An army of women volunteers, dressed in bright pink T-shirts and armed with construction tools, came together this week on Washington Street in Slidell to help with the building of nine East St. Tammany Habitat for Humanity homes.

Starting Monday, a total of 80 female volunteers are taking part in Women Build 09, a program set up by Habitat for Humanity to get more women involved in the construction of simple, decent and affordable homes for those who may not have the resources to buy a home.

Caitlin Scanlan, development director for East St. Tammany Habitat for Humanity, said a different group of women will spend one day during the week hammering, sawing, sanding and painting the houses.

Trisha Pena, left and Clara Lee-Pickering of the Junior Auxiliary of Slidell work hard at sanding down a banister they helped build during the East St. Tammany Habitat for Humanity Women Build. The women are part of a weeklong event where women volunteers help build Habitat for Humanity houses on Washington Street in Slidell. (Staff Photo by Erik Sanzenbach)

The Junior Auxiliary of Slidell started the Women Build week off on Monday as they added the final touches to nine houses in the Terrace Park subdivision that were started almost a year ago by Hairdressers Unlocking Hope, a campaign founded by world-famous hairstylist Vidal Sassoon. Since that time, the nine houses have been worked on by other volunteers, professional electricians and plumbers and the people who will move into the homes.

Habitat for Humanity is not a giveaway program. People who need decent housing have to help by putting in 250 hours of “sweat equity” helping to build the houses.

Plus, after they move in they still have to pay off a zero-interest mortgage.

The nine three-bedroom homes are roomy, elevated to protect them from flooding and have porches, central air conditioning and appliances installed.

Clara Lee-Pickering and Trisha Pena were sanding down a banister they had just finished building for one home’s front entrance. They said the Habitat for Humanity staff showed them how to use the tools, but they were pretty experienced in rebuilding homes.

The two Quail Ridge residents know what it is like to rebuild a house.

“We learned about building after our houses were flooded during Katrina,” Pena said.

Over at another house, a team of JAS women were painting the interior of the home to loud rock and roll music coming from an industrial-sized radio.

“It is easy to give back,” said Ann Smith. “It can be tiring, but it’s a lot of fun and a really good cause.”

For most of the women, this was their first time helping to build a house, but others like Debbie Gruesh had worked with the Juniors in Service, an auxiliary program for high school juniors that works with Habitat for Humanity. There was even a woman from out of state handling a paint roller. Ginny Fiero from upstate New York travels around in a recreational vehicle going to different Habitat for Humanity sites to help build homes.

“I just happened to be on my way south, and I stopped here for the Women Build event,” Fiero said as she moved a paint roller across the ceiling.

Scanlan said other groups that will come help build are employees from Whitney Bank, ECO Builders and the Diva Capelli salon as well as members of the Bethany Lutheran Church.

At the end of the week, sponsors of Women Build will throw a big crawfish boil to thank the volunteers.

“This is a really great experience with the diversity of people who are helping and the great sponsors,” Scanlan said.