Community members gather to fix up Captain Aggie’s house

Anyone who has attended a Utah State University athletics game has probably seen an older man with a rounded, odd hat sitting in the Aggie student section.

Andy Pederson, an Aggie alumni and enthusiast, has attended USU sporting events for years. Most know him as Captain Aggie, a title Pederson holds dear.

What many people don’t know is that Pederson lives in a small, unassuming brick home in Smithfield, Utah that needed a bit of fixing up.

“At first we were just painting,” said Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Todd Cottle. “But the deeper we dug, we thought, ‘The molding doesn’t look right, the light fixtures could be better.’”

The quiet neighborhood surrounding Pederson’s home turned into a bustling work space as neighbors came together to volunteer.

“This is nice to be able to do some nice things and brighten their day,” said Ginger Williams, a neighbor who lives across the street from the Pedersons.

Armed with brushes and rakes, the volunteers divided up assignments, from covering the floors in case of paint dripping to raking last year’s leaves from the front and back yards.

“When they get home, it’s going to be a whole different place for them. That’s why I like to serve; it just gives everyone a good feeling,” said Tina Hulse, a neighbor. “You get a better appreciation for those fixer upper shows. You see the stars of the show, but what you don’t see are the people who are actually doing the work.”

The project began when Pederson asked for help painting his kitchen. Geri Titus, a neighbor who has known the Pedersons for over 30 years, also knew that his wife, Judy, wanted the kitchen renovated.

Pederson, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, simply couldn’t do the renovations for her.

“My dad’s been wanting to get some nice stuff done for my mom,” said Amber Mikkelsen, Pederson’s daughter.

That was when someone contacted Habitat for Humanity.

“We were contacted by someone in the neighborhood that he needed some help, so we were asked to come in and provide some support and organize and bring this together,” Cottle said. “I mean, look at the people around. It’s overwhelming. This is a really small space, lots to do, and the number of people that have showed up is awesome and outstanding. More than I could’ve imagined.”

The project was supposed to happen on a weekend in February, but then it was moved to a weekend when the Pedersons would be out of town. Forever Aggie fans, they were in Boise, Idaho cheering at an Aggie gymnastics event while their home was being painted.

“Hopefully we can get it all done before they come home,” Hulse laughed.

Pederson is known to spend much of his time supporting USU athletics. When he is not out supporting Aggies, he can often be found at his computer, tweeting and messaging everything Aggies.

“He loves being Captain Aggie,” Williams said.

Along with painting, volunteers refurbished kitchen chairs, installed a microwave, raked leaves, replaced light fixtures and painted and textured the kitchen walls. Valspar donated the paint to Habitat for Humanity, Cottle said. The microwave and light fixtures were donations from the Habitat for Humanity Restore.

“When we’re able to take some of these things we take for granted and help somebody else, it’s really gratifying,” Cottle said. “The gratification comes from the project. I leave knowing we’ve done something nice and it will look good for a long time.”

“I like doing service. I like being around a lot of people,” said Cacia Hunt, a volunteer. “I think it’s fun to take something old and make it new.”

—ashley.ruth.stilson@gmail.com