Habitat for Humanity Greater Columbus is celebrating our 25th anniversary during 2012, and we invite you to be a part of it! These pages were created to allow you to share your stories with the Habitat family. Share your story, read others, and check back often for more!
The Volunteer Spotlight is here to honor those who have gone above and beyond for Habitat for Humanity-Greater Columbus! “Thank you” to each and every individual and group listed below for your amazing dedication and support of Habitat for Humanity-Greater Columbus. We are a better organization because of you!
Habitat wants to shine a special light of thanks on…Harold Rausch and Diann Thompson!
Harold Rausch: Hilliard AAH, House Lead
Harold Rausch is a founding member of the Hilliard AAH; a partnership of Hilliard area churches that began in 1995. Because of his home building experience, Harold was the first House Lead on Hilliard’s inaugural home. Sixteen years later, Harold continues his role of House Lead as the Hilliard partnership completes their 15th home this month.
Harold enjoys the satisfaction of working alongside our partner families as they work to become homeowners, and sharing his building knowledge and experience with both volunteers and partner family members. Recalling 10 or so years ago when a young lady was volunteering for the first time, Harold taught her to use a hammer drill to install window wells. Noting what a great job she did that day. That volunteer was, Paula Santa, who continues volunteering to this day and is the current Chairperson of the Hilliard AAH Steering Committee.
Besides volunteering with Habitat, Harold volunteers for his church, St. James Lutheran in Hilliard. Harold and his wife Lois will mark their 64th wedding anniversary this June. They have two sons – one an associate engineer in Minnesota, and the other an architect in Columbus.
Congratulations Harold and Lois, and thank you for your dedication and commitment to helping so many people and families in central Ohio. Your leadership through out the years is greatly appreciated.
Diann Thompson: Women Build Volunteer
Diann started volunteering on the Women’s Build in early 2011—spending her first day stapling some of the +40,000 staples holding our BIBs insulation netting in place in the 4 bedroom Lockbourne Rd home, and enjoyed working side by side with other volunteers on site so much that she kept coming back regularly until the home was completed.
When asked what she likes best about volunteering on site, Diann responded eagerly, “Power tools!” Knowing Diann’s love of power tools her family has given her some great Christmas gifts – a miter saw, drills, a table saw, and a multi-function tool.
Since then, Diann has put her love for power tools into action on the recently dedicated Women’s Build; where she found other volunteers who shared her passion for power tools, but also something more. They all enjoy putting those power tools to use on specific tasks and seeing the completed results, with the ultimate outcome being another quality-built home for a Habitat family.
Thanks, Diann, for diving right in and becoming such a regular part of the Women Build house this spring! We look forward to your continued support!
