Columbus
Global Village
Team

Thailand 2007

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Team Members

  • Team member photoDave Bezaire, 54, has been the house leader on seven builds in Columbus, three of which were blitz builds during the Ohio State Fair, and he has participated in Global Village missions trips to Ghana, Mexico, and Guatemala. He is in his second term on the HFH—GC Board and he also helps out on the construction committee. Since retiring 5 years ago, Dave finds Habitat a great way to live his faith while playing with great toys... err…umm… tools.
  • Team member photoBen Freudenreich, 67, has been a Habitat volunteer since 1994. He learned about Habitat in Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter’s book “Everything to Gain: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life” and is trying to make the most of his life since receiving early retirement from Battelle Memorial Institute. He served 3 years as president of the board for the Greater Columbus Affiliate, and has participated in 6 Jimmy Carter Work Projects. He currently is leading the construction of a house sponsored by the credit unions of Central Ohio. He has been a member of the board of BMI Federal Credit Union since 1987. He is especially interested in Thailand, having worked in Thailand and Vietnam for two years in the mid-1960s. His wife Karen describes him as a "backslid Catholic." When he attends services, he goes with her to Overbrook Presbyterian Church.

    Ben is hoping that we will use friendly Thai elephants to raise the trusses on our Thailand Habitat houses.
  • Team member photoRegina Goetz, is becoming a regular with Columbus Global Village Team, with previous trips to Ghana and Guatemala already in her portfolio. She says that she is very excited to help people all the way on the other side of the world, and this trip will "make my dream finally come true". She is an 18 year veteran at the Ohio State University, where she currently works at the OSU Hospital. She enjoys traveling, hiking, camping and taking care of her animals. Regina tells us that she wants to go on Habitat for Humanity vacations because she enjoys helping people and because she is always looking for safe, adventurous trips.
  • Team member photoSusi Havens-Bezaire, 55, began volunteering for HFH—GC in 1989 to help plan the 15th Anniversary celebration of HFHI, held in Columbus. Following that wonderful event where she met President Jimmy Carter and Milliard Fuller, she directed her volunteer efforts to fund raising for the local affiliate. She has served two terms as a Board member (7 years), filled in as Interim Executive Director for 8 months, and continued to focus on resource development. In 2004, at the request of the Executive Director of HFH—GC, she organized the first Global Village trip from Columbus, Ohio, which she led to Ghana in January 2005. In 2006 she led teams to Mexico and Guatemala.
  • Team member photoEva Humber, 19, while deciding between career paths, has decided to join HFH on the trip to Thailand and is grateful to be part of the team. This is her first build with Habitat and she is sure it won't be her last. After listening to stories of friends who have participated with HFH and friends who have previously traveled to Thailand, she is eager to be a part of this wonderful opportunity and anxious to help out.

    Her hobbies include; painting, drawing, yoga, photography, jogging, camping, hiking, dance, anything sports and reading. She lives in NJ with her mother and works in NYC.

    She is very eager to meet everyone on the team and hopes this experience will help her to decide what she wants to do in the future!
  • Team member photoMarty Lockwood, 47, is a carpenter/contractor in Seattle by day and a drummer in a Jazz/Blues band on weekends. His first Habitat experience was a Global Village mission to New Zealand in 2005 of which he says, "I had a great time. There's nothing like the experience of giving, sharing, being a part of a working team, and spreading some goodwill to another part of the earth." Marty has volunteered on many community projects such as park clean-up, playground repair / restoration, wheel chair ramps for disabled persons, and one local HfH project. Although he has over 20 years of professional building experience, he is eager to come in as a "worker bee" and enjoy teamwork in a volunteer setting.

    Marty is recently divorced and has no children. His interests include hiking, skiing, and occasionally climbing on Mt. Rainier and Mt Baker. He enjoys playing soccer, has completed 3 marathons, and is currently training for the Seattle half-marathon on November 26th.
  • Team member photoChristine Marold, 34, is single, has never been married and has no children. Born and raised in West Boylston, MA, she worked in Corrections for 12 years. Then she went on a "journey" looking for a "big change" and ended up working as a Barn Manager with a renowned horse trainer in FL. After living the past 5 years between NJ and FL, Chris has recently left her position and is once again looking for a big change to complement her love of animals, horseback riding, spiritual growth and learning.

    Chris tells us that she is "in a very creative place in her life" and is "living the secret." She feels blessed and looks forward to the wonderful adventure ahead of us in Thailand.
  • Team member photoScott Moore, 46, is Vice President of Transmission Operations at American Electric Power. He is a member of St. Brigid of Kildare Roman Catholic church in Dublin, Ohio where he serves as a lector. He volunteers many Saturdays with the Dublin Habitat for Humanity Partnership, and is a member of the Board of Trustees of Habitat for Humanity—Greater Columbus. He is also an Eagle Scout and serves as an Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 117 Dublin.

    Scott's wife, Anne, works for the Ohio Department of Health and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Audiology. Their children are Alex and Patrick who study at OSU and Dublin High School respectively. Scott is a native of Idaho, but he grew up in Lubbock, TX. Some of his other interests include building, jogging, backpacking and outdoor adventure. Scott is thrilled to continue his Global Village work, having already been to Ghana in 2005 and , Mexico in 2006.
  • Team member photoEden Angelica Orfanos Hi, I’m Eden. I am grateful for the opportunity to go to the Phang-Nga region of Thailand, l have wanted to give aid to those affected by the Tsunami. I feel great joy in being hands on & helping others; which is why i totally dig GV trips, working side-by-side with the local people. This will be my 4th HFH build, I recently came from New Orleans & I have done other GV trips to Uganda & Papua New Guinea. I love to travel. I have been to 42 of the 50 states & have done much International travel - Japan, Greece, Brazil, Belize, Mexico, Canada & Australia. I have lived & worked in Western Europe - Spain, France, Belgium, Italy & Portugal. I currently work & live in New York & Los Angeles. I am happiest when working w/ my hands. l have been a freelance / contract worker most of my life. My income has come from many sources; working on a ranch in Texas breaking horses & cleaning stalls, the fashion industry in Europe, Mural painting in NYC & Art-Deco restoration in Miami, to working on Broadway’s Lion King & make up for movies. l am very athletic and enjoy many activities from trail running to Yoga. l am strong, fearless & know no strangers. l get most excited about new places, peoples, cultures & experiencing the “ unknown “. Life to me is an adventure & l relish & cherish every moment. I so look forward to meeting, working, playing & learning w/ all of you. Xo
  • Team member photoBarbara Schneider, 52, began volunteering early on within her community while raising the family (through Conservation and Community services) and then on to the Red Cross, where she has extensive Disaster Services training and was deployed to service for Hurricane Katrina/Rita last year and this year for Ernesto. She discovered the Global Village Program (2005) while searching the web for volunteer/travel opportunities and jumped on the band wagon! Last year she and her husband, Bob, embarked on a GV build in South Africa, and both fell in love with the GV program. She also writes a cooking column for the local paper in Maine (8 yrs running), initiated and runs a Cook Night program for a teen-girls shelter through Youth Alternatives, which she does with her husband. In the corporate world she still maintains an active executive and mentor position at Remstar Intl. (automated material handling & storage co.) going on 20 years. Her passions include her family, enjoying active outdoor life, cooking, reading and finding new adventures that she and her husband can enjoy.
  • Team member photoBob Schneider, 55, has a background primarily in manufacturing management where he was an owner in an electro-mechanical enclosure manufacturing business. The business was sold in 1996 and he stayed on as COO retiring five years ago. He is now actively involved with Youth Alternatives, a social services agency promoting healthy families in the Portland, Maine area. His current association is as a member of their President’s Council and their Building Committee. He and his wife, Barb, also team up to run a girls shelter dinner night, where they prepare a meal and dine with 6-8 girls at the Youth Alternative’s teen shelter. Last year he had an extremely rewarding and successful Habitat build in Cape Town, South Africa and found it to be a great way to immerse himself in the country’s culture while at the same time lending a helping hand. Other interests include golfing, fishing, kayaking, and skiing. He and his wife have one son Jackson who lives and works in Boston.
  • Team member photoMarjorie Ward retired in 2004 from the OSU faculty in the College of Education, where for 26 years she coordinated the graduate program for teachers of students with visual impairments (low vision and blind). She immediately joined the first Columbus Global Village Team mission to Ghana in January 2005, and since then she has worked tirelessly with the local Habitat for Humanity—Greater Columbus affiliate. In 2006, she visited a Presbyterian Church (USA) mission hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo with a medical mission team, and participated in an Elderhostel Service. Marge has taught both general and special education, completed graduate work at the University of Pittsburgh, and served on the Penn Sate University faculty. She continues to tackle new challenges in service to humanity including chairing the Missions Team of Bethel Presbyterian Church. In her spare time she likes to cycle and ski.
  • Team member photoJohn Wilson, 58, following in the footsteps of Laura Thomas (Guatemala) and Tony Smith (Mexico), is the third person from the Ambassadors for Christ Fellowship Church to join a Columbus Global Village Team mission trip. An operations manager for a commercial cleaning company, John loves to fish and cook in his spare time. He enjoys working with children through his church and is a mentor of teens in other local programs. He says this Habitat trip to Thailand is exciting "because I’ll be able to meet many people and live out my faith."
  • Team member photoWende Wubbena, 35, has been a physical therapist at Tacoma General Hospital for 7 years with some opportunities to help out in home health as well. She grew up in Washington, but took opportunities to go to school elsewhere - U of Iowa for undergrad and Hardin-Simmons in Abilene, TX, for PT school. Traveling was instilled in her from a young age and mission trips are now becoming a welcome addition.

    This is Wende's first GV trip and she says, "I'm truly excited to be a part of a new team and to work together with people from all over for one mission - to help others, help themselves to a new life." Wende has been helping with the local Tacoma Habitat for the past year and has developed as strong belief in Habitat's purpose.

    Wende enjoys numerous outdoor activities including hiking, biking, skiing, snowshoeing, volleyball, and white water rafting. She's thankful for the support of many good friends and family and her most tried and true Boxer dog, Honey. Wende summarizes, "Truly, I will try anything. I'm thrilled about the new adventures in Thailand! I'm coming with my mind open and my body healthy, ready to work!"