Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Charles W. Boustany, Jr. (R-Louisiana) traveled to Lake County, Illinois this past weekend to settle a wager he made with U.S. Representative Mark Kirk (R-Illinois) prior to the Saints vs. Bears NFC Championship Game.  Making good on the agreement, Boustany and Kirk took part in the building of a Habitat for Humanity home outside of Chicago.  The two lawmakers worked alongside Shirley Baughman, a New Orleans native whose family has settled in Lake County after being evacuated following Hurricane Katrina.  

“While I certainly was hoping for a Saints victory in the NFC Championship Game, having the opportunity to work with a family displaced by Katrina certainly takes some of the sting away from our loss,” Boustany said.  “Shirley Baughman is truly an inspiration, and she is fortunate to have a compassionate and thoughtful leader like Mark Kirk representing her family and the people of Lake County in Congress.”

In January 2007, the two lawmakers agreed to make a wager of a day of community service: a Saints victory meant a trip for Rep. Kirk to Southwest Louisiana to volunteer with Job Corps and Habitat for Humanity in their efforts to build homes in the wake of Hurricane Rita, while a Bears victory sent Rep. Boustany to Lake County, IL, to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity.

“Hurricane Katrina forced Shirley Baughman out of her home in New Orleans,” said Kirk.  “It is a real mark of Congressman Boustany’s humanity that he would come all the way to Illinois to help build a Habitat home for her.  He is an honorable man who has paid his wager in full.  We wish the best to him and the New Orleans Saints in the coming year.”

During construction of the Habitat home, Boustany and Kirk did their part by installing a wall of exterior siding.  Shirley Baughman (pronounced Bow-man) and her family will soon move into another Habitat home located next to the site where the two lawmakers volunteered on Saturday.

Habitat for Humanity Lake County is an affiliate of Habitat International, a nonprofit, housing organization with the mission to build simple, decent, affordable houses in partnership with those who lack adequate shelter.

Attached are pictures from Saturday’s construction project.