Dave Bezaire and Susi Havens-Bezaire are extreme examples of how deeply volunteers can become infected with “habititus”. From a start in Columbus, Ohio 20 years ago, their work has expanded to encompass Michigan, Mississippi, Arizona, Costa Rica, Ghana, Mexico, Guatemala, Thailand, Dominican Republic, Bolivia, Ecuador and – coming up this summer – Botswana.

Last winter Dave and Susi finally responded to Katrina’s destruction, knowing that the hard work of rebuilding along the Gulf Coast continues even as stories of the infamous “One-Eyed Woman” fade from popular consciousness. Working with Habitat’s first disaster response affiliate in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, Susi developed a “Building Affordable Housing Greener” conference for the Gulf Coast, and created a “Voluntourism” program to help maintain the flow of volunteer groups that are so essential for this small affiliate to build 30+ houses every year. She also made interview videos with 15 homeowners as they began house construction and presented them on the affiliate website so that visiting teams of volunteers could get to know their partner families in advance. Meanwhile, Dave helped secure and expand the office computer systems to shore up the administrative underpinnings of this fast-growing affiliate. While there, they also enjoyed learning about the Gulf Coast culture, especially experiencing their first Mardi Gras.

Similarly, the Bezaires arrived in Tucson in early January and have been busy volunteering here Tuesdays through Fridays. Dave works 3 days a week helping the staff refine the donor database and mailing programs, and does rehab work on Thursdays with the Rincon RV group. Susi has focused her program development expertise on helping HfH Tucson become a host for Global Village teams, and creating a new program for younger volunteers.

Both Dave and Susi have been recognized by HfH-Greater Columbus as Volunteer of the Year, and also as recipients of the Jefferson Award which is bestowed annually for devoted community service by the local newspaper. Dave has been the leader for nine Habitat house builds in Columbus, three of which were blitzes during the Ohio State Fair. He has served 2 terms on the HFH-Greater Columbus Board, and on the finance and construction committees. Since retiring 9 years ago, Dave has also served as a United Way Loaned Executive for 6 years – the first one on loan from CompuServe/AOL, and all the rest “on loan from Susi!”

Susi began volunteering with HfH-Greater Columbus in 1989 to help plan HFHI’s 15th Anniversary celebration which was held in Columbus. Following that wonderful event where she met President Jimmy Carter and Milliard Fuller, Susi focused her volunteer efforts on fundraising, serving for 7 years on the Board, filling in as Interim Executive Director for 8 months, and continuing her resource and program development projects. In 2004, at the request of the Executive Director of HFH-GC, she organized the first Global Village trip from Columbus, Ohio, which she and Dave led to Ghana, Africa.

Volunteering has been an integral part of Dave and Susi’s lives since their youth. In fact, when they were both collecting 2nd degrees at Purdue University, they met at a Crisis Center where they both volunteered! Looking back on 32 years of marriage and raising 2 happy adults, Dave and Susi appreciate how the rich Habitat volunteer experiences have so warmly enriched their lives. “Where else,” they ask, “but through Habitat, can so many diverse people have so much fun while working together, making friendships, and creating safe, simple houses for so many people?”

Asked about a turning-point Habitat experience, Susi recalled the thrill of engaging Target in the early 1990′s to designate HFH-GC as the first of many affiliates to whom they would donate funds to build an entire house. To kick off the build, 30 Target executives in their bright red shirts turned out one crisp, sunny fall day for the Wall Raising ceremony and a day of construction work.

The homebuyer brought her 4 children, three of whom were excited and eager to use the small shovels the Target staff had provided for them. The youngest, however, seemed to ignore everyone as he busily walked in circles on the back corner of the deck. Waving his arms and talking to himself as only a 5-year old can, he definitely was having no part in any ceremony!

Susi tells us that after the speeches were complete and the photos were shot, she wandered over to the young boy walking in the corner. “This sure is a good day, isn’t it?” she asked him. With a big smile on his face, he simply answered, “Yep”, to which Susi replied, “I’m curious, what are you doing here?” The young boy looked around and began pointing as he said, “This is my room, and here is where my bed will be, and here is where I will put my toys, and this is where my window will be!”

In all of their Habitat work, the Bezaire’s most remember and cherish the magical moments when children show how important dreams are, and how blessed we feel to be a small part of helping them come true.