UMCWFB
Tuesday, July 19 
Second Work Day
 
 
Dear Stockholders,

 

Today the hard work continued in the humid, hot weather.  All the work groups are injury-free, happy and productive, though.   

 

Tonight the whoooole group of 84 people went for ice cream.  Even though they called ahead, there was no preparing for such an invasion.  To add to the challlenge, it's a hand-scoop ice cream place without soft-serve machines. 

As part of the evening gathering, they had a prayer walk tonight and reflected on the families they are helping and the experience they are having.  

The families have been so welcoming and appreciative.  Ann Yurkowitz was at the gas station today and someone approached her to ask if she was with ASP.  That person went on to tell her how much the group had improved his mother's house and how thankful they were.

Tomorrow a bluegrass band is coming to play in the evening.

I'm sure you're all dying to know how the sleeping and showering is going.  Especially since the showers are 10 minutes away.  

Here's an update for inquiring minds:  The air-conditioning at the center is working great.  The guys are sleeping in an annex which was the old bandroom.  They are packed in tightly but do have the amenity of two bathrooms with sinks.  The women are sleeping on the second floor of the old school building.  That part of the building has a large room for evening gatherings and houses the ASP staff offices.  The cafeteria is located on the ground floor of the building.  Our group  is using one half of the large rectangular former school.  The other half is occupied by the coal company offices.

But I digress...let's get back to the showering.  Work groups are learning to space out their trips to the recreation center where they are showering.  At times the facility is busy with community residents who have been using the gym or indoor pool.  Particularly the ladies have had to be patient but Eric Rose is amazed at everyone's "go-with-the-flow" flexibility.  

Feeling nostalgic for high school gym class?  Not when you think back to the group showers with 8 shower heads in a common area.  That's the set-up for the guys.  The girls lucked out and have separate shower stalls.

Enough on personal hygiene for tonight--let's move on to the group updates!

Ann

Group One -  
Bob Cook, Nancy Anderson, Sam Aeschbacher, Taylor Waldron, Tristin Cook-Ziegler, Erika Ballentine, Patti Bykowski
 
Group One finished gutters and vents today.  It was really humid but never actually rained.  Tomorrow's work will be cooler since it will be under the trailer.  The man at the house is very helpful and works along with the group.

Group Two -  Dennis Han, Amy Gigure, Ryan Ballentine, Kyle Kocher, David Anderson, Jack Middleton, Anna Novak

The living room ceiling is now framed out and they are working on spackling crown moulding and on a bedroom ceiling.  The key accomplishment today was cutting insulation and putting up mudding.

Group Three -  Jim Grana Ann Yurkowitz, Bryn Summers, Connor Cook, Daniel Francis, Alana Blegen, Jenai Ellner

Connor and Dan spent four hours today digging trenches.  The team had to move more than 3 tons of gravel with plastic buckets.  The gravel is being used to fortify a retaining wall.  Alana, Jenai and Bryn mudded walls, painted 2 bedroom ceilings and nailed tile to the floor.

Group Four -  
Justin Holmes, Dave Dettinger, Donna Tipton, Colin Han, Julia Rothacker, Olivia Mason, Frances Stuebe

Here's a direct quote from Group 4:  "The girls are buff and the guys are dirty as they did heavy lifting today."  They moved 13 railroad ties weighing a total of about 2 tons.  Quote: "Like the Egyptians building the pyramids."  Their homeowner shared more of his extraordinary life with them today.  The group liked that and the traditional group hugs that come at 11:11 and 2:22 each day.  They are happy, healthy and sweaty.

Group Five -  
Kevin Novak, Jessie Grober, Grace Modrinski, Randy Grzybowski, Pierce Ellner, Ozzie Hermes, Sarah Skinner

The first order of the day was to try to catch a chicken.  Sounds like it eluded them.  They did successfully tile the bathroom, though, and in a task that seems straight out of the Bible, they moved a huge stone from the mountainside as part of a trench project.

Group Six -  
Bill Aeschbacher, Bonnie Barr, Alex Sechtig, Lizzie Hermes, Danny Pejsa, Luke Trebatoski, Kaitlyn Weber

Lots of drywall action today for Group Six.  Bill is the wiring king.  All of us met Bertha, our wonderful homeowner.  We got to name many of the cats.  Direct quote: "Bonnie Barr excelled at oscillating the box fan."

Group Seven - 
 Bob Patterson-Sumwalt, Karina Lathrop, McKenzie Raymond, Kevlyn Holmes, Alex Saxton, Josiah Ellner, Wolf Hentzen

Best part of the day:  Group 8's incredible productivity.  Everyone is self-sufficient, good at teamwork and showing "construction confidence"!  Their family loves to visit with them and the dad, in particular, likes to help out.
 

Group Eight-

Susie Raymond, Bruce Thompson, Drew Summers, Nathan LaFrombois, Katie Delaney, Parker Sumwalt


Katie and Susie caught a loose chicken to start the day.  Drew continued to move along the siding project.  Pierce, Bruce, Randy & Nathan "played in the mud and wrestled with rocks" which ultimately translated into digging a trench.  The homeowner Ruby made them Kentucky-style pork & beans.  It was a great day including for the 8 puppies who especially love Parker.

Group Nine -
 Gary Summers, Amy Mason, Marshall Sumwalt, Riley Mehls, Laura Barhnes, Katie Harris, Eric Thompson

Group 9 finished flooring in two bedrooms and will finally start tiling one of them tomorrow.  The little girl at the house is very friendly although sometimes overwhelmed with everyone.  It's sweet how she likes to help.  She's an excellent sweeper.  Her Mammy (grandmother) made chicken dumplings for the team today.

Group Ten - 
Eric Rose, CJ Bacelis-Bush, Andy Thompson, Austin Middleton, Nic Bradley, Clare Aeschbacher, Cassie Sechtig 

Group 10 was really organized today.  Andy led a team working on placing new insulation under Gertrude's house.  CJ and Clare worked hard with him.  They all feel there might be a future in the insulation business with Andy as their CEO.  Eric, Austin, Nic and Cassie completed the siding at the roofline on the side of  the house.  That involved a big learning experience in cutting the siding to fit the angle of the roof.  They found time to pray with Gertrude under the shade of a tree and to hear more about her life.  She spent 30+years working in restaurants to support her 9 children.  She's a woman of great faith and feels that any sacrifices she made honor God.

Group Eleven - 
 Jim Beckmann, Anne Ballentine, Talia Dacquisto, Mitch Yurkowitz, Makala Demet, Alex Dettinger, Sarah Potter

Group 11 finished adding a second access door to this home and then began digging holes for a porch they will build.  They had time to get to know the family better and they feel very appreciated.

Group Twelve--

Jeff Demet, Rachel Grana, Alex Trebatoski, Matt Felland, Riley Pelisek, Cam Goudreau, John Hokeness

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This intrepid group started the day by rescuing the top of a Christmas tree from the middle of a highway.  They were then going to commence roofing but discovered that the supporting rafters were rotting, too, and would need to be replaced.  As they pondered that, they continued ripping tons of old shingles from the roof and carrying them to the yard.  The team was amazed at Jeff's "plywood-swinging prowess".  Turns out that what they mean is that Jeff can stand on the ground and basically fling sheets of plywood with great accuracy up on to the roof.  Since I have a son in this group and know many teenage boys, I can guarantee that at least one of them is going to try to emulate this plywood-flinging before the week is over.  Sigh.