A place of blessing: 19th annual R House unveiled

The beautiful sage green worn by Nahdijah Hunt and her daughter when they welcomed guests this weekend was no accident. It matched the carefully chosen color of their new house — the first home that the young family could truly call its own. 

"This is my first time as a home buyer," said Hunt, who described the brand-new, two-story structure as more than just a house. It’s a place for her and her loved ones to gather, find belonging and plant roots. 

"I appreciate each and every last one of you all, especially Roanoke College," she said as she was presented with the keys to the house. "Thank you." 

Hunt is the proud owner of the 19th annual R House, a massive public service project carried out in partnership with Habitat for Humanity in the Roanoke Valley. Sponsored by the college, it brings together every incoming freshman to help build a house that will benefit a local family for generations to come. 

Upperclassmen, community volunteers and Habitat staffers guide the students through the work, introducing them to new skills and, more importantly, to Roanoke's ethos of community and service to others. 

The hundreds of incoming freshmen kick off the construction during a string of workdays held over summer orientation. Many later describe it as one of their favorite campus traditions, and student work crews continue volunteering throughout the fall as the house is completed. 

Watching the project’s transformation from a pile of lumber and supplies into a finished, bright home is always “crazy,” said Maple Landis-Browne '27, a public health studies major and student volunteer coordinator for Roanoke’s Center for Civic Engagement.  

It also drives home just how much can be achieved when caring people come together to make a difference. 

“I want to thank you for the opportunity to be a part of your future, even if it’s just a small piece in the larger puzzle of this awesome, awesome project,” Landis-Browne said to Hunt. 

The Hunt family house was formally dedicated during a celebration on Saturday, Dec. 7. Gathered in the backyard, friends and family raised their hands toward the home to join together in blessing it as Chaplain Chris Bowen offered a prayer. 

“May this be a place of blessing, a place of joy, a place of peace and a place of restoration,” he said. “May it indeed be a light to our community.”