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Monday morning arrived bright and sunny with a hint of cool. I was grateful for a cozy, dry sleep after our Sunday drive through a deluge, expertly maneuvered by our “submarine” captain, Lisa.
The GPC team gathered gradually, chatting over wake-up beverages, and then was presented with a colorfully nutritious breakfast made by Carol, Ella & Cecelia and prayed over by Ed.
More friendly visiting filled the cheerfully decorated dining room during and after breakfast. While Fletcher, our GPC “director of construction,” consulted with Jeremy, Construction Supervisor for the Craven County Disaster Recovery Alliance (CCDRA), others pitched in to clean up and prepared for the day’s jobs.
By 10:00 Fletcher had given us assignments to one of four homes having safety and repair concerns. Earlier we had been informed by Kristy, Director of the CCDRA, of the extensive needs of these low-lying communities. Thousands of families impacted by hurricanes fell through the cracks of government assistance. Some have endured not only nature’s wrath but the emotional trauma of deciding between paying for health care or home repair. That’s where we step in – assigned to uplift spirits and make safety repairs.
Work got underway in fits and starts. Supplies were picked up from the warehouse, sites were visited, we met a family member surprised to see us and a nervous dog that welcomed us for a scratch behind the ears. Some work was done, reassessments were made, more supplies were obtained, and jobs continued. Everyone contributed – whether it was taking down wallboard, pulling nails, sweeping, or repairing a roof.
Then there was lunchtime – sitting in the sun and breeze, enjoying good company, and emptying our lunch sacks too quickly!
In case you are curious about the actions and reactions of a couple of our PDA newcomers: Alice stated that the homeowners she met were very appreciative, she was exhausted after a rewarding day of work, and her favorite foods at dinner were the cooked cabbage and apple pie, which she thought were awesome! Elizabeth had a busy day learning to use a power driver to take screws out of a beam and helped to clean up parts of a roof being dismantled and repaired. At the end of the day, she was still looking fresh and smiling – ahh, youth! It looks as if she will be ready to get back to work in the morning.
Evening Activity: Assignments by Fletcher and a 1,000-piece puzzle!!
—Laura Wilson
