Elk, WA – Jan. 25- 31, 2026

Our month of service has come to a close, and we will miss our lovely haven in the woods beside Deer Lake.  We fed the deer for the last time and watched the flock of turkeys waddle through the yard. The next month’s long-term volunteers are beginning to arrive. 

We welcomed a crew of nine from New York and were blessed to have their knowledge and energetic spirits for the challenges of the week.  A contractor from the Spokane Long Term Recovery Group came Monday morning and led a clinic on correct procedures for finishing drywall.  This was helpful since several houses are at that stage. 

A crew spent a lot of time bringing the drywall nearer to completion at Steve’s house. Siding was completed at Linda’s ADU house.  Insulation was installed in the crawl space at Linda’s big house.  At Bill’s house, the blow-in insulation in the attic was finished up on Monday, and then hanging and mudding drywall was the main push for the week.   

The volunteers have enjoyed many tasty meals provided by our wonderful cooks.  How comforting it is to come back to a nice hot meal after a chilly, tiring day at the worksite.  The cooks enjoyed sharing one last evening around the fire circle with the weekly volunteers. 

We have been blessed by serving here in the Elk area.  As we have listened and shared stories with homeowners, our lives have been enriched, and we will cherish the memories. 

Cindy Steiner, Office Manager 

Dan, Andy, Malinda, Eileen, Uriah, Tad, Thomas, William