- November 23, 2024
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Wearing her hard hat and other personal protective gear instead of her normal 9-to-5 office attire, Baylee Dutra from Titusville tears down old walls and ceilings in the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses at 801 Hand Ave. in Ormond Beach, which is undergoing a major renovation.
“During this past year, I have been able to volunteer several days each week at Kingdom Hall construction sites in Merritt Island, Port St. John, Deland and now Ormond," Dutra said.
Much of the work is being done by women like Dutra, who enjoy the challenge of learning new skills.
Women represent only 3.9% of tradespeople in construction nationally, according to a Institute for Women’s Policy Research report that cites U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
In contrast, the Witnesses’ construction projects regularly see large percentages of female volunteers, both skilled and unskilled.
“We would be lost without our vast number of women volunteers,” said Robert Hendriks, U.S. spokesperson for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “Their attention to detail, high quality of work and infectious enthusiasm are all vital to the success of our building projects.”
Volunteers have come to the site from the three local congregations that will share the facility, and from as far away as Michigan. The project is scheduled for completion this summer.
