Women Build 2012 North Minneapolis home week 4

I arrived at the Women Build site a little early last Thursday. The volunteers were beginning to show up with big smiles and ready for work. As they arrived, and after they were checked in by Dana, a roll of duct tape and a Sharpie marker had begun making its way around for each of the women to create their own name tag.

The grey kitty that had been hanging out at the job site was officially named Smokey and commissioned the official site mascot. Despite her clownish attempt to climb a telephone pole across the street and distract the volunteers, Terra made sure that everyone was paying attention to her morning talk highlighting key points to job site safety.

While knee pads and hearing protection are important, hard hats and safety glasses are required. Terra gently reminded all the women that the hard hat must be worn on your head. If it doesn’t fit, she could make any necessary adjustments so that it would stay on – duct tape has many versatile applications! Terra also stated, “It is very important to know your limits and good common sense goes along way. If it doesn’t seem safe, then it most likely isn’t safe.”

The volunteers today came from The Marquette Real Estate Group (MREG). They also had another Team Leader Day at the Women Build home earlier in the week. Barb told me that this was the first time she has gotten to help out on a build project. It is such a popular volunteer opportunity at MREG that there is a waiting list! Yes, that’s what we like to hear! We have plenty of other days open for you to come back to volunteer again.

I spoke with many of the volunteers, and all of them told me that they loved the Women Build program and had a great time every day they came out to help. Some of them even brought their own hard hats! The Women Build program would not be possible without their help, and we are so grateful for all of our volunteers. Thanks so much!

It had been a week of grueling heat. Jill, Crew Leader for the day, brought an orange cooler filled with water, and ice. Terra was pretty pumped about that, and she was also sure that as the day and the heat progressed there wouldn’t be anyone on site who wouldn’t be sharing her sentiment.

I had a conversation with Jill while everyone was settling in, and I asked her why she was here. She said that she had been coming out to help build for the past 14 years. “I used to come and do a week at a time, but I have learned that my body just wasn’t up for the week challenge, so now I come and do one day five to six times throughout the build schedule,” she said. Oh Jill, there are many of us who have had that same conversation with our bodies!

The plan for the day was to set windows, “wrap-up” the insulation barrier on the exterior, and get the roof trusses on the garage. There was a lot to be done, so everyone picked up their gear, put it on and went to work.

Thanks to Beth Gaede who brought lunch out to the crew on Wednesday and to our amazing Team Leaders who sponsored their Team Leader Days and provided lunch for everyone on site – Ann Rock with First Presbyterian Church of Stillwater, Julie Hughes with Marquette Real Estate (2 days!) and Ann Hoven with Jane’s Gang (Team photo below).

Nancy Roland
2012 Women Build Committee Member

P.S. – We still have a great need for volunteers this summer... If you would like to help us build, please visit VolunteerHub to sign up for a day or two. And, visit the Women Build Facebook page to see or add more photos of the build’s progress.