Greg Jackson had volunteered with GMHfH for several years when in 2008, he became involved in organizing a company-wide effort at his workplace, GE Healthcare, to support three house builds in Milton. Greg met with GMHfH leadership and identified people within the company with construction expertise to reinforce Habitat house leadership teams. Over 600 GE Healthcare employees contributed to the effort. Volunteer construction work took place during the last two weeks of July 2008. GE employees swung hammers, lugged materials, distributed food and drink; in the middle of it all was Greg.

Then disaster struck. Greg was working on the roof setting the roof trusses on one of the single-story houses, when he made a misstep and fell backwards. He struck a wood plank, spun 360 degrees in the air, and landed flat on his back on the ground. Incredibly, Greg felt no pain and was reluctant to go to the hospital. However, per GMHfH policy, an on-site nurse insisted that Greg go to the hospital to be examined. Doctors discovered that Greg had broken a vertebra in his back. This entailed surgical insertion of rods and a significant recovery period.

True to character, Greg persevered. Within weeks he was much improved and was even able to attend the dedication of the three completed houses in November. Within a year, he was again on the build site for GMHfH helping on the last two houses in Milton. At the dedication of these builds in October 2009, GMHfH presented Greg with a Certificate of Recognition for all he had done for the organization. Today, Stuart Burroughs, GMHfH Board President, says, “Greg is talented, funny, a joy to work with. The true spirit of Habitat is fully embodied in this one individual.”

Greg recently moved to North Carolina to work at Duke University. He has already touched base with the local Habitat organization and learned of three builds in the Durham area. We wish Greg all the best, and we know the Durham Habitat organization will be as inspired, as we are by Greg’s special brand of volunteerism.