Bill and Ted are two of our wonderful ReStore volunteers, and over the years, they have formed a strong friendship.
Ted first volunteered with Habitat when he received a letter in the mail requesting volunteers for a build site. He was interested and thought he might try it out for a week. Two weeks turned into three, and by the end of the build, he was volunteering full time. From build sites to constructing ReStore South, Ted has volunteered in all corners of our organization for over 20 years. Bill also began volunteering with Habitat through a build site. He heard about the opportunity through a neighbor and jumped on board. Like Ted, Bill has volunteered on many projects and has been a Habitat volunteer for 15 years.
Although Bill and Ted did not know each other prior to volunteering with Habitat, they quickly formed a close friendship when they met. They estimate they have spent a total of 15 years together. Rain or shine, these two helped build many homes, such as the 64 home development called Neufeld Landing. They recently began volunteering at ReStore South, and enjoy coming in weekly. They assemble donated product in the warehouse, where Ted says every day is like Christmas. Many donations arrive in unmarked boxes, and it is up to Bill and Ted to discover what the donation is and how to assemble it. Most recently, they completed an Ikea bed which took three days to assemble!
Although Ted was a chemistry professor at the University of Alberta, he said he finds more satisfaction in his volunteer work, and he enjoys the challenges he faces at ReStore. Bill, too, enjoys the variety of activities at ReStore, and he likes learning new skills. The two of them agree that each person they meet at ReStore is kind, and they enjoy spending time with staff and volunteers.
It is thanks to dedicated volunteers like Bill and Ted that Habitat Edmonton is able to bring affordable home ownership to those who need it.
