Habitat for Humanity, Hattiesburg, MS

The goal is a house a month. In the area where Jannich is helping seventeen new houses will be completed however at this time four are finished and four are in the finishing stages. The Habitat for Humanity area is low lying with sandy hard packed soil over red clay. Vines and drooping trees line the narrow road giving one the impression of isolation but when one knows the shortcuts everything seems close.

Most of the main roads seem to lead to the historic downtown section. Hattiesburg is called the HUB because at the time of this city's establishment after the Civil War it was the conversion point of four railroads. About 1900, Hattiesburg was a boomtown producing a million board-feet of lumber per day. The area surrounding Hattiesburg is known as the pine belt.


At this Habitat site Jannich works as a volunteer under the direction of Herman who is the construction overseer for this cluster of homes. The PARTNERS (new home owners) must put in 50 volunteer hours to qualify for a home and 300 more before their house is completed. Then they make monthly payments back to Habitat for Humanity until the materials are paid. This works well as now they are home owners and they have the satisfaction of working to complete it.

Jannich has worked with this group since January 5th. He was involved in an accident Thursday January 26th when a small pile of stacked lumber slid sideways into his legs. He thought, "I'll take one day off and be right back to work"! Saturday he went back to work but left a 2P.M. His leg is cut, swollen and black and yellow from just below his knee to his toes and sides of his foot in spite of the protection he got from his high leather steel toed work boots.


He misses working with Herman as often they were the only two people at the work site and had time to talk as the partners had to come and go to fit their work schedule.