Nancy and John Myers

When most couples embark on their annual vacation, they pack-up the sunscreen and some paperbacks. For Nancy and John Myers, they pack-up their trusty hammers and aspirin for their aching backs.

The Connecticut-based couple has spent their last three vacations pounding nails and wielding caulk guns to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity chapters, including HabiJax.
“We’ve met some neat groups of people here: teams from FCCJ, UNF, American Express and homeowners alike,” said Nancy. In Jacksonville, Nancy and John help put components together in the warehouse, paint and caulk alongside other volunteers.

While they bring their sweat and hard work to Jacksonville, they are very much involved with their hometown Habitat. They are founding members of the Middlesex (CT) Habitat, where Nancy served as second vice president of the organization and John spent eight years as a supervisor.

Their love for helping the dream of homeownership become a reality for others has taken them from Connecticut to Jacksonville to locations across the globe. In Bolivia, they built for the largest population of Incas in the world. “We were treated like kings in Bolivia,” Nancy recalled.

The globe-trotting philanthropists also plan to eventually lead a build in Latin America, but want to master Spanish first, a language they are currently learning.
Back in the states, their volunteer work has taken them to Mobile, AL, where they worked with Habitat.

Nancy and John were drawn to Jacksonville because they have family in the area, and they rented a home in Fernandina Beach during their stay. “I’m impressed with this organization, they are very responsive,” said John, a retired professor.

To learn more about volunteering for HabiJax on your vacation, call Stephanie Ransom at (904) 208-6676 or e-mail her at sransom@habijax.org .