By Gary Budzak of LimaOhio.com

An Ohio Wesleyan University fraternity built walls and brotherhood over the weekend.

The 10th annual “Phi-union” of Phi Delta Theta had current and alumni brothers constructing walls for the latest Delaware County Habitat for Humanity home on Kurrley Street.

“Every year we have this reunion, and we’ve taken it upon ourselves to try to do something in the community during that weekend to symbolize that the fraternity is more than just a social club,” Alumni Chairman of the Board Andy Warnock told The Gazette.

On April 12, 65 Phi Delt volunteers, 22 of which are current brothers, spent three hours at Liberty Presbyterian Church building 54 wall sections, sheathing all the exterior walls and loading them onto a truck.

“We had the opportunity to do a wall build,” Warnock said. “Habitat for Humanity, the way they build the homes that they build, they do all of the walls, both interior and exterior, off site. You have blueprints and all of the lumber and materials, literally in the parking lot. You hammer and nail the walls together, and they’re taken to the construction site to be assembled for the home to be built.”

Chris Shelly and his daughter, for whom the home is being built, were on hand to meet the amateur builders.

“We were able to put 54 wall sections, all of the sheathing on the exterior walls and load the truck in just over three hours, which is really incredible. There were 65 total volunteers, of which 22 were our fraternity men,” Warnock said.

“These undergrads, I think it’s hard for them to think outside of what they’re doing on campus in terms of their academic pursuits,” Warnock said. “Some of these folks are from the big metropolitan areas – New York, Boston. It gave them a unique opportunity to come into a small town and rally together around one of their neighbors. When you share in community service, it brings the bond of brotherhood even closer.”