“If you say everything you learn is when you were in kindergarten, my mother used to tell me giving is better than receiving,” Harold Jacobs, Habitat for Humanity volunteer said. “You can’t really believe it until you get older and you start to give, and then you realize that’s very true.”

This was the sentiment shared by all the Habitat for Humanity volunteers working this past Saturday.

Four helpers came together to build a new deck for Rich Marzullo, a veteran living in Effort. The four volunteers were Patrick Johnson, Allen Graffiti, Bill Oxforth and Harold Jacobs. They are all retired except Johnson, who is a college student.

Marzullo appreciated the help from all of them.

“Fantastic. A great bunch,” Marzullo said. “If there were professional people doing it, these would be them, these guys. They really work hard. If I hit the lottery, I would have these guys coming back. I wouldn’t hire anybody else. A damn good job.”

Habitat for Humanity welcomes volunteers with no construction experience to come help the community.

“We take people with very little knowledge of construction,” Graffiti said. “We try to teach them something. They help us, they learn, as they say. It’s a very good program. I like the program; it helps a lot of people.”

Graffiti has been interested in construction since his youth. His father and grandfather were both involved with the business, which helped Graffiti absorb many skills over the years.

He claimed to constantly think about ongoing projects, even when he’s at home when the workday is done.

While learning new skills is one aspect of Habitat for Humanity, Oxforth contended that the best part is helping people in need.

“It’s nice just to meet new people, and knowing that you’re helping people like Rich, it does you good,” Oxforth said. “It’s good for the soul.”

Johnson joined Habitat for Humanity with very little knowledge of construction. He is learning new skills, which Graffiti hoped for when he joined the program.

“It’s just a good opportunity to get out and help people and learn new things,” Johnson said. “It’s just a nice thing to do with one’s time.”

Habitat for Humanity will have many upcoming projects where they’ll be looking for volunteers.

One upcoming project in the West End is for Valor’s Paul’s House. Valor provides a place to stay for veterans that are homeless or transitioning into a new home. They will be painting Paul’s House. Even one day of volunteering will be appreciated.

“We have a motto of ‘Neighbors helping neighbors with a hand up, not a handout,’ ” said Kelly Kemmerer, Habitat for Humanity director. She detailed how people receive help from Habitat for Humanity

“The way that the program works is they agree to contribute sweat equity or volunteering if they’re able to. They volunteer on another person’s project first, and then they volunteer on their own project. They pay us back for materials over five years. So, they’re only paying back for materials. The labor is done with volunteers,” Kemmerer said.

If anybody would like to volunteer, contact the Tobyhanna Habitat for Humanity at 570-216-4390.