Seton Hill students perform community service projects, help renovate teen's new home

Feb. 5—Ashley Shaplye's life is about to change.

The Norwin High School senior spent Saturday with members of the Seton Hill University men's soccer team and athletes renovating what is expected to be her new home later this year.

Shaplye's new home is being renovated as part of a Habitat for Humanity project. It was one of 16 organizations to receive assistance Saturday from student and staff volunteers at Seton Hill.

She and a group of about a dozen student volunteers ripped out carpet, demolished an old bathroom, broke up old pipes and performed other renovations at the small house in the tiny community of Lowber in Sewickley Township.

The effort was part of Seton Hill's annual Take the Day On service project in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.

"This is absolutely amazing," Shaplye said. "I never thought anything like this would happen."

The North Huntingdon teen's family has relocated but Shaplye for the last several years has lived with a friend near Herminie as she works as a manager at a local Dairy Queen restaurant and finishes high school. She learned about the Habitat for Humanity program and later qualified to purchase a home.

Bruce Michalowski, a project manager for Central Westmoreland Habitat for Humanity, said Shaplye is required to obtain a mortgage and volunteer to help rehabilitate the donated 500-square-foot home.

The five-to-six-month rehabilitation includes interior demolition and reconstruction as well and the installation of new flooring and replacing the roof, some of which was complished Saturday by Shaplye and the Seton Hill student volunteers.

"It is so important to help out in and around the community, and it's good for Seton Hill students to know the community," said Kentucky native Jared Johnson, a sophomore goalie with the men's soccer team.

Seton Hill for decades has sent out students to assist community projects as part of the school's celebration of the life of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Because classes for the winter semester don't begin until after Martin Luther King Jr. Day in mid-January, the school sets its community service project program in early February.

More than 120 students were dispatched to 16 projects throughout Westmoreland County on Saturday.

"We want students to be out in the community and to be good neighbors," said Amanda DeWitt, Seton Hill's director of Service Experiences.

Keisha Jimmerson, associate dean of Students for Diversity, Inclusion and International Student Services, praised students for honoring the civil rights leader's life by performing community service.

"Dr. King's entire life was service. When you do service no matter what you do, small or large, you are being selfless," Jimmerson said.

Mason Fabean, a freshman soccer player from Belle Vernon, worked with his teammates to pull up and toss away old carpeting in what was a small living room in Shaplye's soon-to-be new home.

"It's good for team chemistry," Fabean said. "We're all friends and we like helping others."

For Shaplye, she was grateful for the help and is looking forward to moving into her new home later this year.

"I just wanted a stable place to live so I don't have to keep moving," Shaplye said. "Lowber is a great place to live."

Rich Cholodofsky is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Rich by email at rcholodofsky@triblive.com or via Twitter .