With my co-workers, I’m participating in a Habitat for Humanity women build on Tuesday. According to the local Habitat Web site, the women build program was established to:

… encourage the involvement of women in the construction of houses. Women make up 50 percent of Habitat’s volunteer force, yet often because of lack of training they account for less than 15 percent of workers on the construction site. The Women Build program was designed both to teach women the fundamental skills required to manage basic home repairs, and to empower women in the struggle against poverty housing worldwide.

As a volunteer builder, I needed CSA approved footware, work gloves and safety glasses for the build site. It’s not easy to find appropriate shoes or gloves for my small appendages, so we did have to do some running around to specialty stores.

As of this afternoon, I am now the proud owner of a pair of grey CSA approved Worx shoes by Red Wing Shoes. I’m thrilled that Habitat allows volunteers to wear safety shoes instead of requiring boots since most of the stores visited say that women’s workboot sizes start around size seven. I might never have found anything to fit!

I was amazed that finding gloves to fit was easier than finding shoes. My new work gloves are spiffy and black. They’re less rough on the inside than the leather work gloves I’m used to, but since those type of gloves were miles too big for my hands, it was nice to find a suitable alternative.

My neighbour next door, ever the helpful contractor, spent some time this week teaching me how to properly swing a hammer – so I shouldn’t make a complete fool out of myself. One of his crew lent me his spare tool belt (to be held up with suspenders) and even kitted it out with a framing hammer, knives – can you imagine anyone in their right mind loaning me a knife? – pencils, measuring tapes, squares, chalk lines, levels, and other small hand tools. I did try to tell them that these items were supposed to be provided once I arrived on site and was given my work assignment, but I think they were having way too much fun to stop.

I’m really looking forward to the whole experience but I’m sure I’ll be whining about all my sore muscles come Wednesday morning. Not to mention that the women build team will be framing the second story of the house I’ll be working on and I’m terrified of heights. I’m in for an interesting ride over the next few days.

Technorati Tags: Habitat for Humanity, women build, CSA

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