Navy Week at Richmond Metro Habitat For Humanity
Just two hours away from the city of Richmond is the world’s largest naval base, yet the sailors that occupy it and the things they do for our country are not as visible as their land-operating counterparts. This past week Richmond Metro Habitat For Humanity was able to host a group of volunteers from the US Navy for their recurring tradition known as Navy Week.
What is Navy Week?
Navy Weeks happen throughout the year and are a way for the sailors that serve our country to bring awareness to their work in cities that might not otherwise be exposed to them. These sailors come from all over to participate in community events and volunteer at local nonprofits, schools, and other organizations. In conversation with some of the representatives, they explained how being restricted to coasts can limit how much people actually see and hear about the work that they do and the people they are. This is in contrast to branches like the US Army or the US Airforce, which are more saturated throughout the country.
When asked how they made the decision to participate in this specific Navy Week operation this year, a few sailors mentioned that they were either currently stationed in Norfolk, VA or had been in the past. Those that were no longer stationed in Virginia wanted to come back since they enjoyed their time here before, and one sailor who is stationed in Norfolk wanted to work with a community more local to where their base is.
This sailor had worked with another Habitat affiliate across the country for a previous Navy Week, and mentioned how working on a build site is rewarding in a special way since it involves contributing to a home where a child is going to grow up. As many volunteers, donors, and community members can agree, being a part of something as monumental as providing a safe, affordable, and welcoming home to a family can change anyone’s outlook on life.
We here at Habitat could not be more grateful for these sailors and the work they did with us volunteering, and the work they do for us every day at their jobs.
