Byesville Rotary learns about Mid East Building Trades partnership with Habitat for Humanity

Pictured: Becky Bruner, Speaker Chair; Tom Cuzma, Mid East iBuilding Trades program instructor; Clayton Elliott, senior in Building Trades program; and Shana Fair, Byesville Rotary President.

Clayton Elliott, senior student in the Building Trades program, and Tom Cuzma, Mid East instructor, presented a summary of the Building Trades 2015-16 construction project built in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. The 26 by 42 foot house with three bedrooms and one bath is destined to become a home for a local family.

Cuzma explained Habitat provided the materials for the project and Mid East provided the work force. The partnership is a plus for everyone—Habitat gets a quality product and Mid East is able to purchase additional safety equipment with the monies they would have spent on building materials. This year Cuzma added a third tier and handrails to the scaffolding used by the students.

Cuzma pointed out that Habitat has a strict energy savings policy. The Building Trade students took special care with insulation especially at the insulation seams, around the windows and the holes in the walls for the plumbing and wiring. The exterior walls had to meet R25 and the ceiling R36 insulation requirements.

Elliott reported that Building Trades students must learn how to become team members as well as becoming competent in construction and business skills. The senior Building Trades students, who have mastered construction basics, help teach the juniors. Students learn how to use power tools as well as the good old-fashioned dependables like hammer and nails.

Elliott showed pictures of the building progress beginning with students building sample projects in the classroom. Students must show they understand the basics of wiring or drywall before they work on the building itself. Students then begin constructing the house by framing the exterior walls and roof and then progressing to plumbing, wiring, and installing the drywall. Elliott pointed out that students must meet or surpass the requirements for professional contractors—a state inspector will inspect and approve each step.

“The final test,” said Elliott, “is the approval of the family who be living in the house.” He stated students are encouraged to do their best by thinking of the house as a home they might live in.

Byesville Rotary at: www.Byesvillerotary.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/pages/Byesville-Rotary/256548047818283. The club meets 7:30 am, Tuesday at the Stop Nine Senior Center at 60313 (GPS use 60299) Southgate Road, Byesville. Walk-ins are welcome at the club’s meeting.