Women Build is Habitat for Humanity’s volunteer program for women who want to learn construction skills and make a difference by building homes and communities. Women Build projects are regularly held by Habitat affiliates across the U.S. and by Habitat organizations around the world. Women at these builds have helped to construct more than 1,650 houses.

Lowe’s has sponsored each National Women Build Week and will do so again in 2010. Lowe’s offers grants to selected Habitat affiliates and offers a series of free how-to clinics where volunteers can learn construction skills.

Last year more than 7,000 women volunteers pounded nails and raised walls at more than 200 Habitat for Humanity construction sites throughout the United States.

Here in Natchez, we will be hosting the Women Build Day from 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 8. We will be building at 726 Smith St., just one street over from last year’s build. Smith runs to the west at the 1000 block of Martin Luther King Street about one half mile north of Cathedral School.

Last year was the first Women Build here in Natchez and we were overwhelmed by the response. Fifty-five women showed up and put the floor decking down in record time; we actually ran out of building supplies in a few hours. This year we hope to be better prepared with sufficient supplies and tools on hand. We forecast that job tasks will include some painting, installation of sheetrock, vinyl siding and perhaps some landscaping.

So mark your calendars for the day before Mother’s Day and come on out to help us work on Habitat house No. 14. Please call Duncan McFarlane at 601-445-8639 for more information.

Mary Flach is a board member of Habitat for Humanity