updates from Hidden Cove

This last week, a group from Idlewild Presbyterian Church traveled from their home in Memphis, TN to work with us. Every year, their church performs a week of service and they usually alternate between an international trip and a domestic one. This was their year to help domestically, and they chose to come to the Katrina/Rita affected gulf. They only worked with us three days and spent the remainder of their time helping in Slidell, working with PRC. In that time, they were able to help us quite a bit by installing doorknobs, painting, cleaning, and yes, they helped install the wire closet shelves. I know the AmeriCorps teams would have been proud, if not a bit jealous. Idlewild was a pleasure to host, and if they ever want to return, they are more than welcome. I've said before that it's difficult building relationships with good people just to watch them leave. This group was no exception.

We really are on course to get these houses mostly complete before this month ends. This week, Christiaan, Bill and I will finish the shelves (only four houses to go), and I'll help Eddie finish any painting he has left. The floors should be installed in the remainder of the houses, and then it's just punch-list items.

Last weekend, we had a group from the Louisiana National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program work with us, and we got them to help us clean up the site. For those not familiar with the program, they are a group of at-risk young men and man were they fun to manage. The most notable occurrence of that weekend was seeing the Hidden Cove homeowners working together on each other's house. This was one of the first times I've seen that amount of cooperation among the homeowners here in Baton Rouge. They help each other all the time. It's quite a community they've already built, and they haven't even moved in yet.

Of our new homeowners, two are a couple from Violet, LA. Violet is one of the towns in St. Bernard Parish and the new home of Camp Hope. It turns out, we even know some of the same people. Here in the gulf, and performing disaster recovery - it is an extremely small world.

As you may be aware, there are no residents living at Hidden Cove yet. However, when the owners of lots 41 and 42 move in, they have a surprise waiting for them. I don't know if the drilling that's going on behind them is almost complete, or if that structure will remain indefinitely. I just know that it appeared overnight.

We had some disappointing news on Faith Court: two weeks ago, one of the houses was vandalized and all of the bathroom fixtures were ripped off the walls and stolen. This week, the same house was broken into and the appliances were stolen. I can't find a way to positively spin this.