Mercer University celebrates Habitat For Humanity with luncheon

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – University faculty and staff enjoyed a benefit luncheon for Mercer’s Habitat for Humanity chapter Monday afternoon at Penfield Hall on campus.

The open-house event was put on by the school’s Habitat for Humanity chapter and its purpose was two-fold – to help increase awareness of the chapter’s work with Habitat and to help raise the funds needed with constructing the Mercer build house.

“Mercer has been home for us for four years now,” said Blossom Thao, the Mercer University Campus Chapter President. “For many of us, it’s our first time away from home. So Macon is apart of us as Mercer is, so it’s important for us to focus our efforts on the community building here in Macon.”

The luncheon was sponsored by Aramark Catering, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Macon State Farm representatives Gary Dunagan and Pat Patterson.

“This money goes specifically toward the Mercer build, and that is the house Mercer dedicates its funds to,” added Thao on the importance of holding a fundraiser.

“We have been doing so much work over the last semester in Lynmore Estates,” continued Thao. “Someone was telling me that at one point Lynmore Estates was a peach orchard, and there was a lot of crime, and now it’s not like that anymore, so it’s been really awesome.”

Mercer University, along with the First Baptist Church of Christ in Macon and the Highland Hills Baptist Church, have been parnterning with Habitat for Humanity since the late 1990’s. To date, they have helped build 16 homes for Macon-Bibb County families.