MDS volunteers help Hesston College students go safely back to school

MDS volunteers from the Kansas Unit were busy at Hesston College last week helping convert student living units into single rooms so that young people can return to their college studies in the fall.

The single rooms will help Hesston students better adhere to social distancing guidelines designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

MDS volunteers working on the 13 rooms were able to follow those guidelines as well, said Kansas Unit chairman Jerry Wyse.

“It was a team effort with Hesston College maintenance, Hesston College Disaster Management, and the Kansas MDS Unit board and tool trailers,” said Wyse. “The volunteers were all from local areas with MDS project experience.”

Working over five days, the volunteers formed one or two-person teams divided into crews that took on supplies and cutting, framing, pre-painting plywood and trim, and wallboard and door trim installation.

“The safety issues were addressed by the fact that all volunteers had previous MDS experience and we spread out the crews to different locations so that there were no more than two or three persons in each work area,” said Wyse. “Everyone brought their own lunch and there were no overnight stays on the job site.”

Jim Mason, Hesston’s director of Campus Facilities, expressed his thanks to MDS. “We are so very appreciative at the speed,  quality and completeness of their work,” he said. “Just really, really first class.”