Stewart Gray, January 2009 Habitat Hero

Stewart Gray (left) takes a break from the heat during the summer build to pose for a photo with fellow volunteer Brian Moore and Harold Walker, Habitat's construction administration manager.

Q & A with Habitat Hero Stewart Gray

1. How long have you lived in Memphis? My entire life.

2. How long have you volunteered with Habitat? I started volunteering this summer as an intern at Memphis Habitat, and I have continued my involvement as a Financial Chair for the Habitat for Humanity chapter at Dartmouth College.

3. How did you get involved with Habitat? I contacted Jeff [Capps, director of community relations] about an internship this summer, and I joined the Habitat team in June.

4. What kind of activities have you participated in during your time as a volunteer? From helping to organize the Car Show to hours of follow up calls, I had a widely varied experience with Habitat this summer. There was enough variety to keep me engaged. It was great.

5. Why do you volunteer your time with Habitat? I volunteer for several reasons. I think the main reason I volunteer at Habitat is that Habitat works with families who are dedicated to their goal of home ownership and are willing to put in the effort to make that dream come true. Substandard housing is a serious problem in Memphis, and I think that the families who work with Habitat have a great attitude that transfers into an enjoyable work experience for the Habitat family.

6. Do you have a favorite Habitat moment you would like to share?
It was great to see the [Weatherspoon] family's reaction to their new home. I feel like one of the great things about Habitat is that the home dedication is really about the family. It's not about the sponsors or the volunteers. Although it is certainly rewarding for everyone who has participated in the process, dedications are great because of the look on the faces of each member of the homeowner family, all of whom have put in a tremendous amount of time and effort to earn themselves a spot in log of Habitat success stories.