Bob and Dolly Burdick volunteered to help build a Habitat for Humanity home in Menominee County.
Dolly was born in Baraboo, but then traveled the world as an Army brat. She returned and graduated from Baraboo High School, then earned a degree in medical technology from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and a master’s from UW-Oshkosh in public administration. She worked for 31 years at ThedaCare in Appleton and Neenah, where she was the lab manager, and then retired. Dolly unretired shortly after and was a lab manager at Calumet Medical Center. When she moved to Shawano she was the lab manager at Shawano Medical Center before retiring in 2011. Dolly is a fill-in volunteer at SMC in oncology and she is on the Health Ministry Committee at Zion Lutheran Church in Shawano.
Bob is a Madison native, graduating from LaFollette High School. He earned a degree in physical education from UW-La Crosse and a master’s in educational leadership. Bob taught K-12 in Stockbridge for eight years, then was the dean of students and affirmative action at Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton. He retired in 2007.
The couple lived in Sherwood before moving to their home on Legend Lake. They have two children. Bob is the president of the Zion Lutheran Church Council and plays softball in the Shawano Senior Men’s Softball League, which starts play in May.
They will be at the Habitat for Humanity booth during the Wolf River Builders Home and Sports Show (see special section in Saturday’s paper).
Q How did you get started volunteering for Habitat for Humanity?
A Dolly: “I was doing a project at the Menominee Tribal Clinic when Dr. (Kevin) Culhane mentioned they had a house in this area.”
Bob: “We wanted to be involved.”
Q What do you do?
A Dolly: “Everything. Whatever the site manager, Bill (Rapaich) needs, we do it. I’ve learned so much from him. Five or six of us are doing the majority of the work. Bill is amazing. He’s extremely skilled. He is so patient with us. He makes sure it is done well. It reinforces my respect for people who have the skill to do that.”
Bob: “We aren’t construction people. He will show us how to do it. In 10 minutes, he will check it. We’ve done framing, dry walling, mudding, texturing, painting, flooring, woodwork, ceiling, varnishing and the drop ceiling in the basement. We were there to clean out the lot.”
Q How often to you work on the house?
A Dolly: “We’re usually there three days a week. It varies depending on what the project is. Sometimes I bring something for lunch.”
Bob: “Sometimes we get so absorbed in what we’re doing that we don’t stop to eat.”
Q Why did you volunteer?
A Dolly: “My motto is I want to wear out, not rust out. You get more out of it than you put into it. It’s been a lot of fun, I learned a lot of new skills and met a lot of nice people.”
Bob: “Because I’ve been very fortunate what people have done for me in my life. This is a way for me to give back and meet other people.”
Habitat for Humanity is looking for other applicants who need a home. They have to do volunteer work before they are accepted. Habitat is also looking for new or used tools to sell in its resale store and to work on homes in the future.
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