Students prove cans can help build homes - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Students prove cans can help build homes

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April 21, 2004

Albany- Lula Gilbert has plenty of room for her roses.

And her dogwood trees and her garden full of onions and beans. Since she moved into her Habitat home five years ago, she's spread her green thumb all over her yard.

"A lot of people have moved out here and they're good people. I like out here. I really do," Gilbert said.

Another family will eventually have a home like Gilbert thanks to the recycling efforts of Dougherty County schools in the cans for Habitat program.

Wednesday night, Habitat founder Millard Fuller thanked some of the school's employees for raising 6,000 pounds of aluminum worth $2,500.

"First thing you know you got $2,000 and then you got $5,000. And those dollars are added to other dollars because people are inspired by the effort young people are making," Fuller said.

West Town Elementary raised the most. The school received $300 for collecting the most cans. Lake Park Elementary was the runner-up and received $200.

"Just made them realize that some children went home at night to unsafe places and that we just really wanted to do something to help other students," said Juanita Reid, the parent facilitator at West Town.

They helped prove cans can make a difference. That money will make sure people like Lula can keep applying for Habitat Homes. A decision she never regrets.

"No I do not," Gilbert said. "God blessed me with it and I'm glad."

And she's glad to have her own home and her own yard to plant anything she wants.

posted at 11 p.m. by brannon.stewart@walb.com