We left Wichita Falls, Texas where we attended the Sheppards Air Force Base Air show and the famous Thunderbirds and drove to Fredericksburg, Texas. On Halloween we arrived to volunteer for two weeks with Habitat for Humanity's Care-A-Vanners. This branch of Habitat is for those who travel by RV which allows them to add a build site to their journey or make the build site their destination. We did just that!
We were provided a full hook up site at Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park in Fredericksburg, Texas. On the first night we were invited to a dinner hosted by the local H4H organization where we met our fellow volunteers, learned about our assignment, and met the family who will move into the house once it's done.
The temperature was pretty cold so we were bundled up in layers as we started the project. This is how it looked when we arrived!
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| Supplies arriving |
Each morning we started off with a brief Bible study or motivational words, a prayer and the group recital of "it's not a hand out but a hand up". Then we had a safety talk about the day's activities.
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| Jan and Jack were our Team Leaders for this build |
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Back: Gary, Chris, Sandy, Joanne, Doug, Nancy
Front: Rick, Jack, Jan, Carolyn, Dan, and Al |
Everyone got to working but I didn't know what to do. Gary probably noticed my hesitation to jump in and had me help him with the base boards. We had to measure the 2x6's and then drill holes in them to fit over the anchors.
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| Joanne getting started with the first base board. |
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| Vicki |
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| Chris got busy organizing the equipment trailer |
Apparently this build was not normal since we didn't have anyone onsite to lead the build. All the other volunteers with us had previous H4H build experience so Al and I were the only newbies. One lady, Sandy, had like 150 builds under her belt and another couple had around 50. Sandy took on the role of lead for this build.
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The crucial first measurement!
Jack and Sandy |
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| Gary and Sandy reviewing the plans |
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| Nancy and Gary working on a base board. |
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| Joanne drilling holes for the anchors |
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| The first wall all cut and laid out ready for assembly |
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| Wall assembly |
How exciting to finally raise the first wall! All hands were on deck!
My job was to screw on the anchor bolts once the wall was in place. Then it was leveled and stabilized.
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| Nancy screwing on anchor bolts |
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| A big thumbs up from Dan! |
More wall building
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| Gary and Al |
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| Al and Dan building a window header |
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| Jan, Jack, Gary, Joanne, and Doug taking a lunch break. |
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| Another wall is raised! |
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| Nancy taking a break on a pile of 2x6's |
Once everyone got the hang of it, the walls started going up more quickly!
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| Nancy adding anchor bolts |
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| Rick and Al bracing a wall |
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| Rick and Al building a wall |
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| Doug |
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| Sandy |
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| Our progress after a couple of days! |
After a couple of days Vicky wasn't feeling well so I was given the job of working the compound miter saw or chop saw. After a quick lesson, I was underway!
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| Al using the nail gun to build a wall |
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| Nancy at her miter saw station making cuts for the team! |
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| Rick, Vicky, Jan, Jack, Gary, Chris, and Doug on lunch break |
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| More progress is visible! |
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| We were required to wear hard hats and safety glasses |
Most jobs were accomplished as a team effort!
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| Installing the garage header beam |
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| Al on the ladder on the right waiting to secure the header |
A couple of days we had light rain or very dark skies with a big threat of rain so I worked under a shade canopy to protect the saw from water.
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| Al, Angela, and Jake on lunch break |
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| Carolyn, Jan, and Vicki supervising the build |
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| A new skill for my retirement resume! |
Even more progress......
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| Chris and Joanne with their power tools! |
We had such a wide range of weather conditions in the two weeks on the site. Some days it was so cold we were freezing and then others it rained and we had to cancel the build for the day. Then others it was warm enough for short sleeves! Crazy Texas weather! As a team we set our schedule each day to work around the weather if possible.
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| Al vacuuming up rain water from one of the rooms |
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| Joanne and Gary |
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| Rick |
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| Another lunch break |
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| Joanne, Gary, Chris, Sandy, Doug, Jan, Jack, Rick, Nancy, Al, Carolyn, and Dan |
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Another day cutting wood to measurements from the team.
An eighth of an inch off can make a big difference! |
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| Sandy consulting the plans |
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| Jan and Jack |
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| Sandy |
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| Chris and Doug |
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| Gary and Joanne |
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| Angela and Jake |
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| Lunch time! |
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| Dan and Carolyn |
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| Lunch break! |
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| Chris, the future homeowner |
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| Jake and Angela |
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| Nancy installing more anchor bolts after the garage wall was raised. |
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| Chris, Joanne, Gary, Doug, Al, Nancy, Angela, Jake, Sandy, Carolyn, Jan, Jack, and Rick |
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| I made a lot of cuts with this saw! |
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| Angela and Chris |
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| Doug and Chris |
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| Gary and Joanne building an interior wall |
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| Jack and Al |
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Hmmm......I hope it doesn't fall down!
Dan, Sandy, Jake, and Angela |
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| Nancy and Al working on a task without killing each other! |
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| Joanne and Gary |
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| Jack and Rick |
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| Doug |
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| I cut a LOT of wood in 2 weeks! |
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| Installing the first sheet on the exterior wall |
Part of the H4H program is to involve the family who will live in the house in the build process if they are able.
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| Chris and Joanne watching Chris, the future homeowner make a cut with the saw |
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| Here is Chris, the future homeowner, nailing the boards to the walls. |
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| Rick, Carolyn, Dan, Jack, Jan, Nancy, Gary, Joanne, Sandy, Chris, Doug, Angela, and Jake |
This is the progress we made on the house in our two weeks and the bad weather. Next, another group will continue on the build. Our last day we attempted to continue but it was raining so we took photos and wrote messages to the family.
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| It was raining and freezing cold! |
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| Before we left, we wrote messages to the family on the studs |
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| Jack, Jan, Gary, Joanne, Chris, Doug, Rick, Angela, and Sandy |
On one of our last evenings in Fredericksburg we were invited to a local hosts' beautiful home for dinner.
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| Enjoying horderves |
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| We had some visitors |
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| A beautiful Texas Hill Country sunset from our hosts' back deck |
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| Fellowship with our team mates |
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The whole team and our hosts
We clean up pretty good! |
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| Our team in our matching t-shirts |
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| Chris with the future homeowners, Chris and Veronica and their four kids. |
As a thank you, the homeowners gave each couple a cross made out of granite. He works at a granite shop and made them himself. They were beautiful and heavy! Someday we'll settle down and have a place to hang it!
On our few days off when the weather was good we saw some local sites in the Fredericksburg area. I'll post them in the next entry.
Giving a helping hand, not a hand out others in need. We hope that we can encourage you to do the same. Everyone needs a helping hand from time to time. You ever know when you might be that someone that needs that helping hand.
ReplyDeleteWe are looking forward to our next Habitat for Humanity build in the year to come. We are always meeting nice people along the way.
Nancy and Al,
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful way to give back and help a family!
That is cool you got to use a miter saw … I am impressed!
As you know, we have some remodeling taking place here in Florida and are in need of some experienced workers … you in the Florida area by chance?
When we do our demo, I have already contacted Habitat for Humanity and told them we have an entire kitchen we can donate to them.
So needless to say; we will be doing that demolition with care, to ensure everything stays in good condition for them to re-use.
Good for Sandy, my hat is off to her for her skills!
And of course, I have to LOL to all those lunch breaks!
I am very impressed with the wood cutting skills you have developed … you go girl!
I love that there are messages on the studs of the walls, that is so cool.
I am making a time capsule to put into the wall here in Florida as well.
It is an AOL tin and will have some information about John and I and the circumstances as to how the tin has gotten here. Who knows, someone in the future may find it and hopefully it will be intact enough that they can actually read it.
Thanks for letting me ride along…that was fun!
Jimmy Baker Jr