The Flower Mound Lady Jaguars swing bats daily in preparation for the 2008-09 softball season, but the Jags recently found themselves swinging hammers — and changing lives, helping Habitat for Humanity build houses for homeless and low-income families. The team partnered with First Preston Management for this welcome opportunity to make a difference with hammer-swings.
The Lady Jags and First Preston staff built walls at the Dallas Habitat Warehouse, experiencing first-hand some unexpected benefits of Habitat for Humanity. The Lady Jags Softball volunteers were thrilled to learn tasks they never thought they could do and see a final product that they literally had a hand in creating. Upon arriving for the work day, the site supervisor was a “little tenuous” about working with a group of “softball players”. By the end of the day, though, he admitted with a Cheshire-cat smile that he was “nothing short of overwhelmed and amazed at the work ethic the team brought to the build.” The Lady Jags had hoped to build 200 walls during the day, but far exceeded their goal by building 215 walls and units! After a long day of hardwood work, each Lady Jag volunteer left smiling, knowing her work made a tangible, long-lasting difference for a family in need.
While Habitat for Humanity has built more than 200,000 houses for homeless and low-income families worldwide since 1976, there are still thousands who would love the chance to become homeowners! The Lady Jags know Habitat for Humanity cannot do it alone, and they now understand that they are building much more than just houses. Only as a team can we turn a few walls into homes, hope, relationships, stronger communities and nurturing families.