Posted
June 12, 2025
Last week, 20 students and four adult leaders volunteered their time, talent, and grit with Almost Heaven Habitat for Humanity in West Virginia, helping to build a home for people in need. Since 1998, St. Edward students have participated in 26 service trips to Appalachia, leading to eye-opening experiences and valuable life lessons for many Edsmen.
This year, students contributed to the construction of a home in the small town of Ronceverte, helping install a roof, wrap the structure in a vapor barrier, and build a deck. Their service extended beyond the jobsite, as they took on additional projects in support of Habitat for Humanity—including picking up furniture donations for the Habitat ReStore, completing yard work at a home they worked on last year, and constructing a mud fence for erosion control. Along the way, students gained hands-on experience in home building, deepened their sense of teamwork, and found meaning in serving those in need.
Almost Heaven Habitat for Humanity works with volunteers and future homeowners to build, renovate, and repair homes in southeastern West Virginia. The homes are then sold to partner families at no profit, with the money going into a revolving “Fund for Humanity” to support future projects. Click here to learn more.
Prior to embarking on the weeklong trip, students centered themselves in prayer, and each young man received a special dog tag engraved with the symbol of St. Joseph the Worker—the patron saint of the Brothers of Holy Cross. In the middle of the week, the group enjoyed a much-deserved break from their work with an afternoon of swimming and camaraderie at Blue Bend.