Here’s the thing about details – there are SO MANY. The finishing touches on a house can take weeks to accomplish, because the punch list never seems to end. But the house in Columbia Heights is getting close! The air was filled with the sound of the chop saw, and perfectly painted doors were propped to dry against the basement walls. New cabinets hung in the kitchen, cabinets and counters had been installed, and even the closet hardware had been installed. Volunteers were practicing their coping skills (construction humor alert!) on the base trim, and I even learned something new about radon reduction. So many details!
Anna and I started talking about how fortunate she’d been in being assigned to supervise the Women Build houses this year. Of course we touched on the usual benefits – like being surrounded by a supportive and fun-loving group of women every week – but she added with a smile how much she enjoyed getting to know the volunteers who came back more than once, sometimes every week. She said she really looked forward to seeing those volunteers every week and will miss them once the build ends.
But instead of being sad about this year’s builds coming to a close, let’s think about planning for next year! We’re currently recruiting women to serve on the Women Build Committee. The committee meets once a month starting in January, and there’s truly a job for everyone. There are subcommittees that work on marketing and communications, securing Team Leader Days and general sponsorship, lining up Lunch Providers, and recruiting Crew Leaders. If you’re interesting in being a vital part of the behind-the-scenes action of Women Build, please send an e-mail to womenbuild@tchabitat.org to get started.
And don’t forget – we will have Saturday volunteer opportunities during the winter and the Women Build Regular Crew volunteers on the First Friday and Third Thursday.
Andrea 2011 Women Build Committee
matt haugen : 7:45 AM on August 10, 2011
matt haugen