Dani Hitchcock started volunteering with Habitat in 1999 while helping her church, St. Philip’s of the Hills, work on their sponsored house.  At that time she was one of the few women who came out to the construction site with her own tools.  She claims that she discovered that pounding nails and building walls were great stress relievers.  She also had a lot of fun and met some great people while building.

When she was planning to retire from her full time job with Arizona’s Department of Security in 2004, Dani asked the Director of Homeowner Services if they could use volunteers in the office.  The answer was a resounding, “Yes!”  The week after she retired, Dani began working in the office two days a week while continuing to build on Saturdays.  She also represented Habitat at special events and helped put together the Homeowner Dedications. During those three years she watched more than fifty families receive their new homes.  “I was always moved seeing the smiles and sometimes tears on the faces of the families as they received the keys to their home,” she said.

One of her primary jobs these days at Habitat is deciphering handwriting since she does all the data entry from the volunteer waivers, sign-in sheets and other projects.

Dani is originally from Minnesota where she spent most of her life.  One day as she skidded across the ice-covered roads on her way to work, she decided it was time to head to Tucson.  Habitat has benefited greatly from that decision.

She lives in Tucson in her ‘Blue House.’  The entire interior is decorated and furnished in various shades of blue and the effect is beautifully stunning.  Her constant companions are her two Italian greyhounds, Sonia and Sophia.  She has one daughter, five stepchildren and two grandchildren with another due in December.

Her plans for the future?  Besides her ongoing work with St. Philip’s, she said, “I want to keep on volunteering with Habitat so that I have a small part in helping people buy a decent and affordable house.”

Interviewed and Written Volunteer by Ginny Glab-Schultz