By Charlotte Fulton
On a recent morning at a Habitat for Humanity house under construction on Sibb Adell Way, Shelia Shelton stood on a ladder wielding a hammer and marveling at her newly-gained construction skills.
“The first day I came here,” said Shelton, a receptionist for the accounting firm of CDPA, PC, “I told them, ‘I answer phones all day. If there’s not a phone here, I won’t know what to do.’ ”
Shelton soon learned that HFH welcomes volunteers of any skill level, from framers and finish workers, to those who sweep up the sawdust and clean the job site and bring in sandwiches for hungry builders.
Shelton is just one of several CDPA employees swelling the ranks of Habitat volunteers during the month of June. It all came about as the result of a conversation between managing partner David Christopher and Kate Webb, CDPA’s marketing director and also Christopher’s daughter.
Like any accounting firm, CDPA’s grueling workload during tax time is relieved by a lull. Christopher suggested that the firm use that downtime in some project as a thank-you to the community that has for the past 50 years, been so supportive of their business.
“Habitat for Humanity was on his heart,” said Webb. “Garth Lovvorn (executive director of the Limestone Affiliate of HFH) came by to talk to us. He said the timing was perfect. Habitat had just started two new houses.
“We committed to four weeks of building or providing snacks or supporting Habitat in any way we can. We try to have four or five of our employees here every volunteer day – Mondays and Wednesdays.”
Webb challenges other business owners to follow suit.
“It’s been a lot of fun for us,” she said. “It has been a chance for our employees to bond with each other and with the community.”
Webb said she hopes that by the time the four weeks are up, the CDPA employees will have developed a personal connection to the project and will continue to help on their own time.
The accounting firm’s youngest volunteer is Tanner Duncan, who has been on the work site every day since his first visit there with his dad, Tad Duncan, an employee of CDPA.
“It feels good to help,” said Tanner, a student at Ardmore. “I’m happy to know this will be somebody’s new home.”
