Southwest FL – April 2-8, 2023

We began the month of April with a group of volunteers from Bridgewater and Dayton, VA. Their driver, from Harrisonburg, also worked with the teams. A number of Long Term Volunteers departed at the end of March and early April. We are deeply grateful for the service of Betty and Rich Esch, Anne and Roger Friesen, Jim and Ruth Gochnauer, and Larry and Maryann Martin. They were replaced by Dee Bell, from Alaska, Peter and Margaret Goertzen, from Alberta, and Gerald and Joetta Schlabach, from Michigan.

This week’s volunteers worked on five different houses. They completed roofing on one and installed flooring at another. Several volunteers built a deck and ramp, which will allow the home-owner to bring her disabled sister to live with her. One house, which had been gutted due to flooding was insulated and drywalled. In another house, the subfloor that had suffered damage from 2 hurricanes, was ripped out and replaced along with rotted floor joists.

Since this was Holy Week, Project Leader Mim Heisey and her husband Ray, who served as construction supervisor during recent months, returned to Pennsylvania to celebrate Easter with family; Mim will return for the conclusion of April. The weekly group from Virginia also departed early afternoon on Friday in order to arrive home by Saturday evening. Southwest Florida continues to recover from the death and loss from Hurricane Ian. Thankfully, a few more families are experiencing new life as their home repairs near completion.