Build-A-Thon is about so much more than hammers and nails. It’s also about the people you meet and the connections you make while working toward a common vision. Among those people are our crew leaders. An event of this scale would not be possible without the dedication and enthusiasm of our crew leaders. And you can’t find many people with more dedication and enthusiasm than crew leader Harrison Mantas.
If you ask Harrison why he’s involved with Habitat, he’ll tell you, “Because it’s freakin’ awesome!” He was hooked after spending Summer 2015 with us as a crew leader. “I fell in love with not only the work,” he says, “but the people who give so much of themselves to make it happen… In a time when housing is increasingly hard to come by in the Bay Area, it’s awesome to be a part of a community effort to build and create community.”
So, it was an easy ask when we invited. Harrison to come back as a crew leader for the upcoming Build-A-Thon. It meant that he could be an integral part of what he calls a chance for the Habitat family “to recommit to the goals of bringing together the community to build the community, and we have a ton of fun doing it.” And Harrison does have a great time at Build-A-Thon. “Some people go to Coachella,” he says. “I do Build-A-Thon.”
Harrison is excited for the chance to work on a new type of construction – a high-density condo development, unprecedented in Habitat EBSV history – and for the fellowship and camaraderie of Build-A-Thon.
"In a time when housing is increasingly hard to come by in the Bay Area, it’s awesome to be a part of a community effort to build and create community.”
And he’s looking forward to meeting all the volunteers! “My favorite thing about volunteers is their willingness to help,” Harrison says. “They have a wide range of experience whether they be a Master Carpenter or a complete novice (as I was when I started), but the thing that all volunteers share is the selfless willingness to pitch in and lend a hand, and harnessing that energy makes the work that much better.”
As for what to expect if you get Harrison for your crew leader? He takes what he calls a “teach and see approach,” gauging each volunteer’s experience and teaching to their level, demonstrating and supervising and answering questions to be sure volunteers are able to do a task properly, then giving them “a wide berth to do the job.”
Aside from construction, Harrison will also happily chat with you about travel, photography, and movies. You can meet Harrison and our other fantastic crew leaders on Saturday, September 16th, by signing up for a spot at Build-A-Thon!
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