It took all kinds of volunteers to make Friday’s Habitat for Humanity blitz build a success — including veterans of similar projects as well as those who were participating in a build for the first time.

Whitney Davis, a 19-year-old student at Lurleen B. Wallace Community College, was one of the “rookies” joining the build Friday morning, helping keep walls balanced while they were nailed into place.

“I had a teacher at LBW who encourages her class to be involved in civic activities,” Davis said. “I thought it would be a fun time, because I’ve always liked to volunteer.”

Davis said she has participated in home improvement and painting projects with church youth groups, but this is her first Habitat for Humanity build experience.

“I’ve swung a hammer before, but I’m basically here to just help with whatever they need,” she said. “I’ve painted houses before, and helped in soup kitchens and in some Christian missions, but this is the first Habitat project I’ve been involved in.

“I am a Christian and I’ve been in my youth group since seventh grade. We’ve done volunteer projects all across the country.”

Davis said she was drawn by Habitat for Humanity’s Christian message to spend her time Friday — on her birthday — helping those in need.

“God put us here for a reason, and it wasn’t just to sit on our butts and do nothing all day,” she said. “He wants us to help others. This is a great project, because there’s something here that everybody can help out with — whether you’re male or female.”

Terry Kyzar, who has worked on previous Habitat for Humanity projects in Brewton and Brundidge, said it was exciting to see the organization come to Covington County.

“We’ve had a great turnout today,” he said. “It was great to see the college students and the LBW baseball team out here helping.”

Kyzar said the project would not have come to fruition without the help and hard work of Habitat for Humanity of Covington County’s president Dale “Flip” Pancake, board secretary Ron Nall and all the board members.

“Flip and Ron have really been the driving force,” he said. “It’s been very exciting to watch it all come together. There’s still going to do plenty to do these next few days, and we’ve got some very good professionals out here helping to direct everything.”