Capri workers help out with Habitat house

Published 8:22 am Sunday, April 15, 2007

Eleven managers from the Isle of Capri donated their Saturday morning to helping build this year’s Habitat for Humanity house at 740 Smith Lane.

“We did some priming and painting inside the house,” Jack Sours, vice president and general manager of the casino, said. “We also donated $2,500 to Habitat. We’ll come back out here as much as they need us to.”

Andrew Calvit, president of Habitat, said he was glad to have the extra help.

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“We got a big boost today with them doing the painting,” he said.

Calvit said the house, which should be complete in June, has been a new challenge because everything has to be made handicapped accessible.

“Everything has to apply with the American Disability Act. It’s been a challenge, but we enjoy doing it. It’s basically the same thing, we just have to learn a few new things,” he said.

The house on Smith Lane is one of seven Habitat lots on the street.

“This is the third one here we’ve built, we have four more to go. It was my goal when I first became president to build a group of houses together, and for us to do a handicapped accessible home. When you set goals and accomplish them, it makes you feel good,” he said.

The house is being built for New Orleans Hurricane Katrina victim Louis Roach Jr. Roach says he is looking forward to moving into his new home, and being able to maneuver around easily.

“I especially can’t wait to be able to cook,” he said. “I like to cook good food, like jambalaya, crawfish pie and gumbo.”

Calvit said that Habitat is always looking for volunteers, and those interested should contact Kim Kaiser, the volunteer coordinator.

“You can come out and you don’t have to know how to do anything. We’ll teach you. It’s easy to learn,” he said. “Then you can apply those skills to your own house.”