March 22, 2016
MARSHALL NEWS MESSENGER: (3/19/16) A group of about 20 East Texas Baptist University students have given up their spring break to refurbish a house in Marshall.
Instead of enjoying their vacation on a beach somewhere, they've been busy replacing a roof, repairing and painting wood siding and landscaping a house on West Meredith Street as part of a servant leadership class.
"I don't think I've told anyone to get up and work," ETBU Provost Thomas Sanders said. "We just tell them what needs to be done and they just jump up and do it."
The project is the first in a new neighborhood renewal initiative started by ETBU President Blair Blackburn to give back to the Marshall community and find ways to improve residents' lives.
The university is paying for most of the renovation costs, with a handful of smaller donations helping cover costs. The Soda Lake Baptist Association helped identify a Marshall resident in need of house repairs.
"We travel all over the world, but we want Marshall to know that we want to help our neighbors," Sanders said. "It's not that things are bad, but we want to make sure that we're carrying forward the people in our own town."
Students enrolled in the leadership class - as well as a few volunteers just helping out - were working through rain and shine to finish the project before the week ended.
While working, students have been reflecting on their experiences in journals. They were also required to write a paper before the project began and after it was finished.
The class's goals to develop hard work, teamwork and planning are central to finishing the home project.
The group encountered several setbacks during renovation. When they discovered they had to completely remove all the wood siding on one wall, it started to rain before they were done replacing it. They also ended up completely redoing the roof, which put them behind.
"We weren't planning to do the roof, but when we got here - we were planning to just do a patch - we pulled it back and saw we needed to do it," Sanders said.
Junior Desirae Pearcy was not enrolled in the leadership class; she just wanted to volunteer her time. The week was "really rewarding," she said, noting the homeowner's appreciation and neighborhood interest in the project.
"I think that it's really beneficial to the community itself in bringing in a nice, pretty home," she said.
Sophomore Sean Sindelar agreed, saying the class was a good opportunity to serve his community. He's done several construction-related projects for people in need and always enjoys them.
"It's always really good just at the end of the week; they're just so appreciative," he said. "It always just feels so good."
Standing in front of the house on Friday, they both agreed their work had completely transformed the house.
"It's a complete facelift," Pearcy said.
(Used by permission www.marshallnewsmessenger.com, story by MNM Reporter Meredith Shamburger)