I have wanted to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity for years. When my friend Steve’s company Rigatti Risk Analytics signed up for a build day, I joined without hesitation. Last Saturday I arrived ready to work, and curious to know what I was working on.

Since it was during a Nor’easter, we were thankful that the house was sealed, though it did not yet have electricity or heat. We were split up into teams. Steve and I worked on stapling the vapor shield over the insulation on the walls, and then taping the seams for a strong seal.

After working with me for a while, Steve shifted to working with his brother, and Nicki, who was leading the job, asked me to work on the pantry. Ahh, the pantry! It was framed out, narrow, with duct work, wiring and lumber in the way. I ended up being in the pantry for hours, and I became a contortionist. Figuring out where to put my head, my hands, my legs and my body was a puzzle in itself. While Steve and Vinny attacked the open walls, I twisted and bent to get the job done.

But get it done I did! As I suspected, it was a day of hard work, but totally rewarding. Knowing we were helping a family as they took their first steps into home ownership was worth every cramp and sore joints from the work.

I’d highly recommend volunteering for this amazing organization.