Last Weekend

The Baton Rouge Habitat affiliate started three builds this weekend. The first is a community build funded by the ReStore and from our "Fund for Humanity", where the mortgages of existing homeowners are used to pay for new development. The other two are sponsored by Formosa Plastics and are a blitz format -- they will be completed this weekend.

I'll let the Formosa sponsors speak for themselves and recommend you visit their 2 Xtreme Blitz Build Blog to view a daily progress report. In particular, you should read this to learn about my mighty replacement, Stephanie. She is a remarkable individual, and in her brief time here has distinguished herself by her attitude and personality.

Coach Rob Spivery of Southern University brought about twenty of his basketball team and coaches to work with us to build a house for Kim. Because it was the first day of the build, Lynn began the day with words of thanks and a blessing, Joan introduced our gracious homeowner and Mike started organizing the volunteers. Just one day before, several of us on the construction staff worked into the early evening getting this site ready preparing the sill- and top-plate and completing the house layout on the slab. This is one of the rare times I have been able to work with our new AmeriCorps, and I really enjoyed the opportunity. Among our new employees are some truly bright spirits and I will regret not having an opportunity to work with them more. This affiliate is better off because of them.

I worked with Mike and Lynn Saturday at the Community Build. For us, it was like old times working together on my last weekend as an employee -- and I was glad to work with them. They have treated me like family since I've been here, and I will never sufficiently express how much I will miss them.