Barre, VT – August 18-31, 2024

We had an unsteady start to the week when one of our four pillars (the meaningful work one) developed a crack.  We were told by the long-term recovery committee to withdraw from one of our work sites due to a law enforcement action that resulted in several arrests at the house.  Our project directors, construction supervisor and crew leaders scrambled to find replacement work for our fresh volunteers.  They succeeded and the group of 13 young men from Indiana had enough to keep them busy.

The following week we had several visitors.  Kevin King, the Executive Director of MDS arrived on Tuesday and two bridge engineers arrived Wednesday,  A lot of planning for possible future projects was accomplished.

We finished our remaining construction jobs as the project is due to close down at the end of the month.  We had two groups this last week, a group of nine young women from around Kutztown, PA and a group of 5 volunteers from Brooklyn, NY.  Our plan was to have them help with packing and cleaning Thursday and Friday but Covid changed our plans when 5 of the Pennsylvania group tested positive.  They left early.

Everyone pitched in and everything got done! We all said our goodbyes, Lois, Wayne, Ryan, Rex, Jim, Ginny, Chuck, Betsy and Kent.

Reporting for all of us at Barre, office manager Kent.

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