Weekly Report for Dulzura

We had another productive week with 11 volunteers from Oklahoma, and one concrete specialist from Manitoba. We hoped to get a lot done this week, and especially get the concrete work done on our new site, but Monday started out with RAIN! It rained heavily for a good part of the morning, starting at breakfast time. We had a slow start to the day and even some time for game playing before the rain let up enough for the crews to get out to the sites. Even then, it was hard to get a lot done in between rain showers and trying to stay dry. We even had some pea-sized hail and sleet late on in the afternoon. Needless to say, we were all ready for hot showers and a warm, dry place by the end of the day, as well as a hot delicious meal to top it off. The weather got drier and sunnier by the next day, and for the rest of the week we could work in dry conditions, but it continued on the cool side. Still, at week’s end we could look back and see progress again.

At site 1, work was a little slower this week as we finished up the wiring and a bunch of little jobs to make sure we were ready for and inspection of the electrical, plumbing and sprinkler systems. We called for and got an inspection on Thursday, but we failed, so we fixed up what we needed to and called for another inspection by special favor on Friday, and passed. Now we can look forward to insulating and drywalling next week. The insulation and drywall were delivered and are ready on site for the next group. There was also a lot of clean up done, extra materials moved off site and a couple of concrete pads poured for the pumps and stairs to the hot water heater door. I think our clients wondered what had happened to everyone this week.

At the next site, the shingling was completed on the house, and also underway on the pump house.  Some of our lady volunteers undertook this job and they learned something new and happily worked at it, glad to have this chance to prove they could do it too. The hardi-plank siding was put on about two thirds of the house by weeks end, as well as vents put in and other jobs done. We also planted wild flowers to help prevent erosion in future. One of the volunteers spoke a bit of Spanish, and so went up and talked to our client’s elderly mother, who expressed her appreciation, as well as her anticipation of a nice new home with running water.

At site 3 the work continued on the foundation and stem wall. The foundation inspection was passed on Wednesday morning and the pour happened later on the same day. Thursday was spent putting up the forms for the stem wall and then another special inspection on Friday allowed us to pour the walls as well before time to break off for the weekend. There was also some clean up done and chipping of a lot of wood debris. Our client is around every day and actively helping where he can, and even commented that he didn’t even want to go to work because he wanted to stay and help on his home. He is quite willing to talk to the volunteers and share his experience. This site is also home to some goats, a dog and cat, all willing to interact with the volunteers as well.

We knocked off early on Friday and finished off with a supper of BBQ hamburgers and ice cream, but it was too cool to eat out on the deck, then had a relaxing evening to visit and play games with the volunteers before they headed home on Saturday.

From Dulzura,Jo, Kerry, Dan, Irene, Anne, Tina,  Herb, Duane, Jon, Pete, Bev, Dennis, Sue, Myron, Becky, Bob, Candi,  Keith, Tim, Chris, Clayton, Stephen, Tom, Darwin and Steven,