Doug Warner, February 2009 Habitat Hero

Doug Warner (center back) poses Lanette Coleman and her family at the Spring 2008 home dedications in Northaven.

Q & A with Habitat Hero Doug Warner

1. How long have you lived in Memphis? 28 years

2. How long have you volunteered with Habitat? 24 years

3. How did you get involved with Habitat? Fran Collier made a presentation to GUMC in October 1984 and Jim Henderson, Outreach Chairman of the Alpha Sunday School class, put together a 7-man work team on the first Saturday in March 1986.

4. What kind of activities have you participated in during your time as a volunteer? Work, coordinating, board (twice), ordering materials, delivering materials, site foreman, welcoming people, community speaker, recruiting other churches and businesses, and hosting Millard Fuller.

5. Why do you volunteer your time with Habitat? God calls us to do his work, and Millard provided us with a very easy way of answering the call.

6. Do you have a favorite Habitat moment you would like to share? Dec. 10, 1986. We moved our first homeowners, Nelson and Louise Jones, into their new home. Louise got into my truck to go get her furniture to move into her new home and she began to cry. She didn’t want any of her old furniture in her new house. The Alpha class furnished their home over the next week, and I was honored to deliver it. Then for Christmas, my little S-10 pickup was jammed full of gifts for the family, so many that each member of the family was able to select several gifts to give each other. It was the first time any of them had been able to give a Christmas gift. It was such a paradigm shift for all of them and us.

7. Do you have any personal details you would like to add?

My free time is mostly spent helping people like Habitat Homeowners out of difficult situations or at GUMC supporting our Missions Team activities and our youth ministry.

I have recently gotten involved with Savannah Simmons, our first Habitat Homeowner, helping her with her flower gardens and some home repair. She is just a wonderful lady whom Habitat should use more often in publicizing our ministry. My favorite ministry that I go on three times a year is Mountain TOP. It takes God another step deeper into the lives of our homeowners and especially our workers.