Arcadia, FL – Oct. 29 – Nov. 4, 2023

This week we enjoyed the addition of Staci from Alma, ON, (here for 2 weeks) and a group of 8 18-year-olds women from Odon and Montgomery, IN.  The Indiana group was accompanied by their driver, Don and Wilbur and Mary Katherine.  This very shy group of MDS first-timers quickly got into the MDS spirit and much fun was had on the job sites and at camp, thanks in no small part to crew leaders Richard and Joe and construction supervisor, Peter.  It is rewarding to see their work ethic accomplish daily goals.

So, here is what we did this week:

At Boo’s Farm, Charlie and Georgia received a ramp that now allows Georgia to be wheeled easily into her home.  The front landing and steps were moved to allow the new ramp to run alongside the house and then the landing and steps were placed back at the top of the ramp.  The job was completed just before Georgia came home from the hospital.

What made this job more interesting is that Richard and Georgia raise tortoises.  “Boo”, the biggest of the creep, is a 25-year-old, 300 lb tortoise, who entertained the crew when they were not hard at work.  He managed to get out of the gate one day and it took a good bit of cajoling to get him back into the fence.  Romaine and raspberries came to the rescue! A challenge was to secure the ramp in such a way as to prevent the tortoises from ascending the ramp. In case you are wondering, the MDS field guide does not provide guidelines for building tortoise proof gates.

Work continued at Robert and Kerri’s as the old deck was demolished and a beautiful new deck was built. The area surrounding the home was cleared of growth and debris to complement the new deck. A huge improvement! Indoors the bathroom was painted and new flooring was installed.  The island was also installed.

Joni’s home got a long-awaited kitchen sink this week.  While she was away our volunteers blessed her by washing a counter full of dishes that had been waiting for this moment.  A beautiful butcherblock island was fashioned and added to the kitchen. Walls were insulated and drywall was installed. Taping is underway.

Johnathan’s home got a good cleaning and some drywall taping.

Our cooks worked hard to bring us delicious meals.  One night we were treated to baked salmon, a first for many of us and a special treat for the fish-lovers!

Our volunteers appreciated conversations with homeowners and learned more about the challenges of life after a storm.  All in all, it was a great week.

Submitted for,

Fred, Peter, Roger, Joe, Richard, Margaret, Millie and Anne