The City of Annapolis and the non-profit group Habitat for Humanity paid tribute to the contribution of midshipman volunteers during a dedication ceremony Oct. 3 in Annapolis, Md.
The midshipmen were recognized for their efforts building houses for residents in need.
The purpose of the ceremony was to present house keys to 11 new homeowners on Clay Street. Attendees were entertained by the Annapolis Marching Band during the opening ceremony, which was followed by comments from Habitat for Humanity’s CEO Michael Mitchell, local activists and clergy, and Annapolis city mayor Joshua J. Cohen.
During the project, midshipmen helped paint and install flooring, piping and insulation, said Midshipman 1st Class Chantill D. Norris, Habitat for Humanity project leader for the Naval Academy’s Midshipmen Action Group (MAG).
Mitchell recognized their contributions at the Clay Street event as an essential part of community building in Annapolis. He outlined a number of ongoing and upcoming projects to help citizens realize their dream of homeownership.
Norris, who leads a team of midshipmen to New Orleans every year to help rebuild homes damaged after Hurricane Katrina, said that the U.S. Naval Academy and the city of Annapolis have a special bond.
“The academy is centered in the town, and we are always involved in helping the community,” she said. “When residents see us constantly volunteering in Annapolis with projects like Habitat for Humanity, Mids for Kids and Project Green, it helps to remove the isolated perspective that people may have of the military.”
Habitat for Humanity’s Director of Community Engagement Leila Kohler-Frueh commended the midshipmen’s dedication.
“They really come out and make Habitat what it is. The military in general has been an incredible resource for Habitat and some of our main crew leaders have a military background,” she said. “We're also working with Defense Information School, U.S. Coast Guard, various centers out of Ft. Meade, and other Navy development groups.”
Using a strategic combination of postings at volunteer sites, website marketing and live presentations, Habitat’s Chesapeake office was able to allocate 6,500 volunteers last year for construction activities, and thousands more for auxiliary duties.
Kohler-Frueh said that they have volunteer positions such as office personnel, lawyers, photographers, and even cake bakers and they always encourage the public to volunteer by calling 410-366-1250 or visiting their website www.habitatchesapeake.org
The Midshipman Action Group was established in 1992, and is supported by the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association & Foundation. MAG currently offers a variety of educational, environmental and social service volunteer projects coordinated with community partners from the Annapolis, Baltimore and D.C. areas.
MAG aims to provide reliable, diligent, and enthusiastic volunteers willing to offer their time, talent and energy. Last year, midshipmen volunteered more than 20,000 hours of their time to local and national community events. MAG also hopes to better prepare midshipmen for future service by encouraging peer leadership, teamwork, character development, morale, selflessness and good will towards others.
