Thomas Lynn | The Valdosta Daily TimesHeather Sardina, executive assistant at Barnes Healthcare Services, presents a check for $870 Friday to Mike Eddington, director of operations for Habitat for Humanity.

VALDOSTA — Volunteers from South Georgia businesses hammered nails and hung shingles for National Women Build Week.

Mostly female employees with Barnes Healthcare Services and Lowe’s Home Improvement volunteered their time to help build a home on North Lee Street with Valdosta-Lowndes County Habitat for Humanity this week.

Molly Ferrier, executive director, said the idea behind Women Build Week was to get women out to the job site to participate in the building process and feel empowered. 

“Anyone can do this. A woman can build just as well as a man can, and this week proved it,” Ferrier said.

A single mother of three will be moving into the home on Lee Street. Like all Habitat homes, the new resident has to put in “sweat equity,” or volunteer time on other Habitat projects.

“She’s already finished her sweat equity,” Ferrier said. “She’s done 350 volunteer hours, while working full-time and raising three children – talk about an amazing woman.”

Heather Sardina, executive assistant at Barnes, said the company sponsors a charitable organization every month where its employees can volunteer. Employees have 40 hours a year they can get paid while getting out of the office and helping out the community, Sardina said.

She said Barnes chose Habitat because it’s a great organization that helps people in the community.

“One thing that drew me to it was that they have the members who are getting the house actually work on the house,” Sardina said. “They have some skin in the game and also help others in the community.”

Barnes employee Carrie Haney took advantage of the volunteer time to get out of the office and be with her husband, Lee.

She said she wanted to volunteer her time to help someone else, and she roped her husband into coming because he had the day off.

“It’s also a nice change of pace to get out of the office and get some sun,” Carrie said. “I usually spend most my time sitting down, so this is nice.”

Thomas Lynn is a government and education reporter for The Valdosta Daily Times. He can be reached at (229)244-3400 ext. 1256