Wichita aviation workers raise walls of three homes

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Wichita aviation workers proved they can build more than planes and plane parts on Tuesday. They joined together to help raise the walls of three Habitat for Humanity homes.

“We really see the collaboration. Oftentimes, you think that our air manufacturers are competitors, and to some degree, they are,” Danielle Johnson, Wichita Habitat for Humanity executive director, said. “But today they’re coming together to throw hammers alongside family members, alongside coworkers, alongside their executive directors, their CEOs.”

The Air Capital Build brings together partners across the aviation industry. It includes Textron Aviation, Spirit AeroSystems, Leading Technology Composites Inc. (LTC), and others.

The goal is to build homes, communities and hope.

“They’re really showing the importance of being able to really build alongside each other and create an affordable housing community,” Johnson said.

The wall-raising celebration took place Tuesday morning in the 1300 block of N. Piatt. Habitat calls it the Rock the Block neighborhood. Three Habitat homes are going up next to each other.

Habitat asks its future homeowners to put work into the homes. Luis Castillo and his family are getting one of the Piatt homes.

“I know how to paint, put in the siding. It’s mainly stuff they teach us while we’re volunteering at other houses before we get to our house,” he said. “We’ve put in about 400 hours overall, volunteer hours, to other builds or the ReStore, and then a couple, like 40 hours, for classes that are required.”

Click here if you would like to donate money or time to the Air Capital Build. Habitat for Humanity says there are plenty of volunteer opportunities.