Saturday, July 16, 2011
In this update:
Perimeter Walls Go Up in Rochester
The Little Things Sometimes Just Take Time
A Special Thank You and Appreciation
Looking Ahead to Next Week’s Builds
Wolfeboro DeConstruction Project to Start July 25
We welcomed four first-time SENH Habitat build-day volunteers this
weekend – In Rochester: Heather Eads of Portsmouth, Caroline Bacon of North Berwick, and Rob Hiza of Nottingham.
In Farmington: Curt Gillespie of New Castle.
Because of the friendly, welcoming reception and regular
communications he appreciates from fellow volunteers and SENH Habitat, one
of our longtime core volunteers continues to make the 70-mile trek from his
Hillsboro home to our current build sites nearly every weekend [a 1:40-hour
ride]. That’s more than a fair “commute” to your favorite volunteer cause,
one might say!
SENH Habitat for Humanity, which is based in Portsmouth and serves nearly
all of Rockingham and Strafford counties, relies on all kinds and stripes of
volunteers who possess varying but special and distinct levels of skills,
experiences, and interests. Above all, each volunteer brings different kinds
of passions to their day on a build as well as their life.
Every volunteer has a different story and different reasons for deciding to
join in helping their neighbors build affordable Habitat homes. But the
common thread seems to be *helping a deserving, hard-working family trying
to improve their lives*.
A Special Request to All Build-Site Volunteers
Whether it’s your first or 10th time coming out for a build day, if you find
yourself standing around waiting for “something to happen” or “something to
do,” we’re not doing our job, and you can help.
Please, speak up and engage the supervisors and crew leaders responsible for
organizing and managing the day’s build. They may have gotten side-tracked
or are working to help others get oriented, but do not be shy or bashful
about speaking up – so raise your voice accordingly (civily and politely),
and we’re sure your desire to engage and be fully involved will be rewarded.
If not, please let us know.
Perimeter Walls Go Up in Rochester
Mustering a group of “build-day veterans,” core Habitat build volunteers,
and three energized first-timers, building coordinator *Keith Faris* of
Wolfeboro Falls turned the proverbial key and the wall-building engine
started to crank them out.
On a sunny and increasingly warming morning, a throng of relatively new
along with some more experienced carpenters and builders joined hands and
shared a lot of perspiration to assemble, lift and secure the rest of the
perimeter walls on the streetside house at 9 Silver St. in Rochester, the
future home of partners *Jessica* *and Ollie Tufts and family*.
Despite the self-satisfaction and at times euphoria of truly raising a
house, this was a tough build day for everyone, with the direct sun and
gradually increasing humidity bearing down on the volunteers. But they were
not to be deterred from the challenges in front of them.
Most of today’s volunteers worked alongside Keith, including first-time
builders *Heather Eads* of Portsmouth, who in her other life helps train all
the friendly and efficient employees at *Panera Bread* bakery-cafés in
Maine, Portsmouth, and Newburyport; *Caroline Bacon* of North Berwick, who
has helped in SENH Habitat’s Portsmouth office with filing and other
clerical work; *Rob Hiza* of Nottingham, a student at Boston University; and
*Fran Armstrong* of Hampstead, an interior designer.
Joining them in swarming around the job site, grabbing pre-cut 2”x4”s,
sheets of sheathing, and panels of rigid insulation and feeding said items
to crews scurrying around the first-floor deck were *Amy Monachino* of
Portsmouth, *David Fox* of South Berwick, *George Ruseski* of Barrington,
and *Sarah French* of Portsmouth, a nuclear engineer at the Portsmouth Naval
Shipyard [“I work on nuclear subs all day – now I get to work on
buildings!”]
Racing back and forth between shooting videos and stills for Habitat and
building walls was *Robb Russman* of Danville.
Anchoring, guiding, and pitching in wherever needed were core Habitat
volunteers *Lee Prescott* of Rochester, *Paul Lagarde* of South Berwick, and
*Bill Totherow* of Barrington.
And as sheathing and sheets were attached to studded walls on the Tufts’
house, veteran build volunteer *Bill Douglas* of Hillsboro methodically cut
and laid out wall plates for the rear house on the lot.
“I am very thankful that all these volunteers stuck it out through all the
hot weather,” Keith said after shutting things down for the day. “Boy, it
got brutal as the sun kept beating down on us. But it is good to see all the
young folks coming out. They are the future of Habitat.”
The Little Things Sometimes Just Take Time
After tackling one more paint project in an upstairs bedroom, core
volunteers *Amanda Hardman* of Portsmouth and *JP “Q”* *LaVelle* of Dover
got to learn a different phase of finishing a house – installing
underlayment for the vinyl to come later. Neither imagined how many staples
it takes to properly secure a 4’x8’ sheet (approx. 230). Thankfully, they
had an air-powered stapler to handle the kitchen project in partner
family *Jennifer Pare*’s future home.
There were a lot more activities going on at Habitat’s two houses at 208
Reservoir Road in Farmington that are nearing completion.
Outside, *George Whitehead* of Rochester and *Pierce Gendron* of Greenland
loaded more than 20 wheelbarrow loads of stone and drove them 100 yards in
order to expand the stone bed perimeter in the rear yard to accommodate
relocating the LP gas tanks for both houses. Building supervisor *Bob McCoy
* of Somersworth provided oversight and offered moral support.
Off to their side, first-time build volunteer *Curt Gillespie* of New Castle
and Rochester partner family member *Ollie Tufts* systematically gave
countless pieces of baseboard and trim work a coat of finish paint.
Two other crews continued finishing touches on the two exterior decks,
including *Danielle Provencal* of Salem, who put aside her paint brush this
week to get her first taste of routering deck railings. Guiding her was
building supervisor *Ken Flesher* of Barrington.
Nearby, core Habitat volunteers *Rob Loker *of Farmington, *Paul LeBlanc* of
Dover, and *Norb Lecompte* of Dover continued applying the finishing touches
to the deck and front-entry stairs.
A Special Thank You and Appeciation
Comments like “good stuff” and “wow” flowed freely as builder-volunteers at
both the Farmington and Rochester sites enjoyed a bowl of chile whipped up
by longtime volunteer *Vera Boals*, with the help of *Erin Albin*, both of
Strafford.
“We made the chile together,” Erin said, adding with a little chuckle, “but
I was the guinea pig.”
Looking Ahead to This Week’s Builds
*Barbara Totherow* of Barrington generously has offered to provide a lunch
for both build sites this Saturday, July 23. What’s on the menu? It’s a
surprise!
In Rochester – Keith Faris expects to start building the second-floor deck
on the Tifts’ street-side house, and to begin first-floor walls on the rear
house.
In Farmington – Bob McCoy and Ken Flesher expect to finish installing
underlayment in the bathrooms and painting baseboards and trim pieces, and
to begin hanging doors.
Wolfeboro DeConstruction Project to Start July 25
We’re just waiting to hear on the final details before we can pass along all
the information on the DeConstruction of a 4,000-square-foot house in
Wolfeboro, which is scheduled to start Monday, July25.
That wraps up the day’s activities and week’s build-site volunteer news for
now.
Please continue passing along any questions or suggestions you have for
improving what we’re all trying to do to help families be able to become
owners of an affordable Habitat home. Remember, *it’s a hand up, not a
handout*.
Till then ….
Best,
Jonathan Miller
Southeast NH Habitat for Humanity
Portsmouth, NH 03801
