Members of the Kansas Air National Guard Unit assist with cleanup following the May 4, 2007, tornado that struck Greensburg.

Many people will find themselves helping someone else on their day away.

During the past several years, volunteers’ time and effort have helped Kansans through difficult times. From tornado-ravaged Greensburg and Chapman to housing for the less fortunate in Wichita, volunteers lead the charge when hard times hit.

“Our role at Habitat is to find a place where people can come out and donate their time in a meaningful way,” said Linda Stewart, executive director of Habitat for Humanity in Wichita. “They know they are making a difference in someone’s life that lasts for years.”

Last year Habitat for Humanity in Wichita built homes using more than 6,300 volunteers. For each new home built by Habitat for Humanity, 500 volunteers are needed.

Simply put, the program is rapidly expanding.

“When we build our homes, we build them in 20 days and have up to 25 volunteers per day,” said Stewart. “Our goal for this year is 16 homes; four years ago we built five.”

The efforts from Habitat for Humanity are far-reaching. Organizers in Wichita moved the operation to Greensburg after a massive tornado wiped the town out in May 2007.

“Last year we built homes in Greensburg — we ended up with people from all across the United States building with us,” said Stewart.

City leaders in Greensburg say that volunteer efforts have helped them get back on their feet, but there is still a large need for helping hands.

“We have farmers that are in real need of having people walk the pastures and fields because they are still tearing equipment up on debris in the tall weeds that has not been found yet,” said Steven Dawson, member of the Kiowa County Ministerial Alliance.

Volunteer organizers in the area urge anyone who would like to visit and help out, to do so.

“There is a wide range, volunteers can do anything from working on a new house to helping remodel an old house to picking up debris, it just depends on their skill level,” said Dawson. “We have 181 new home permits that have been issued in the city — of the new home permits, a good portion are completed.”

A rebuilding effort also is ongoing in Chapman, where a tornado cut a path six blocks wide through town in June 2008.

“The people in Chapman have been very receptive to the volunteers coming in, and when the volunteers get here they stay right on task,” said Millie Fink, co-coordinator of the Chapman Volunteer Center.

Fink says Chapman residents will need help this summer.

Many public service and religious organizations can be credited with assisting some of the rebuilding efforts in these two small Kansas towns. But organizers statewide say help always is welcome.

Several churches in Chapman are set up to house volunteers. City leaders say the volunteers they have worked with care much more about working than hospitality.

“If they’re not busy, they’re not happy,” said Dawson.