20 to 30 members.
"But this year, our commanders wanted to join the effort into one big project," said Bailey, a member of the UA ROTC.
Officer Candidate Scott Harris, a business management senior, said Habitat for Humanity had many projects so that everyone in the battalion could be accommodated.
"We want to let the community know that we are a positive influence and to aware them that we are here," Harris said.
Bailey, who spent his morning at 1733 S. Mountain Ave., worked on laying the concrete to make a parking station for the Habitat for Humanity winter volunteers.
Habitat for Humanity's construction director, Brett Farbstein, said that working on site with the ROTC students was unusual because his job requires that he oversee all of their 20 current projects throughout Tucson and Green Valley.
"I usually just run around to all the sites to check up, but today, we have so many volunteers, and we need everyone who has skill to be leading the crew," Farbstein said.
He added that the jobs at the different sites included stucco preparation, roof work, plumbing, painting and drywall work.
"We tell them where to go and what to do, show them an example, and then let them do it on their own," Farbstein said.
William Dvorak, an electrical engineering junior who helped paint the house at the 1901 E. Jason Vista, said he felt that he accomplished more than most people would on a Saturday morning.
"It was a very successful day because we were able to help people who needed our services," Dvorak said.
As nursing freshman Danilo Garcia-Duenas cut the mesh wire on the outside of the house at the 1100 block of East 36th Street, he said that his job was not too hard because he was working in preparation for the others to put up the stucco.
"I like volunteering and think it's a great idea to get a big group of people together to get as much accomplished in one day as possible," Garcia-Duenas said.
Harris said that the main thing he hoped the Navy members would get out of their volunteer time was the fulfillment of helping the community.
"We wanted to teach them that everyone in our society needs a little help here and there, and we hope they will always remember this day," Harris said.
Farbstein said that he was happy with the way the group worked perfectly for the kind of job he gave them.
"Lots of work can be done with a crew that's eager and young and enthusiastic," Farbstein said.
