NYS-FITS+ NEWS

Our Roanoke Trip, Spring 2011

2011-04-12T05:50:00.000-07:00

The photo on the left is our first week's crew. Our total team was comprised of: Seth, Ted, JoEllen and Tom, Joanne, Dave, Peg and Ron, Claude, George, Marsha and Barry, Don, Peter, Debbie and Eric. In the parking lot of Campbell Memorial Presbyterian Church we had an RV, an A-Liner camper and Johnny's Camper/Van. Inside various rooms were full of air mattresses, sleeping bags and assorted other gear.

We worked with Habitat for Humanity in the Roanoke Valley. They have their offices, Re-Store, equipment and supplies in a four-story building near center city Roanoke. This is truly an exceptionally organized and well-run affiliate, staffed with not only talented and competent but committed Habitat people. They were a joy to work for. HFHRV has been averaging 9-12 houses a year for the last several years and have already house 167 families.

Our NYS-fits+ team worked on their latest home, 1311 Salem Avenue in the Hurt Park area of the city, where Habitat has been given 11 homes to rehab. This residence will become home to a 10-member family from Burundi, several of whom we met on the Saturday between our two weeks.

The challenge we faced was to make the necessary structural repairs so that the wiring, plumbing and sheet rocking could begin. To that end we mixed and poured a cement pad in the basement for one of several new piers, strengthened and braced beams and joists on each ceiling prior to jacking up, supporting and leveling all three floors, added new headers and re-framed all the windows, removed and replaced a porch floor and walls, made changes in the attic for additional head-room near the three dormers and erected knee-walls around the dormers and roof to facilitate the conversion of attic to three rooms. For two weeks in teams of twos and threes we nailed, screwed, hammered and "sawz-alled" our way around the house. Usually we worked alone, but on Wednesdays we shared the prep work with teams of local volunteers from the "Home Builders" association.

We showered daily at the local YMCA on our way home. This new "Y" had plenty of parking but more importantly gallons upon gallons of hot water -- almost as refreshing as the daily beer.

New Spring Project: Roanoke Habitat for Humanity

2011-02-28T17:19:00.000-08:00

Because Greater Charlottesville Habitat had an opportunity to become an even "greener" project, they were experiencing delays in obtaining necessary permits, and they could not guarantee that we would be able to help with construction on our agreed upon dates. So now we are going to Roanoke, VA, and working the same weeks for the local Habitat for Humanity project there -- March 28th to April 1st; April 4th - 8th.

Our hosts will be the Campbell Memorial Presbyterian Church, 1130 Church Road, Vinton, VA, 24179 (just east of Roanoke). Their new minister, Rev. James (Jamie) Smith has been on the job about three weeks. Church phone: (540) 343-1842.

Roanoke YMCA will be providing a place for showering, 520 Church Avenue South West Roanoke, 24016. There will be a small cost to non-YMCA members, but they do provide towels. The YMCA phone: (540) 342-9622.

George and Joanne will be back in the kitchen, and we will be assessing ourselves the usual $50 a week for food. We are expecting great things from them, because they will be working in a fairly new kitchen. Please send JoEllen your food money as soon as you can.

Charlottesville, VA, Spring 2011

2011-01-06T11:06:00.000-08:00

In late March and early April, we will be going to Charlottesville, VA, to assist a local Habitat for Humanity project as they begin a new 20+ house adventure called "Sunrise Park."

Because the cost of land has risen dramatically and the need for affordable housing is so great, this Habitat affiliate will be creating something entirely new in our country. The plan, already approved by the City, is to create from a low income mobile park a new vibrant, mixed-income community with a higher density, near jobs and public transportation and with greener buildings which will be affordable over the long run for families and better for the environment.

Greater Charlottesville Habitat has just completed the construction of 34 homes in 5 years and will be beginning their new $11.6 million Sunrise Park on February 1st. In addition, no one currently living in the trailer park will be excluded or left homeless with this new construction.

Corinth Project

2010-04-12T17:46:00.000-07:00

We are planning to attach a room on the right hand side of this trailer in Corinth. The family cares for four under ten-year-old foster children and needs another bedroom. Our schedule calls to work on the foundation in mid-May and then to erect the room beginning on the 14th of June. Many more details will follow as the pieces start to fit into place. We hope that this is the kind of local endeavor that you would like to enable to succeed with whatever support you can offer.

Fall Mission Trip 2010

2010-04-01T14:05:00.000-07:00

We plan to return to NOLA on Saturday, October 24th, and two weeks, leaving on Saturday, November 6th. Once again we will stay in Grace Lutheran on Canal Boulevard. This is a friendly congregation, committed to the rebuilding of the city, but the most important element is that George likes their kitchen!

Before then, we hope to assist a family in the Corinth area of NY after the warmer weather arrives and we can get a foundation in and ready to erect a room on top of it. We will let you know more about this as information becomes available.

Friday, March 26th

2010-03-30T13:53:00.000-07:00

For all of this week our 19 were supplemented by several from the conference center staff: Gale and Margaret, the caretakers; Janet, the director; and Jean, an intern.

On this day further work in the Center itself, removing and replacing the sliding glass door at the handicapped entrance, and making repairs to the exterior siding and gutters, was completed Three days. Edd, Seth and Keith did this.

Repairs were also made on the residence ceiling to restore the sheetrock that had fallen when it became water-soaked. With ladders and boards stretched across the stair opening, Dave W., Roland, Tom, Eric and Ron somehow all found space to work in this narrow area.

Thursday's Race Against Rain

2010-03-30T13:51:00.001-07:00

On Thursday we were promised rain – first by 8 in the evening, then in the middle of the afternoon. We were really under the gun, because the roof on the residence and on Jacob’s Well both only had tar paper down. Breakfast was served at 6:30, work began at 7, and, though we took breaks, the day didn’t end until well after 5.

Atop Jacob’s Well lodge -- Dave W., Glenn, Ted, Eric, Albert, Debbie, Gale and Jean -- the old soffits were removed, rafter extensions replaced as needed on the roof overhangs and sheathing repaired, all this after the roof was stripped of its three layers of shingles and paper.

In the large living room on the inside of Jacob’s Well, Dave M., Peg, Ted, Rose Ann and Margaret, caulked and sheetrocked and then paneled the ceiling with tongue and groove knotty pine. This sounds relatively simple, but first they put on two additional coats of finish on the T&G boards, find a dry place to store them while the other work was done, and then finally nail them in place, so that the joints and nail holes were virtually invisible.

Wednesday's Work

2010-03-30T13:47:00.000-07:00

Kevin, who had been working in the Center adding amperage and new plates to the outlets used for meals and coffee and made other electrical modifications in the kitchen, finished his work.

This was a most beautiful day! If one had to be up on a roof, this was the day to do it, and we were up on three, with the Shingle-Belles working right through three-quarters of supper to finish their project. On Thursday, the Shingle-Belles divided up to assist others: Rose Ann to Jacob's Well living room; JoEllen to the residence roof; Debbie to Jacob's Well roof.

In the kitchen for the entire week were George and Joanne. They turned out wonderful, tasty and filling meals and desserts to keep us going through our long days.

On Tuesday

2010-03-29T07:04:00.000-07:00

It rained on and off on Monday and Monday evening, but work went on. Besides the window-work, we began to tackle three roofs – a porch at the rear of the residence, the residence’s main roof and a lodge. The porch roof had suffered a puncture from a falling branch. Debbie, JoEllen and Rose Ann went to work on it. They removed a square of the roof so that they could insert a plywood patch and re-shingle the entire area. Things were complicated by there being two layers of existing shingles – running at 90-degrees to one another and a nearby skylight.

On the main roof of the residence there was a large dormer which had been leaking. Part of the problem was a smallish, ineffective cricket intended to deflect rainwater. The work which began on Monday to remedy this, however, led to even more rain water penetrating the roof when the wind blew the plastic cover aside. By Tuesday this was taken care of and further work on the roof proceeded – removing old shingles, adding a new drip edge, etc. Don, Lloyd, Ron, Tom, Roland and Margaret (one of the caretakers of the property) took the lead with this effort.

Monday, March 22nd

2010-03-28T05:31:00.000-07:00

By late Sunday afternoon all 21 of us had arrived at Wellspring. First we toured the various work sites, then we sat down for a meal prepared by Ingrid, the staff cook. Following supper we divided ourselves up to deal with the various challenges and briefly planned how to deal with them -- at least initially.

The weather was good. Energy abounded. We were ready. And so on Monday morning we began. Two of the large double-pane windows in the Center had insect damage on their lower supports. Very carefully the weakened materials were removed from the bottom and both glass panes released from the frames. Then, the lower supports were rebuilt, new caulk put in place and the glass returned. Total time: two days. Seth, Edd and Keith handled this job.

March Mission Trip

2010-02-10T20:08:00.001-08:00

We will be going to the Wellspring Conference Center, in Germantown, MD, the week of March 21st to 27th in order to assist them with repairs and improvements. As part of The Church of the Saviour, Wellspring is a Christian conference center which helps the church be the church by leading events that foster spiritual growth -- (1) an inward journey, (2) an outward journey of service, and (3) a commitment to building community. Also, they provide a place for rest and renewal for people already engaged in Christ's service.

Our work will include repairing water damage to various lodges and the Center, adding insulation and new ceilings within the lodges, installing new electrical lines and outlets and reversing various other problems created by recent storms and the aging of their 37-year-old buildings.

Established over 50 years ago, Wellspring sponsors and hosts retreats. It is part of over 200 acres of land set aside for renewal purposes. Another part of the property is used for silent retreats of the members of the various congregations within The Church of the Saviour which sponsor over 40 ministries to those in need within the city of Washington, D.C., and to others beyond beyond the goegraphical bounds of the Capitol.

Late Fall Gathering

2009-12-14T05:31:00.000-08:00

Twenty members of our building/rebuilding team met in Clifton Park, NY, on Saturday, December 12th, to begin planning work for the new year. As usual we had a great time together and somehow, amid all the cheerful banter and food consumption , we actually got a few things done. We hope to be able to move in several different directions as 2010 rolls out: repairs at Wellspring, the conference center of Church of the Saviour in Germantown, MD; construction with a Habitat or Habitat-like project someplace in Virginia (or with a days+ drive); the addition of a room for a family in Corinth, NY. Obviously many details remain to be worked out, but, if the way be clear, these are the directions we plan to take. (George took our photo.)

NOLA: Week Two, Day Three

2009-11-04T18:54:00.000-08:00

This is Eagle Street, Miss Thelma's house. Some three generations live here, but we are only working on the "new addition" on the left, where we are trying to correct a problem with the floor joists and supporting girders. Tomorrow we will pour cement into four new pads which will support the new piers. These in turn will bring everything into a level plane -- we hope. Also, we have wrapped the exterior walls with Tyvek to create a vapor barrier, so that new siding can later be installed.

Gordon Street was finished today at three o'clock! A local TV affiliate showed up to talk with the owner and some of our NYS-fits+ thought they may have been pictured in the background. This is the second home that we have been able to see to completion, which gives a wonderful feeling of accomplishment. We realize that it takes the efforts of many, many groups to do all the work, but it is a wonderful high when you see that everything, literally everything, is finished!

Sadly, tomorrow Jim leaves. Another of us will go on Friday and then the rest on Saturday. The days have flown past us. We give thanks to God for the safety we have known and the spirit of cooperation and joy that has infused our team.

NOLA: Week Two

2009-11-03T18:27:00.001-08:00

Time has been flying. It's already Tuesday of week two!

Good progress continues to be made on Gordon. Today some 25 bags of cement were mixed and poured into the reinforced forms for the bases of the two stairs. Inside, caulking, painting, hot water heater connections and other "punch-list" items were completed. Wesley again worked side-by-side with our intrepid volunteers.

On Eagle Street, Seth and Ted worked once more with Dan to level the joists in the middle room. Each of the lines in the photo are levels against which they are attempting to move the joists, so that the new floor will be level. A larger jack, capable of lifting 30 tons, is coming tomorrow to raise the center joist. Following that the news pads will be poured for the piers. Outside, the sheathing was wrapped around 3/4 of the house and set in place with staples and felt nails. When the sheathing is completed and the floor leveled, the windows will be re-installed.

NOLA: Days Four and Five

2009-10-31T09:14:00.000-07:00

Thursday and Friday work pushed ahead on three fronts.

On Gordon Street both the inside and outside areas made great progress. Caulk, paint and plumbing tasks continued on the inside; the front and side porches are nearing the completion point. Pressure treated wood was used throughout, and the sculpted handrails and rounded spindles give them an attractive appearance.

On Tchoupitoulas we finished the roof Friday afternoon when the ridge caps were added. Two vents were installed to take hot air out of the attic. The entry way and side shed roofs were also completed as well. Fortunately this all took place about two hours before the heavens opened and about 4 inches of rain fell!

On Eagle Street most of the tearing outs and removing of old materials was finished. The first steps in the rebuilding were taken, beginning with the outside area around the bay window on the side of the house. Next week we tackle the center and supporting joists of the floor.

NOLA: Day Three

2009-10-28T19:17:00.000-07:00

Work continued under mostly cloudy skies. We lathered up with sunscreen early because it looked as if the skies would clear and we might bake, but that was not to be the case.

On Gordon Street in the Lower Ninth, the front porch efforts continued apace, as did the painting and caulking on the inside. Also, the side porch was begun. They appear to be on track to finish or almost finish by the end of the week.

On Tchoupitoulas (Nice name, huh?), we stripped off the last part of the roof and continued to shingle the first half. Ted built a railing for the long flight of existing stairs and a short set of steps from the landing to the ground. In the picture, Seth has stolen the nail gun from Ted to drive in the last nails.

NOLA: Day Two

2009-10-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

The skies opened up last night and dropped some more rain on the Crescent City. It continued raining in the morning, but then slowed and cleared enough for some of our roofers to return to their work. Others on the crew were moved to a third house to do work that would not be slowed by rain. By the end of the day, however, our intrepid roofers had entirely papered all of the roof and shingled about half of it.

On our second house progress was made on the new front porch. Interior painting and cable wiring continued, as well as the plumbing. There is a good chance that this house will be finished by the end of the week.

At the new third house, old water and drain lines were cut and removed to make way for the new plumbing. Underneath the main rim joist where the flooring has been removed, two new temporary piers were erected. These will be used as part of the solution to a four inch floor sag. Additionally, the first step in addressing other joist issues was begun. Much work remains to be done.

NOLA: Day One

2009-10-26T18:43:00.000-07:00

Fortunately, the hot and humid conditions that had been forecast for Monday never appeared. This gave us an opportunity to get a good start on the roof of one of the two homes we are working on. We have about half of the old shingles and paper off, repairs made to the roof surface, almost half of the new drip edge installed and several courses of paper and shingles started.

At the second house, work has begun on the new front porch, the new cable lines were pulled and some of the interior finishing work is underway. Painting and plumbing also need to be done, including the installation of a new hot water heater. Some of the exterior work may be slowed down if the rain predicted for tomorrow materializes.

And, yes, our final two re-builders arrived late this afternoon. We are now nineteen strong!

Our Return to New Orleans

2009-10-25T18:36:00.001-07:00

Seventeen NYS-fits+ have arrived in New Orleans to continue the rebuilding efforts that we began here in the Fall of 2007. We are expected two more persons tomorrow to bring our team to its full complement. Once again we will be working through the Disaster Recovery Office of the Presbytery of Southern Louisiana.

Grace Lutheran on Canal Boulevard is our host church for this visit. Their building was under eight feet of water for three weeks, but, with help from persons all around the country, they were able to return to their sanctuary for worship on Easter of 2006. They continue to be highly supportive of the rebuilding effort in New Orleans, as hosts and volunteers. They have also sent teams to other parts of the country to assist rebuilding efforts there.

Albany Project: Fifth Day

2009-07-17T16:58:00.000-07:00

The clutter remains -- ladders, scaffolding, cut and un-cut drywall, corner bead, two-by-fours, scraps of this and that, but not nearly as much joint compound as a while ago.

Our finishing work continues. The proscenium arch in the theater has come a long, long way. Now, sheathed in a skim-coat of joint compound, it is almost ready to paint, as are the surrounding walls. Almost, almost.

Further behind is the Oasis. Though every joint now has a coat of mud, much sanding and reapplications remain. The soffits are almost done, too.

With John joining the work crew today, the Theater now has its new door. The closet door is not far behind. Seth has been given a design commission by John to sketch out the marquee. So that, too, may soon be underway.

The projection: two more days of mudding and everything should be ready for a first coat of paint.

Albany Project: Day Four

2009-07-16T18:51:00.000-07:00

Sydney and her father, Jim, joined us today. We also had church members: Susan and Mike, Linda, Ray and Pastor Glenn. NYS-FITS+ included Roland, JoEllen and Tom and Debbie and Eric, with Rose Ann preparing supper.

Our efforts today included a variety of finishing jobs. In the stage area we added more mud, corner bead and underneath trim to the arch. Soon now everything will be ready for the first coat of paint.

Linda was busy painting in the Arts and Crafts area. With just a little more work the Theater will be ready, too.

In the Oasis the mudding continued after the smoke and fire detector was installed and the last piece of drywall lifted into place. Corner bead and mud were added to the soffits. Another coat or two on the ceiling and soffits and everything will be paint-ready.

Albany Project: Day Three

2009-07-15T17:09:00.000-07:00

Well, today we were supposed to finish, but we didn't make it. Much ground has been covered -- many walls drywalled including the Oasis pyramid, the risers and sink are in place, and the taping and mudding begun -- and yet there is much remaining to be completed.

A reduced crew, less than half the number we had to start, will work the next two days. Perhaps by the end of the week the mudding will be close to being finished. This will include installation of the corner beads and trim around the arch above the stage.

Once again today we were fed a delicious lunch by the Deacons of the church. They have done this all three days and will continue through Friday. Our evening meals are prepared by Joanne, Marcia and Rose Ann. All this good food has helped to keep us going. We truly appreciate all that everyone has done to support our efforts!

Several church members, Marilyn and Phillip, Leslie, Mike, Douglas, and Ray, have worked with us, increasing our output. Miriam and Glenn Leupold, the pastoral team serving the church, have occasionally been able to join us for lunch or dinner. Miriam has also gone the second mile of greeting us each morning with fresh coffee, as we gather in the parking lot.

Albany Project: Day Two

2009-07-14T17:15:00.001-07:00

After a second long, productive day, the end -- while still distant -- is almost in sight!

The Jericho Theater risers are finished, as is the drywalling in that room -- next comes the taping and mudding. Unknown for the time being is how the rug will be re-attached on the surface. Ron and Jim moved on to drywall the hall closet and finished hanging that by day's end. The door jambs to both the closet and Jericho Theater need re-framing before the doors can be re-hung to complete these areas.

In the Oasis, three of the four walls are drywalled and the insulation is all in place. Two of the corners are done, but these places have been slow-going, as has the pyramid ceiling. This ceiling is over half done but the taping and mudding remain here, too.

The plumbing is finished in the Arts and Crafts area and the sink is in place. The counter and storage area have yet to be completed.

At Sinai Stage, almost all of the drywall work has been finished and all of the large stage extensions are assembled -- two other, triangular pieces remain.

Albany Project: Day One

2009-07-13T17:45:00.000-07:00

Eight AM, 18 people gather for introductions, a welcome from Pastor Miriam, stretching and other preliminaries. Tools were then carried to the third floor -- lots of hands, light work! And after architect-designer, John Myers, walked us through the rooms, we divided into four teams and went to work.

Fruits of our labors. By day's end, the Sinai Stage has 8 of its 10 "stage extension platforms" cut and partly assembled and about 2/3 of the needed drywall cut and screwed in place with insulation added to the interior walls. Peg and JoEllen led this crew of 5, Leslie, Mike and Betty assisted.

Kevin and "Papa" Don worked on the plumbing for the Arts & Crafts room. While it took a while to find the requisite drain line and sources of water, if the sink had been on site, they would have been almost ready to begin making connections when work ended.

In Jericho Theater, Ron and Tom led their team of 5, with Jim, Phillip and Ray rounding out their crew. Here, following John's plans, they rolled back the rug and began laying down the riser supports which will soon hold 25 theater seats, once the platforms are installed. By day's end they were ready to begin screwing down the platforms. Besides this, they did some drywalling.

Finally, in the Oasis, or open meeting area, Terry, Peter and Eric worked with Linda, Marilyn and Debbie to install drywall on the walls and ceilings. Work here was slowed because of the ceiling height and tricky hallway corners. When completed this area will also showcase a marquee over the entrance to Jericho Theater. At day's end, more than half the drywall was in place.

Sunday Celebration

2009-05-11T09:43:00.000-07:00

We worked late on Saturday and then worked again before and after worship on Sunday. By 4 o'clock we were "finished" in more ways than one. The front room was done! The new floor and baseboard were at long last in place, but not without some last minute thinking outside the box. When the vinyl cove baseboard was reluctant to adhere to our wainscoting, it took some quick thinking by Jill to substitute ripped composite material in its place. The completed project really looks good.

And in the men's room, another completed effort. The doors are on the showers and toilet stalls. All the pine has been primed. A new light was added over the shower area, and the exhaust fan was connected and operational. The room has a bright, clean and functional appearance. Everything is now ready for the delivery and plumbing of the new vanity.

The truck and cars were loaded within an hour of completing the work. By 5:30 PM we were on the road and headed north.

Thanks, again, to all whose donations and pray support made this latest work of our NYS-FITS+ possible.

Friday and Saturday Progress

2009-05-09T17:44:00.001-07:00

We got up early having mapped out a plan for the day last night. Jill, Roland and Eric were to work on replacing the ceiling, as Eric and Roland had been the ones who drilled the holes in the first place. Don, Tom and Ron would work on the bathroom, installing the partitions between the showers. JoEllen and Debbie started on cutting down the 5 doors for the bathroom. Before long the lack of drilling noise was noticed. Jill and Eric had gone to Home Depot to return with a mammoth Hilti rotary hammer drill that made drilling the holes much "easier." Jill now took over the drilling and worked with JoEllen on replacing the smaller screws with large TapCons and wiring the lights to the ceiling, replacing any broken parts to the framework. Meanwhile Eric moved to putting up melamine in the bathroom. Debbie continued with cutting down doors. We worked until near 5:30 when we needed to someone to the Baptist Church to secure the showers.

Giant strides towards completing our project were made today: the ceiling is fully and totally re-suspended!! and the flooring tiles are all in place. The room, which two days ago looked like a bomb had fallen has taken on a new nature. It looks like a million dollars. Well, at least a usable , and highly rent-able, space.

The bathroom is now nearing completion. The second toilet has been installed. For the showers, the dividers are in place, the mats have been purchased and the dressing platforms made. The doors have all been trimmed and received their first coat of paint. Also, the grouting was done around the second commode, the first door was installed, the exhaust fan hooked up and vented to the outside, and a new light installed in the shower area. Some of the prime coat has been applied to the white pine surfaces, too. It won't be long now. In fact, the showers are ready for their first use and will probably get it later tonight.

Thanks go to all who have been praying for us and sending us encouraging notes. You guys are terrific. Tomorrow, we are hoping to get just a little more work in before and after worship.

Return to Washington

2009-05-07T14:02:00.000-07:00

Eight of us have returned to Casa del Pueblo to finish (and repair) what we began three weeks ago. Since leaving, the ceiling in the front room collapsed! Almost all the tiles, lights and suspending superstructure fell to the floor. We are so very grateful that no one was in the room at the time, especially not under one of the lights.

Jill and Don, JoEllen and Tom, Debbie and Eric, Ron and Roland have made the trip from New York to complete the bathroom project and to re-hang the suspended ceiling. Our hopes are to complete the job by the end of the work day on Saturday. Sunday, Eric and Tom will be contributing to the worship service with one of their patented dialogue sermons.

Washington Postscript

2009-05-04T04:54:00.000-07:00

Well, we didn't finish. Debbie and JoEllen did not finish putting down the vinyl tile; like everyone else they were worn out. And the bathroom has an even longer way to go before completion. Our thinking is to try and return, possibly as early as later this week, to put in the additional two or three days it will take to complete the job. While this crew may be small, it will be all that we need. Stay tuned.

Our Last Day

2009-04-27T18:16:00.000-07:00

Monday, our final day. The heat continued here as in most places on the East coast: sweltering, oppressive, draining. We worked hard and long, but fell far short of finishing. Did you see that coming? I guess we did, too. However, we didn't want to think about it.

As I write it is 10 minutes to 9 PM, and JoEllen, Debbie and Don are still at work in the front room. Don is showing them how to lay out the lines to begin putting vinyl tile down on the floor. As with so many days before, the front room was all-consuming in terms of time. The trim work -- measuring, cutting, staining, coping corners, putting on polyurethane -- was simply without end. When the floor is finished being laid, the room will be done. Perhaps by Midnight??

The men's room/unisex bath and shower room has made continued progress, but it is far from finished. All three showers are in pace and connected, but the separate dressing rooms, benches and dividers are only pieces of pre-cut wood at this point. One toilet is in and the frames are up with Melamine on them. No doors, yet. The walls behind and on the sides of the toilets are completed, but not painted. The two-sink vanity is being donated and will arrive in about 6 weeks. The tile work is done and grouted, but not sealed.

At this point our plan is to return for about 3 more days of work to coincide with the arrival of the vanity. Most of us would like to be here for another Sunday of worship, too -- perhaps bringing some music along with us!

Mouse Count: 7.

Saturday

2009-04-25T16:22:00.000-07:00

Saturday, which began as a half day of work, ended more like a 3/4 day of work -- somehow ending at 12 noon morphed into something like 2 PM.

Finishing work takes time. This has been demonstrated by work in the front room which never seems to come to a conclusion. The shelves are in and much of the quarter-round molding below it. The upside down scarf cuts were intellectually as demanding as the physical cuts themselves.

The men's room leaped ahead with the installation of over half the Melamine wallboard and the creation of the stall framework. Additional tiling was also done. While far from finished, the room has already taken on a much brighter and appealing face.

Additional Notes: Melissa, the church member who provided last night's dinner, has asked to be put on our NYS-FITS+ email list -- she's ready to join us in the Fall; Tom fixed the church's WiFi, so communicating has become much easier; we have begun talking about a quick return to D.C. to complete work left undone this Spring.

Please keep the congregation of Casa del Pueblo and their pastor, John M'Akwalu, in your prayers. They are laboring under difficult circumstances to be faithful witnesses in this corner of our nation's Capitol.

Mouse Count: 7.

Friday the 24th

2009-04-24T16:09:00.000-07:00

Friday: another beautiful day, another day of hard work. But more than anything else it was a sad day, because JoEllen, Tom, Don and Edd's friend, Robin, died during the night. She had been sick for a long time, struggling with cancer. She never gave in, never stopped fighting, never lost her faith and hope, or her sense of humor. She was greatly loved and will be sorely missed.

Work-wise, things are shaping up, but time has now becomes an issue. Debbie and JoEllen worked in the front room most of the day. With the ceiling finally finished (which took about an hour, plus) they moved onto the wainscoting ledge -- a dimension of their work that would consume the remainder. They had to cut, stain, miter, scarf-cut, nail and glue it down. (The flooring has not yet been purchased.)

Over in the bathroom, the two new walls are up. All the wiring is done. The plumbing over 75% complete. Don, Tom, Edd and Eric kept bumping into each other as they worked there framing the walls and driving screws into the concrete floor and walls. Tom and Eric had great fun helping Don by finding a way to bring a flexible electrical cable through the boiler room/men's room wall.

Tonight, Melissa, a member of the congregation, has prepared a lasagna dinner for us. It's still in the oven but smells wonderful. Tomorrow will be a lighter day. We are looking forward to it with great expectations.

Mouse Count: 7.

Thursday Report

2009-04-23T15:03:00.000-07:00

Our day began with the departure of Rose Ann and Roland. We were very, very sad to see our clever cook and her skillful husband leave for home, but everyone has many commitments and these two were on their way to fulfill theirs. (Marcia is taking over the cooking chores until she has to leave.)

Thursday saw us unload a Home Depot delivery truck loaded with supplies for finishing touches -- $1,300 worth of building materials -- in the front room and men's room. Getting the 16 footers through the narrow hallways was a challenge in itself. The 2 x 4's, Melamine and greenboard will keep us going for a while. (Yes, the time crunch is now beginning to become a factor!)

Most of our day was spent in the front room, although, like Wednesday, Edd spent most of his day doing plumbing in the men's room. The ceiling tiles are now mostly up -- just a few more pieces around the rear pier-supports. The wiring is finished except for one recalcitrant fluorescent and a few finishing touches. The front windows are painted, along with the front door casings and the stained ledges received their first coats of polyurethane.

Mouse count: 6.

On Wednesday

2009-04-22T18:55:00.000-07:00

Wednesday was a strange day. We got a late start because Edd called in an order to a local Home Depot, and it seemingly took forever. Then at lunch time, we walked up to Christ's House and while we ate our lunches learned about their ministry of assisting the homeless with medical conditions. We also learned what the City and other organizations were doing to make their lives better.

In terms of construction, the suspended ceiling in the Front Room made rapid advances; almost all of the supportive pieces are in place as are some of the panels. Best of all, the last of the holes which had to be drilled in the concrete ceiling were completed. Don, Roland and Eric worked on this. Final adjustments were made to the wainscoting and the entry stairs by Debbie and JoEllen, while Marcia stained the boards which will go on top. Tom and Edd finished the frames around the new front door. Tom also put in the last piece of replacement glass while Edd did some plumbing work in the Men's Room.

Mouse count: 5.

The Week Begins

2009-04-21T14:32:00.000-07:00

Monday saw us re-tiling in the men's room -- some tiles pulled loose from their mortar. Before we got to that, though, the last of the old drains were capped-off. Several new valves were installed on various lines to give some cut-offs in needed places. Then, we closed off the room so the tiles could set, and we could get back in for other work on Wednesday.

In the front room, the wainscoting went up after the electrical boxes were put in place. The walls and door frame were painted. The front windows were removed, the protective grates taken off and the broken windows replaced. Some repainting was also done on the windows by Amos, a church member who came to help. The ceiling lights were re-wired and new switches installed, in preparation for the new suspended ceiling which we hope to start on Tuesday.

After dinner, Kevin left for home. Pastor John, Florence his wife and Sammy his son joined us for our evening meal, along with Bernardo and others from the church family. Before we went to bed we had heard from Kevin that he had made it home safely.

Mouse count: 4.

After Four Days

2009-04-19T17:46:00.000-07:00

Today is Sunday. Much of Friday was spent at Home Depot. We went on a spending spree purchasing among other things: 2 x 4 and 2 x 6 (treated and untreated), Trex, plumbing supplies, wainscot, and screws for concrete and wood. We must have been at the store for five hours. Fortunately, the store is not too far away. Last trip for the weekend was made Saturday evening at 9:15.

Decision-making is still a complex issue, with things changing constantly in both the Men's room and the front office. However, every time this occurs we come up with improvements over our previous ideas -- sometimes these are simple things we just never thought of before, like the wainscoting to conceal pipes and wires in the front room, which grew from the suggestion for an extra-large baseboard.

The entry platform into the front room is now completed and all of the wainscot supports are in place. Mid-Saturday we cut into the water pipes and installed a new valve and a cap; we also took out the old mixer valve from the shower room. Another ball vavle needs to be installed so that this line can be used for the new sinks on that side of the room. By mid-afternoon we began laying the new tiles in the bathroom.

These tiles had been purchased at 7:30 in the morning. Ryan, a member of the congregation, laid the tile in the afternoon and in the evening after supper. By the time he stopped about 3/4 of the floor had been done. Both rooms are now really beginning to take shape.

Day Two

2009-04-16T12:30:00.000-07:00

With eight of us here Wednesday morning, we went to work in two rooms: Demolition-R-Us. The men's room stall dividers and the urinal surrounds are now gone. It did not take long for the dust to settle, and most of the floor has been swept. In the front room, destined to be office rental property, the smaller room separators have been removed and the floor partially cleared of the wood and drywall debris. This room seemed to grow in size as the work progressed.

Outside the rain has continued, which isn't a problem except when we are out there filling the dumpster. We hope that you are having dryer weather where you are than with what Washington is sharing with us.

Tomorrow more reinforcements arrive -- Johnny, Marilyn, Don and Edd. By the time they join us, we hope to have the front room almost entirely prepped for retiling. But you know how it goes, things are often a bit more complicated than you expect.

D.C. Mission, Day 1

2009-04-14T13:00:00.000-07:00

Our rebuilding team members have begun to arrive on Columbia Road. Roland and Rose Ann, arrived with Debbie and Eric yesterday. JoEllen and Tom are on their way today as are Marcia and Jim.

We spoke with Pastor John in the afternoon, and then in the evening we had dinner with Melissa, an active member of the congregation, and spoke at length with her about the recent and distant history of the church which extends back to the beginnings of last century. Several times this congregation has been severally challenged; each time, by the grace of God, they have rebounded stronger than before.

As you can see from the photo, Spring has sprung in Washington. We've had rain and a little chill in the evening, but nothing like the weather we left in upstate New York. Really wishing you all were here!

Washington Set Back

2009-04-04T08:30:00.001-07:00

George The (our irreplaceable, irascible, irradiant) Cook was told by his doctor to call off his scheduled trip to Washington. We knew that he was planning to have aortic valve surgery in June, but we -- and apparently he --were unaware that there were certain limits on his pre-surgery activities.

So, now we are scrambling to find a stand-in at the prep table and stove for our current culinary specialist. George is one of the ones who helps make us the NYS-FITS+. He, more than most, helps keep the mishuggeneh in our group. We are all major contributors to the quality of life that we share, but George pushes us over the top -- say have been know to say over the edge -- more often than others. His skillet will be hard to fill, but we have been blessed so often in the past that we believe someone will come forward.

Speaking of blessings, we are delighted that many others who have been ill are well on the road to recovery. We are thankful too that supporters, friends and team members have helped to raise over $4,000 to purchase building materials while we are at work in Washington. Lastly, your prayers are coveted for the time of our stay and for the congregation after we leave.

Pre-Mission Visit to Casa del Pueblo

2009-04-03T14:53:00.000-07:00

Pastor John M'akwalu was standing outside the church when this picture was taken. He has served the congregation in the midst of a changing neighborhood for over six years. Casa del Pueblo on Columbia Road has been an area where immigrants have settled into the community. Latinos, Asians and African Americans have populated this section of the Adams Morgan district for decades. Now the neighborhood is beginning the process of gentrification, adding a new challenge to work and witness of this congregation.

Don, Edd, Eric and Seth made this visit, and again measurements were taken and alternatives examined prior to the start of our work camp after Easter. We will be cleaning old paint off of pipes, then priming and painting them along with the walls in the down stairs bathroom entryways. How to precede with the installation of the showers is still being mulled over. While the goal is clear, the stages of the construction process are not quite so clear. Likewise for the front room, the goal of renovation is clear, but the step-by-step process, especially the floor, are still options being examined.

Planning for D.C. Mission Trip

2009-03-29T15:49:00.000-07:00

Thirteen NYS-fits+ gathered this afternoon to finalize plans for the post-Easter trip to Washington. We decided that four of our members should return to Casa del Pueblo on Thursday to examine more carefully the church site. Daily work plans need to be laid out, and we also need to determine how best to use our financial resources. Other efforts will include: determining what other funds might be available to support this endeavor; needed permits or inspection schedules; discounted sources for building materials; ensuring parking, showering, storage and other on-site arrangements. Contributions for building materials can still be sent for deposit at: Bethany Presbyterian Church, 21 Lyons Avenue, Albany, NY 12204, including on the memo line -- NYS-fits+ Rebuilding Fund. The deadline for receiving funds for this endeavor is Saturday, April 4, in order to be available for use.

There is still time to decide to go. George would rather cook for 20 than 15. We are recommending that, if possible, each person donate $200 towards materials, but we know that some of our group cannot afford that much. Please don't let that stop you from coming.

Spring Project, Washington, D.C.

2009-02-02T08:54:00.000-08:00

Our current spring project calls for work to begin at Casa del Pueblo on Wednesday, April 15th. Located at 1459 Columbia Road in the Adams Morgan area of D.C., this United Methodist Church, led by Pastor John M'akwalu. The sanctuary and other parts of the building have experienced considerable rain damage, but that is beyond our abilities to repair. However, we felt that we could improve the condition of the Ladies' and Men's rooms through the addition of showers and newer vanities, which might encourage other volunteer groups. Also, we could lay a new floor, paint the walls and do other work to make the front room more useful to the congregation.

Debriefing and Planning, April 5th

2008-03-16T17:11:00.000-07:00

The NYS-FITS+ will gather on Saturday, April 5th, at Debbie and Eric's, beginning at 4 PM, to Debrief their most recent rebuilding trip and to Plan for the next effort(s). All volunteers, spouses, or rebuilding Wannabees are all warmly welcome. Bring a dish to share, too. Hot dogs, hamburgers and rolls will be provided. An email RSVP is requested.

Winter Rebuild '08

2008-03-10T08:31:00.000-07:00

This winter 29 NYS-FITS+ who worked in New Orleans helping with the rebuild after hurricane Katrina. We stayed in the First Presbyterian Church of New Orleans for 2 weeks and worked under the direction of Leroy Harbauer, the construction coordinator. Some of our volunteers were only able to stay for one week, many others for both.

Our rebuilding focused on 5 different houses -- finishing one on Mendez, moving another along to near-completion on Arthur, repairing termite damage and extensive renovation on Gardena, preparing the interior for drywall on Willow and beginning the exterior/interior work on N. Tonti. With energy and skill, we rebuilt walls, removed and reinstalled windows, made exterior repairs and did interior finishing work: a variety of tasks.

News and Notes, January 3, 2008

2008-01-03T06:49:00.000-08:00

As the weather gets colder, more and more of our NYS-FITS+ are saying that they will head south in February. We now have 19 who have indicated a desire to work with the new team. Two others plan to decide soon, so we may soon be over 20! Our target date for signing folks up is Jan. 15th, which allows the church a little time to welcome other volunteers.

The rebuilding ministry news from FPCNO is that Royden and Lina were supposed to have their gas turned on yesterday, Jan. 2nd, and that Yolanda has still not had her final inspection.

Donations for building materials may be sent to Bethany Presbyterian Church, 21 Lyon Avenue, Menands, NY 12204. Please put "Katrina Rebuilding" on the memo line.

Also, this first week of new year is a busy one with 42 volunteers staying and working out of the church on several sites. They are also having a "cold snap," that is if you can call 30 degrees overnight "cold."

Winter Return to NOLA

2007-12-03T05:50:00.000-08:00

We decided to return to NOLA for some mid-winter rebuilding, working from Monday, February 18th to Friday the 29th. George, a.k.a. "The Cook," will be with us again!

The cost of food will be $50 per week. This can be sent directly to JoEllen Parsons, Box 445, Lake Luzerne, NY 12846. Please do this by Jan. 15th to reserve your place.

Those going are asked to donate $100 to $200 each for building materials. This can be sent to the Katrina Rebuilding Fund of the Bethany Presbyterian Church, 21 Lyon Avenue, Menands, NY 12204.

2007-11-16T20:20:00.000-08:00

Ideas for Next Rebuilding Trip

1. Take advantage of Jim Lemire's offer to do a presentation on the role of New Orleans in American history before we go.

2.Following up on the educational idea, we could offer one presentation each week in NOLA on various theme, like -- "The Music of NOLA" or "The Plight of NOLA's Poor" or "The Faith Communities' Responses to Katrina" or "The Future of NOLA," .....

3. We could ask Marcia and/or others to create a list of possible weekend activities -- Swamp Tour, musical venues, dancing, etc.

4. Plan a fund-raiser to have money to take with us for building supplies as well as to raise awareness of the need for on-going help for NOLA.

5. Create a sign-up sheet, like we use for devotions, for small jobs to help the team -- setting tables up, daily/weekly clean-up, .....

6. Identify churches at which a group traveling to or from NOLA could stay overnight and/or eat a meal; an "Underground Railroad" idea.

De-Briefing for NOLA Visit

2007-11-14T19:22:00.000-08:00

Almost all the drivers and fliers have checked in -- everyone is now safely home.

We will be gathering on the last Friday of November -- the 30th -- at 7 PM at Debbie and Eric's to review our recent three weeks of work and to consider another two week project in February of 2008.

The February dates are from Sunday the 17th through the 1st of March. And the best news is that George Cheatle has again volunteered to be our Chef-in-residence!

Please let us know if you are coming to the Friday gathering. Thanks.

Stretching the Daylight

2007-11-06T18:11:00.001-08:00

The ending of Daylight Savings Time has complicated our work schedule. We are awakened earlier than usual by the morning light, and our work days are cut short by the earlier darkness.
Putting our heads together, we think we have solved our problem: we are going to get up earlier, eating earlier, having our devotions earlier, and leaving for our work sites earlier.

Spirits are still high. The laughter and banter go on as you might imagine -- just a step or two away from being totally out of control. And did we mention the "Pitch" card game that Edd Von Seggern hosts in the evening? (He seems to make up the rules as they go along.)

George Cheatle, our cook, continues to feed us in extraordinary fashion, which goes a long way towards keeping us hard at work. He even arranged for muffulettas to be delivered to our work sites one day! The flavors and aromas emanating from the church kitchen are simply wonderful!

Our NYS-FITS+ is quite a singing group. On Sunday when we were introduced in worship we broke out in song, and later, when the church choir assembled, we added 8 persons to their number! The church's yahoo.com network talked about the "fabulous choir" for days.

Week Three Begins

2007-11-05T19:24:00.001-08:00

All too soon our third week has arrived and the final push is underway. We hope to finish Royden and Lina's home on Roger Williams and come as close as possible to completing Yolanda's house on Mendez.

At Royden's and Lina's on Monday, we started to fill holes in the trim and clapboards outside and around the windows on the inside. The back porch was started. The squares of tile for counter top were glued in place and the backsplash tiles set. Work continued on the kitchen island which has refused to stay flat and square. Finally, some of the primer paint has gone on windows and casings.

At Yolanda's the final plumbing work was about finished, with Liz doing the work under the sink in the bathroom. The second bedroom is approaching completion. The kitchen cabinets were set in place and the appliances connected. Plumbing in both bathrooms is now completed and work on the thresholds is approaching completion. The glazing on the windows is about done, too.

Louisiana Swamp Fest

2007-11-03T19:07:00.002-07:00

Our Saturday began in a sad fashion with the departure of three of our number. Kevin and Alan headed back to Pennsylvania and Marvin took off for Albany International. They will be missed.

Day off, well, almost. A few did some work at Lina and Royden's in the morning -- finishing our trim work on windows and doors, cementing the last of the counter top in place and sealing the tiles we installed yesterday.

Others went on a swamp tour in search of alligators, nutria rats and various flora and fauna, as well as information about what Katrina did to the ecological balance in the wetlands.

The afternoon found most of us at the Audubon Zoo to listen to the music of the Pine Leaf Boys and BeauSoleil among others. There were also various exhibits and events, and all the regular zoo animals and habitats. We found the parking lots filled to overflowing and crowds, like the one pictured above, all over the place!

Before the day ends, we will add six to our number. Louis Armstrong Airport is the destination for team replacements. And on Sunday two more will arrive. The week begins with us at our highest numbers, and we have plenty of work to do before week three comes to an end.

Second Friday

2007-11-02T19:48:00.000-07:00

The start of our second Friday at Lina and Royden's house. Kevin and Roland prepare to trim windows on the west side of the house. They finished all four by lunch time and two more before the day was done.

On the inside the first tiles for the kitchen counter were set in place; the plumbing was completed in the main bathroom and the last of the taping and mudding was completed.

At Yolanda's -- more windows were painted (patching and filling nail holes, too) by Peggy, Marilyn, Rae Louise, Susan and Linda; one of the bathrooms had the tub surrounded added -- Peter and Ron tag-teamed this; more new glass was installed and glazed -- Peter did this; another threshold was "attacked" by Ted (the total of thresholds is 10!) ; Marvin and Edd finished the new floor in the hallway and hall closet.

The master bedroom is now virtually ready for occupancy by the homeowner, and she plans to move in over the weekend!

In the evening, the building teams from both houses, plus three members of an "advance team" from Falls Church, VA, along with Yolanda were fed Lebanese fare by Royden and Lina. Goodbyes were extended to Marvin, Keven, Alan, Susan and Jack who will be leaving this weekend.

One Day, One House, One...

2007-11-01T16:50:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken in Lina and Royden's driveway where we set our saws. We had just lifted up the table saw to put it away for the night. What you see is what was underneath!

Thursday was a good day. The last of the drywall went up, five windows were trimmed on the outside and progress was made in preparation for placing tile on the counter.

Halloween Delight

2007-11-01T05:19:00.001-07:00

Wednesday was Halloween and to observe the holiday we had a special meal, prepared by a very special chef -- our own, George Cheatle. Among other entrees on the menu we were offered: Old Blood Jello topped with Freshly Coagulated Blood and Cockroach Bodies in Moldy Cheese Sauce.

Our hungry builders devoured everything in site. There is something about tiling, grouting, painting window trim and installing new doors that builds the appetite!

Our efforts continue at a good pace.

Shop on Wheels

2007-10-30T19:36:00.000-07:00

You might wonder what we use and how we get things done on site. Here's the answer, a photo of the back of JoEllen and Tom's pickup truck. Inside you can find one of almost anything: table saw, band saw, chop saw, drills, circular saw, air compressor, nailing guns and ammo, drywall tools, hammers, etc., etc. Each day on the job site we unload in the morning and reload in the evening. And, as you can see, they've learned how to back it quite neat and very full!

Tuesday began with unscheduled rain. It was annoying, because at one site most of our cutting is done outside. By 9 AM the skies began to clear, and soon we were going full speed again. It was a day of tiling, laying flooring, plumbing, more baseboard work, filling nail holes, adding a new door, and framing -- there's always another window to frame.

A Time to Rest, and Then...

2007-10-29T19:52:00.000-07:00

The weekend brought a change of pace -- relaxation, exploration, extended time together. On Saturday some went on a Swamp Tour, hoping to catch sight of a few alligators. (And did.) They also walked a boardwalk through a colorful cypress swamp, replete with Spanish moss and bright yellow burr-marigolds flowers. Sunday's events included a Beignet run before worship at First Presbyterian, but not just a beignet-run; it was a comparison tasting Beignet run between two cafes. Food ended the day, too, -- a surprise birthday cake and ice cream to celebrate Debbie's special day.

Reinforcements were added to our number over the weekend. These included Rae Louise Tate (Star Lake), Marvin Spinner (ALbany), Linda and Peter Foss (Scarborough, ME). And arriving on Tuesday: Jack and Susan Abbott (Lake Luzerne).

On Monday we returned to work -- a prime coat on Yolanda's bedroom, continued tile and window trim work, some dry wall, baseboard, and finishing touches on AC and heating systems.

At Royden and Lina's a growing awareness of completion was in the air -- baseboard work continued, the last doors were hung and adjusted, the kitchen cabinets were leveled, tile sealing began, and windows prepared for painting. As the day was ending, the FEMA trailer was being prepared for removal. Completion will be a while, yet, but not long.

They're the NYS-FITS+

2007-10-28T16:39:00.000-07:00

He comes from New York or Penn State or Maine
She arrives by car, or by truck or by plane
They’re a student, a preacher, a clerk
They are here to do some hard work.
They’ve the NYS-FITS+

They wear their tool belts with pride
Their energy quite allied
They want the owners back at home
This is the reason they come
They’ve the NYS-FITS+

Each morning at dawn they arise
Rubbing the sleep from their eyes
After breakfast (by George) they will leave
Wearing their faith on their sleeve
They’ve the NYS-FITS+

They install doors, sheetrock and trim
And whether done by a her or a him
Each piece they install is with love
And confirmed by God up above
They’ve the NYS-FITS+

Those who came were not on their own
They got aid from the folk back at home
With their dollars and cares
And with all of their prayers
They’ve the NYS-FITS+

All too soon they will finish and go
And in each of their hearts they will know
That they gave it their best
They could do nothing less
They’ve the NYS-FITS+

by Tom Parsons, Lake Luzerne, New York

A Good Day

2007-10-25T19:30:00.001-07:00

We had a good day for construction -- sunny much of the time, temperate weather. The weather report had led us to believe we would have cloud cover and cooler weather. Delightfully wrong!

At Yolanda's house grout and trim work went forward. Our teachers included Ted Tate and Allen Mater. Marilyn was sanding and puttying. John worked on the AC most of the day. Ron Pedersen was responsible for cracking the whip! Most of the baseboard has been cut and ready for installation.

At Royden and Lina's Roland spent most of his day in the closet -- finishing the flooring. Kevin enlarged the size of the bathroom door from 24" to 30." JoEllen and Tom, envious of Roland, spent their day in another bathroom, alledgedly working on baseboard and quarter round. Deb was on her knees, pushing pink spackle into tiny little nail holes, then following up with a piece of sandpaper. Seth Honeyman was running the show, and Eric, though present, kept hiding from Seth's supervision -- when caught he helped Roland.

Hitting Stride

2007-10-24T19:04:00.000-07:00

By Wednesday we have begun to hit our stride. Three home sites are being worked on, but our focus is really on just two of them. We hope to complete the rebuilding on at least one of the two.

At Royden and Lina's various floor and baseboard issues have been resolved, the threshold has been corrected, the sink has been centered, the cabinet installed above the stove, molding around the side door has been installed, the hallway and boy's bedroom flooring is almost complete. Seth seems well pleased with his crew!

At Yolanda's, interior window framing has continued, issues with the air conditioning system have been thought through, master bathroom has been sanded, drywall around the tub finished, taping and mudding underway, a door jam expanded to prepare for the baseboard molding, and the baseboard molding was continued. As you might have guessed, Ron is elated!

At the third place, Mildred and Norman's (see photo above), we have been hanging drywall. We had to take down one ceiling -- ughh! -- and then put it back up. About two and a quarter rooms have been covered. Also, two large rooms have been taped and mudded.

Next week when our expanded crew arrives, there are several other homes that we will be working on. The NYS-FITS+ will really be hopping! Stay tuned.

Treading Water in NOLA

2007-10-23T04:45:00.000-07:00

Rain, rain and more rain. Because we have been getting so much rain (8" fell today - Monday - in some parts of NOLA -- schools and city offices closed early and Tulane University canceled classes), we began our work day by covering the floors of our houses with protective paper. However if you weren't soaked by the rain outside the house, the humidity got when you were working inside.

Ron and Seth are much closer to having clear lists of work to do, so that we can prioritize our tasks and make clear assignments. In some cases we are undoing work completed earlier, in others we are taking the next step, and in some we are still trying to figure out how to do what needs to be done. We'll begin to roll soon.

We continue to receive information about increasing financial support. Jeff White of Mediapolis, Iowa, has sent money to Bethany in Menands to support our work. Likewise, Sydney Lemire (age 6) had her dad, Jim, forward all the One Great Hour of Sharing money that she had saved this year -- $22.94! These last two push our total up to: $16,218. Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine we could raise this much!

Our last five rebuilders will be here tomorrow - Tuesday. Kevin and Allen have reached Birmingham, AL, and are within striking distance for Tuesday; JoEllen and Tom are still on the road and should be here tomorrow. Marcia should be here any minute - she was flying into TX.

Finally, you need to know that the weather forecast for tomorrow indicates that by mid-afternoon tomorrow - Tuesday - the rain should stop.

Work Site Visits

2007-10-21T19:42:00.001-07:00

Leroy, Roland and Eric toured the houses that FPCNO is working on Saturday morning, paying special attention to Royden and Lina's and Yolanda's houses. These are the two we will concentrate on and try to complete while we are here. The other work sites include drywall installation, roofing and some smaller, short-term jobs.

The picture is of Lina's new kitchen. Debbie and Eric began this home in March with Roland's help. They added the new roof that is visible in the photo on the far left. Other work remaining includes finishing installation of the baseboard, painting the walls, hanging a door, grouting and sealing the new tile and completing the bathrooms.

On Sunday we returned to our two main work sites with the lead builders: Seth Honeyman for Royden and Lina's home and Ron Pedersen for Yolanda's. They did work throughs and later spoke with Leroy about their respective houses.

At supper we self-selected ourselves onto work teams for these two places, and, despite the dire forecasts for rainy weather, began planning for our first day on the job. We have alternate plans if the rain descends on us. Please keep us in your prayers as we begin tomorrow morning.

Patch Work

2007-10-19T19:57:00.000-07:00

First Presbyterian Church has a "Pumpkin Patch" in the field adjacent to the building. The work and profits are being shared between the Child Development Program (nursery/daycare) and the church. Such cooperation in the "Patch" benefits both groups. In fact, cooperation is what really keeps this rebuilding ministry and so many other things in life going along well.

Teamwork in rebuilding is cooperation. One volunteer team picking up where another left off is cooperation. Think of all the other places this appears: homeowners who have been helped and who then assist others; companies and organizations who donate tools and materials, or allow employees time off to help.... One of our dreams is to plant the seeds of cooperation so that it's fruits may flourish in all the Patches of our lives and in every life we touch.

And as one of our pastor friends says almost every week at the close of the service, "May it be so for you and for me."

Advance Team Arrives

2007-10-19T07:03:00.000-07:00

Eric, Debbie, Roland and George will all be in NOLA today to make preparations for the reminder of our first week's team. In some places, things are still about the same, rebuilt homes and barely touched places stand side by side. First Presbyterian continues to work with families who have very limited resources to enable them to return to their own homes. We are in the process of deciding and gathering materials for the projects that we will be working on this first week. Daily photos, we hope, will be posted.

Two Weeks to Go!

2007-10-06T13:44:00.000-07:00

We're counting down the days until we start helping with the rebuilding in NOLA being led by Cliff Nunn and Leroy Harbauer at the First Presbyterian Church, 5401 S. Claiborne Avenue, New Orleans.

Last week we had some increases and decreases in our volunteer numbers, but now I think the numbers have settled down. Our average volunteer week will be 22 persons, and we will be sharing the building with just one other group, that one from Falls Church, VA.

We still do not have a firm count on the money we will donate. It really depends on whether or not the Synod Grant we applied for comes through. With it we should be at about the $10k level; without it we will be around $7k. Either way we hope to be prove ourselves good stewards of the funds given by working hard at our tasks and helping families return to their homes.

Three Weeks to Go

2007-09-28T11:36:00.000-07:00

Team Meeting Reminder: Saturday, September 28th, at 10 AM, in Bethany Presbyterian Church of Menands. This will give most team members an opportunity to meet one another, prior to our re-building work beginning on the 22nd.

Our NOLA Challenge: Leroy Harbauer has asked us to work on both Royden & Lina's home near the Dental School and Yolanda's home closer to Lake Pointchatrain. These two homes are approaching completion, but a great deal of finishing work remains. Leroy said the plumbing and AC work should be completed next week.

Katrina Fund Update: Because we have been away, I'm uncertain of the actual total, but from the emails I have read our rebuilding fund is in neighborhood of $4,700. If we can bring a total of $7,000 with us, First Presbyterian should have the financial resources to complete these two homes described above.

Katrina Fund Status

2007-08-27T17:02:00.000-07:00

As August ends, our Katrina Fund stands at the $4,193 level. Additional contributions keep coming from a variety of sources. All of this money will be used to purchase construction materials through the rebuilding ministry of First Presbyterian Church NOLA to help families return to their homes in the New Orleans area. Bethany Presbyterian Church in Menands maintains this account for us. Donations of any size can be sent at any time; please put "Katrina Fund" on the memo line. The address for Bethany is 21 Lyon Avenue, Menands, NY 12204.

Seven Weeks to Go

2007-08-20T10:15:00.000-07:00

We now know where we will begin our work: finishing Royden and Lina's home. It's pictured on the upper left, after we replaced the roof in late March. Leroy's estimate is that it will take about$20,000 to complete this. If we get done in a timely fashion, Leroy has assured us that there are plenty of other houses.

Quick Notes: Please remember to contact Rose Ann for t-shirts; Please plan on joining us for a team meeting Sat., Sept. 29th, at 10 AM, at Bethany Presbyterian Church in Menands.

Week One: Gary F.; Seth H.; Ron & Peg P.; Ted & Rae Louise T.; Kevin M.; Tom & JoEllen P.; Eric & Debbie F.; Peter & Linda F.; George C.; Marcia S.; Johnny R.; Roland F.; Todd C; Jeff W+5.

Week Two: Ron & Peg P.; Seth H.; Tom & JoEllen P.; Marvin S.; Eric & Debbie F.; Ted & Rae Louise T.; Peter & Linda F.; George C.; Marcia S.; Roland F.; Kevin M.

Week Three: Ted & Rae Louise T.; Ron & Peg P.; Tom & JoEllen P.; Seth H.; Eric & Debbie F.; Peter & Linda F.; George C.; Marcia S.; Roland F.; Gene & Ellie R.; Liz M.; Tim C.

Fall Team Sign-ins

2007-06-07T05:04:00.000-07:00

With 9 weeks to go before work begins on Monday, Oct, 22nd, our team is just about in place. Our numbers may yet increase some -- a few have still not decided and Tom and Roland are out beating the bushes to enlist volunteers. Please remember to set money aside to purchase building materials and encourage your congregation/organization to do the same. Donations can be sent to Bethany Presbyterian Church, 21 N. Lyons Ave., Menands, NY 12204 with "Katrina Fund" on the Memo line.

Links of Note: "New Orleans' Deluge," the graphic description of hurricane Katrina's devastation can be viewed by going to this link to a page on the Times Picayune web site. Also, the "Sun Herald" carried a story recently about former President Jimmy Carter and the work of Habitat for Humanity on the Gulf Coast. Click here to view the story.

Week One: Seth H.; Ron & Peg P.; Ted & Rae Louise T.; Tom & JoEllen P.; Debbie & Eric F.; George C.; Marcia S.; Johnny R.; Roland F.; Kevin M.; Todd C.

Week Two: Ron & Peg P.; Seth H.; Tom & JoEllen P.; Debbie & Eric F.; Ted & Rae Louise T.; Peter & Linda F.; George C.; Marcia S.; Roland F.; Kevin M.

Week Three: Ted & Rae Louise T.; Ron & Peg P.; Tom & JoEllen P.; Seth H.; Debbie & Eric F.; Peter & Linda F.; George C.; Marcia S.; Roland F.; Kevin M.; Gene & Ellie R.; Jim & Peg M.; Liz M.; Marvin S.; Tim C.

Katrina Fund Status

2007-06-04T04:03:00.000-07:00

As June ends, our Katrina Fund for rebuilding now stands at the $1512 level. Additional contributions, though, are coming from Brunswick and Hamilton Union Presbyterian congregations. (Brunswick's donation will go directly to FPCNO.) Bethany Presbyterian Church in Menands maintains this account for us. Contributions can be sent at any time; please put "Katrina Fund" on the memo line. The address for Bethany is 21 Lyon Avenue, Menands, NY 12204.

Union Presbyterian Schenectady

2007-05-30T14:14:00.000-07:00

Ellie and Gene Rowland have been speaking with their pastor and friends at Union Presby. Ch., Schenectady. Ten of their number hope to join us for our third week!

Fall Team Sign-ins

2007-05-11T19:29:00.000-07:00

It is very early, since we begin work Oct, 21st, but already our team has started to take shape. While you are planning, please remember to set money aside to purchase building materials and encourage your congregation/organization to do the same. Donations can be sent to Bethany Presbyterian Church, 21 N. Lyons Ave., Menands, NY 12204 with "Katrina Fund" on the Memo line.

Week One: Ron & Peg Pedersen; Tom & JoEllen Parsons; Debbie & Eric Fagans.

Week Two: Ron & Peg Pedersen; Tom & JoEllen Parsons; Debbie & Eric Fagans.

Week Three: Ron & Peg Pedersen; Tom & JoEllen Parsons; Debbie & Eric Fagans.

Mardi Gras Beads Benefit NYS-FITS+

2007-05-05T18:22:00.000-07:00

Peg reports that the Fagans' Mardi Gras beads generated $44 at a Bethany church event; this money will go into our treasury. The even better news is that she has some left over for others to use.

RCHFH Has Building Permit and Other Notes

2007-05-02T08:07:00.000-07:00

Peg said that the building permit is in hand and work on the foundation will start as soon as a contractor can be scheduled.

Lisa will work as our trusty treasurer again this fall.

MINC will be doing rehab work from June 24th through August 25th. Each week two teams of 15 are scheduled to work. Interest permitting, we will put a team together and get ourselves on their schedule.

Initial Sign-ins

2007-04-30T10:09:00.000-07:00

I plan to keep an update in this space of who has signed-up to work and for which weeks. Our first commitments have come from Ron and Peg.

Week One -- Ron and Peg; Deb and Eric

Week Two -- Ron and Peg; Deb and Eric

Week Three -- Ron and Peg; Deb and Eric

NYS-FITS+ Drawing Approval

2007-04-30T10:05:00.000-07:00

The first emails of the day were all very positive towards the new name that Marcia created. I hope, too, that this Blog will prove a good way to make informatiion available to everyone.

2007-04-30T08:21:00.000-07:00