Sussex Tech faculty and alumni participate in Habitat build in honor of late teacher

From left, Sussex Tech alumni Casey Donovan (class of 2014), Josh Dickson (class of 2008 and former carpentry instructor), Robert O’Neill (class of 2017), Ari August (class of 2017), and Ashley Hangstefer (class of 2018) helped out at a recent Habitat for Humanity build in Seaford honoring the late Sussex Tech carpentry instructor Bruce Hefke. (Image: Dan Shortridge)

SEAFORD, Del. – Members of the Sussex Technical High School faculty and staff, as well as alumni, recently joined together to help with a Habitat for Humanity build in honor of a late carpentry teacher.

Bruce Hefke passed away in 2016 following a year-long battle with cancer. He taught woodworking and carpentry skills at Sussex Tech for 17 years, and also started the girls’ lacrosse program. He was a founder and past president of the Sussex County Habitat for Humanity.

Volunteers built a porch and put siding on two homes in Seaford, as part of a comprehensive neighborhood revitalization effort.

“Mr. Hefke was the kind of teacher who would teach you as much as you wanted to learn,” recalled 2017 graduate Ari August. “He loaned out books from the Library of Hefke and held no judgement if it took a year or so for books to find their way back. As he taught us how to construct, we learned how to put the pieces together in a much greater way; he taught the interdisciplinary development of knowledge.”

Before he returned to teaching, Hefke was a carpenter and went into the construction business for himself. He reportedly also launched pumpkins in New York City for the Late Night with David Lettermen, as a member of the early World Championship Punkin’ Chunkin’ organization.

Anyone interested in volunteering with Sussex County Habitat for Humanity, either as an individual or an organized group, can get more information on their website here.