IMAGE GALLERY - WORKING ON LONG ISLAND |
ROLL CALL AT THE CHURCH, BEFORE LEAVING FOR NEW YORK |
THE TRADITIONAL BREAKFAST STOP AT McDONALD'S |
ON THE ROAD AGAIN |
A RARE SIGHT - MY GRANDDAUGHTER WITHOUT SOME FORM OF ELECTRONICS IN HER HANDS! |
SOME SERIOUS TOLLS ALONG THE WAY! |
WE WERE ALMOST THERE, BUT RAIN AND SLOW TRAFFIC SLOWED US CONSIDERABLY |
ONCE AT THE CHURCH, OUR TEAM LEADER RECEIVES THE DREADED OBLIGATORY PAPERWORK |
TIRED, BUT STILL KEEPING OUR SENSE OF HUMOR |
READING THE SMALL PRINT ON OUR WORK DOCUMENTS |
THE CHURCH WHERE WE WERE STAYING HAD BEEN AROUND FOR QUITE SOME TIME! |
CHURCH FRONT. WE WOKE UP TO A RAINY MORNING, BUT IT CLEARED QUICKLY |
CHURCH SIDE VIEW |
REAR OF THE CHURCH - THE STAIRS LEAD TO THE GYM, WHERE THE MEN SLEPT |
"TRAILER ROW" - THE ROAD LEADS TO THE SHOWER TRAILERS AND THE WOMEN'S BUNK TRAILER |
SOME REALLY NICE SLEEPER TRAILERS FOR TEAM MEMBERS |
MULTIPLE, BRAND NEW SHOWER TRAILERS WERE ON SITE FOR OUR USE |
THE NEW SHOWER TRAILERS WERE FIRST CLASS! |
INSIDE ONE OF THE NEW BATHROOM/SHOWER UNITS |
OUR LADIES SLEPT IN ONE OF THE OLDER, TRADITIONAL BUNK TRAILERS |
I NEVER GAINED ENTRY INTO THE LADIES' BUNK TRAILER, BUT THIS PHOTO FROM A PREVIOUS TRIP SHOWS THE LAYOUT INSIDE |
THE MEN'S SLEEPING FACILITIES - WHERE ELSE CAN YOU SLEEP AND PLAY A LITTLE "ROUND BALL" AT THE SAME TIME? |
THE BUNK BEDS WERE BUILT IN-PLACE AND THE FACILITY CAN HOUSE ALMOST 100 MEN |
ONE OF THE TWO POWERFUL GENERATORS POWERING MUCH OF THE ON-SITE EQUIPMENT |
THE COOKING TEAM, FROM ANOTHER CHURCH, WORKED OUT OF THIS LOANED RED CROSS FOOD TRAILER |
THE PREPARED FOOD HAD TO BE CARRIED FROM THE COOKING UNIT INTO THE CHURCH'S DINING AREA |
OUR EATING AREA - THE COOKING TEAM FED MORE THAN 150 WORKERS THE WEEK WE WERE THERE |
READY TO GO OUR FIRST MORNING, BUT MORE PAPERWORK HAD TO BE DONE! |
"ARE WE FINALLY DONE WITH THE PAPERWORK????" |
LOADING MATERIALS FOR OUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT |
MY GRANDDAUGHTER, WITH HER BAG LUNCH FOR THE DAY |
READY TO GO, BUT WAITING FOR AN ICE DELIVERY TO KEEP OUR LUNCHES AND DRINKS COLD |
RELAXING BEFORE HEADING OUT FOR THE DAY'S WORK |
GRANDDAUGHTER MIRI - NICE AND CLEAN BEFORE GETTING DOWN AND DIRTY |
OUR FIRST WORK SITE - WE WERE ASSIGNED TO CONSTRUCT A NEW DECK, TO REPLACE ONE THAT HAD BEEN WASHED AWAY |
THE HOMEOWNERS HAD BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN LOCAL REGATTA RACING AND HAD WON OR PLACED WELL FOR SEVERAL YEARS |
CARRYING IN MATERIALS |
NOW COMES THE HEAVY WORK! |
TAKING TURNS OFFLOADING 80 POUND (36.4 KILOGRAM) BAGS OF CONCRETE MIX |
MY GRANDDAUGHTER GAVE UP TRYING TO CARRY THE BAGS WHEN SHE REALIZED EACH BAG WAS 72% OF HER BODY WEIGHT! |
CHECKING OUT THE BACKYARD WORK SITE |
A LITTLE PRE-WORK CLEAN-UP, DONE WITH A SMILE! |
MOVING AN AIR CONDITIONING UNIT TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE REPLACEMENT DECK |
YOU COULDN'T ASK FOR A PRETTIER WORK SITE! |
LOOKING OVER THE CONSTRUCTION PLAN FOR THE NEW DECK |
THE NEW DECK PLAN |
SOME HANDS-ON TRAINING FOR USING A NEW iPHONE - I THINK YOU CAN EASILY GUESS WHICH ONE WAS THE TRAINER! |
BEGINNING THE LAYOUT FOR THE DECK |
CRITICAL PLACEMENT MEASUREMENTS |
THE PLANNED DECK WILL WRAP AROUND THE CORNER OF THE HOUSE |
LOCATING PLACEMENT OF THE CONCRETE FOOTINGS FOR THE DECK |
YOURS TRULY, DIGGING A HOLE FOR THE CONCRETE FOOTINGS |
"WOW! THEY DIDN'T TELL US THE DECK WAS GOING TO BE THIS BIG!" |
AN INTERESTING WAY TO COOL OFF! |
THE "GANG OF 12" |
THE LADIES BUILD CONCRETE FOOTING MOLDS, WHILE ADDITIONAL MOLD SIDES WERE BEING CUT |
WE GAVE THANKS EVERY DAY FOR THE WONDERFUL SHADE PROVIDED BY THE HUGE TREE IN THE BACKYARD |
CHECKING MEASUREMENTS FOR THE CONCRETE FOOTING MOLDS |
YOU HAD TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO TRIP ON THE LAYOUT STRINGS, WHILE TAKING ADDITIONAL MEASUREMENTS! |
CALCULATING ALL THE PROPER ANGLES |
A LOT OF MOLDS FOR THE CONCRETE FOOTINGS HAD TO BE MADE |
GETTING READY TO PLACE ONE OF THE MOLDS FOR THE CONCRETE FOOTINGS - AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY WERE VERY WELL MADE! |
CHECKING THE ALIGNMENT OF ONE OF THE FOOTING MOLDS |
A VERY NICE PLACE FOR OUR DAILY LUNCHES AND WATER BREAKS |
MIXING CONCRETE TO POUR INTO THE FOOTING MOLDS |
TWEAKING THE PLACEMENT OF ONE OF THE FOOTING MOLDS |
THEY HAD TO MIX A LOT OF CONCRETE! |
A FINAL ALIGNMENT CHECK |
PREPARATION FOR ADDITIONAL FOOTINGS |
MIXING ADDITIONAL CONCRETE FOR THE FOOTINGS |
FRESHLY POURED CONCRETE IN ONE OF THE FOOTING MOLDS |
CUTTING PANELS FOR ADDITIONAL FOOTING MOLDS - YIKES! WATCH OUT FOR THAT THUMB! |
WATER BREAK TIME - EVERYONE TOOK TURNS PLAYING WITH THE HOMEOWNER'S DOG |
ONE OF THE HOMEOWNERS JOINED US DURING OUR BREAK TIME - LOVE THAT BEAUTIFUL SHADE! |
WHATEVER IT TAKES TO DO THE JOB! - DOWN AND DIRTY AND A BIT BLOODY FROM A HARD DAY'S WORK |
SHARING SOME TIME WITH THE HOMEOWNERS |
WE EVEN FOUND A RELIC FROM OUR OWN STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA - THE JUG .... NOT OUR FEARLESS LEADER! |
GETTING READY TO HEAD OUT FOR ANOTHER DAY'S WORK - WE ALL DECIDED TO WEAR OUR "SANDY" SHIRTS THAT DAY |
THE "GANG OF 12", BEFORE HEADING OUT FOR THE DAY'S WORK - WE DIDN'T STAY THAT CLEAN FOR LONG! |
REMOVING THE MOLD FROM ONE OF THE HARDENED FOOTINGS |
A PRETTY GOOD LOOKING FOOTING! |
THE CORNER FOOTING, WHERE THE DECK GOES AROUND THE HOUSE |
BEGINNING CONSTRUCTION OF THE DECK FRAME |
MY GRANDDAUGHTER WORKED HARD AND LEARNED A LOT OF USEFUL SKILLS ON THE TRIP |
SHE GOT PRETTY GOOD WITH THAT HAMMER - NOTE THE SHIRT MATCHING BLUE STRIPE IN HER HAIR |
MOVING RIGHT ALONG WITH THE DECK FRAMING |
REMOVING RUST FROM THE FRAMES USED TO ATTACH BENCHES TO THE DECK |
THEY TRIED SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS TO REMOVE THE RUST |
THE RUST WAS COMING OFF, BUT IT TOOK A LOT OF "ELBOW GREASE"! |
A DELIVERY OF MORE LUMBER FOR THE DECKING |
A VERY SPECIAL TREAT - THE HOMEOWNER'S BOUGHT US GENUINE NEW YORK PIZZA FOR LUNCH! |
A SURPRISE CELEBRATION FOR THE HOMEOWNER'S SON ON HIS BIRTHDAY |
A VERY NICE TREAT FOR THOSE OF US WHO NEVER MET A DESSERT WE DIDN'T LIKE! |
OUR DISASTER RECOVERY/RELIEF TEAM - VISITING A LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK BEACH |
THE WATER WAS ROUGH - WE HAD TO GET THE PHOTO QUICKLY, BEFORE THEY ALL SANK UP TO THEIR KNEES IN THE SAND! |
TWO OF OUR LADIES, PRAYING WITH A WOMAN THEY MET ON THE BEACH |
A QUICK GAME OF FRISBY, AS THE SUN SETS |
GETTING READY TO ROLL THE NEXT MORNING |
MY GRANDDAUGHTER DECIDED TO TAKE HER FAVORITE PENGUIN, BERNARD, TO THE WORKSITE |
INSTALLING DECK BOARDS |
DEFINITELY A GROUP EFFORT, WHEN WE BEGAN INSTALLING THE DECKING |
YOURS TRULY, HELPING TO CUT DECK BOARDS AND DELIVERING THEM TO THE INSTALLERS |
YOU CAN NOW BEGIN TO SEE JUST HOW LARGE THIS DECK WILL BE |
A WELL DESERVED WATER AND SNACK BREAK |
BUILDING A FRAME FOR THE DECK STEPS - THE COMPLETED RAMP MAY BE SEEN IN THE BACKGROUND |
ANOTHER VERY SPECIAL TREAT FOR LUNCH - THE HOMEOWNERS BOUGHT US REAL NEW YORK BAGELS AND TOPPINGS! |
BERNARD, MY GRANDDAUGHTER'S FAVORITE PENGUIN, GOT TO HELP CUT DECKING BOARDS! |
INSTALLING ONE SET OF THE DECK STEPS |
STRAIGHTENING THE EXISTING FENCE AND ATTACHING IT TO THE DECK |
ONE OF THE "AFTER ACTION" DISCUSSIONS AT THE END OF THE WORK DAY |
GOING TO THE "O.K. CORRAL"? - NOPE ..... JUST GOING TO THE ICE CREAM SHOP, JUST DOWN THE STREET! |
A WELCOME TREAT AT THE END OF A LONG, HOT WORK DAY |
LISTENING TO SOME OF US OLD GUYS TELLING "SEA STORIES" |
THE TEAM WOULD ALWAYS PRAY FOR GOOD WORK AND SAFETY BEFORE STARTING WORK EACH DAY |
ANOTHER TEAM PHOTO - AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE SIZE OF THE LUMBER PILE, WE HAVE ALMOST FINISHED THE DECK |
WE DEFINITELY WENT THROUGH A VERY LARGE SUPPLY OF DECK SCREWS AND RECHARGED A LOT OF TOOL BATTERIES! |
CUTTING SOME SMALLER "FILL-IN" DECK PLANKS |
"FINE TUNING" A DECK BOARD WITH A KNIFE FOR A BETTER FIT |
INSTALLING THE OTHER DECK STEPS, NEXT TO THE RAMP |
ATTACHING BENCH SEATS AND BACKS TO THE CLEANED AND PAINTED BRACKETS |
SITTING DOWN ON THE JOB - HOLDING DOWN THE BENCH SEAT BOARDS TO MAKE IT EASIER TO FASTEN THEM TO THE DECK |
THE BENCHES ARE TAKING SHAPE |
STRENGTH / STABILITY TESTING THE NEW BENCH - AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT HE SAID HE WAS DOING! |
"OK, HERE'S THE DEAL .... YOU GET YOUR HAMMER BACK, ONLY AFTER YOU PLAY BALL WITH ME!" |
TRYING OUT THE NEW BENCHES |
A VERY NICE (AND LARGE!) NEW DECK! |
WELL CONSTRUCTED AND ANCHORED AND SHOULD BETTER WITHSTAND ANY FUTURE STORMS |
DOING SOME FINAL POST-CONSTRUCTION CLEAN-UP |
DONE! |
INSPECTION OF OUR WORK BY THE RESIDENT POOCH! |
THE OFFICAL "UNVAILING" AND PRESENTATION OF THE COMPLETED PROJECT |
THE HOMEOWNERS AND THEIR SON - WE WERE ESPECIALLY GRATEFUL FOR STEVE'S HELP AND HARD WORK WITH THE TEAM! |
WE PRESENTED THEM BIBLES, SIGNED BY EVERY MEMBER OF THE TEAM |
SOME OF THE LADIES WANTED A GROUP PHOTO |
WE DIDN'T WAIT VERY LONG TO TRY OUT THE NEW DECK |
AFTER WORK, LEAVING FOR A TRIP OVER TO NEW YORK CITY |
WE RODE OVER TO NEW YORK CITY ON THE STATEN ISLAND FERRY |
WHEN WE ARRIVED IN NYC, A GENTLEMAN APPROACHED US AND VOLUNTEERED TO SHOW US AROUND |
OUR VOLUNTEER GUIDE POINTS OUT AN AREA OF INTEREST |
RENTAL BIKES FOR USE IN NEW YORK CITY - CHARGE IT TO YOUR CREDIT CARD! |
OUR GUIDE TOOK US TO ST. PAUL'S CHAPEL - AN IMPORTANT PLACE OF REFUGE ON THE DAY OF THE 9/11 ATTACK |
INSIDE ST. PAUL'S CHURCH |
BADGES, HATS, PATCHES AND MEDALS, LEFT BY VISITING LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIREFIGHTING PERSONNEL FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD |
THIS MAGNIFICENT ORGAN IN ST. PAUL'S CHURCH WAS DAMAGED BY SMOKE AND DUST ON 9/11, BUT IS NOW FULLY RESTORED |
A PIECE OF STEEL GIRDER FROM ONE OF THE TWIN TOWERS, MELTED AND TWISTED BY THE HEAT OF THE FIRE |
WE WENT TO THE 9/11 MEMORIAL - A VERY SAD VISIT, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE OF US WHO LOST FRIENDS IN THE ATTACKS THAT DAY |
STILL REMEMBERED BY HIS FAMILY - THIS FLOWER AND NOTE HAD BEEN PLACED ON THE VICTIM'S NAME EARLIER THAT DAY |
A CLOSER VIEW OF THE FLOWER AND NOTE - SEEING SOMETHING LIKE THIS BRINGS HOME THE PERSONAL LOSSES EXPERIENCED |
ROUNDING UP THE TEAM MEMBERS TO LEAVE THE MEMORIAL, AS MY GRANDDAUGHTER CHECKS IN WITH GRANDDMA |
TALKING WITH A NYC PORT AUTHORITY POLICEMAN - HE THANKED US PERSONALLY FOR THE WORK WE WERE DOING |
WHY DID THE DISASTER RELIEF TEAM CROSS THE ROAD? TO GET BACK TO THE STATEN ISLAND FERRY, OF COURSE! |
ON THE WAY BACK TO THE FERRY, WE PASSED THIS CATHOLIC CHURCH, DWARFED BY THE SURROUNDING BUILDINGS |
A PRETTY VIEW OF THE NYC SKYLINE FROM THE STATEN ISLAND FERRY - THE NEW "FREEDOM TOWER" IS VISABLE ON THE LEFT |
MANY OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS HAD NEVER SEEN THE STATUE OF LIBERTY - WE GOT A GREAT VIEW FROM THE FERRY |
WE STOPPED FOR DINNER AT A STATEN ISLAND MEXICAN RESTAURANT, ON THE WAY BACK TO THE CHURCH |
AFTER WE COMPLETED THE DECK PROJECT, THIS WAS THE SECOND HOUSE WHERE WE WERE ASSIGNED TO WORK |
WITH THE OUTSIDE LOOKING THIS GOOD, WE WERE NOT SURE WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE INSIDE |
AT THE RISK OF UNDERSTATEMENT, THE HOUSE DIDN'T LOOK QUITE AS GOOD ON THE INSIDE! |
OUR ASSIGNMENT WAS TO SHORE UP SOME SAGGING ROOF SUPPORT AREAS AND STRENGTHEN CRITICAL FLOOR JOISTS |
THE HOUSE HAD A HALF-BASEMENT, SO WE HAD TO BE PARTICULARLY CAREFUL IN THE AREA OVER THAT - IT WAS A LONG WAY DOWN! |
WE INSTALLED TEMPORARY SUPPORTS FOR WEAK AREAS OF THE ROOF IN THE SUNROOM AREA |
OUR "FATHER AND SON" TEAM MEMBERS, WORKING HARD TO STRENGTHEN THE FLOOR JOISTS |
MAKING ONE OF MANY, MANY MEASUREMENTS |
WEAK FLOOR JOISTS WERE REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH NEW JOISTS |
PREPARING TO INSTALL NEW FLOOR JOISTS |
ANOTHER LUMBER DELIVERY |
THE LUMBER HAD TO BE LEFT IN THE FRONT YARD, BECAUSE THE SIDE AND BACK YARD AREAS WERE TOO WET AND MUDDY |
BECAUSE THE DELIVERY VEHICLE COULD NOT GET AROUND TO THE BACK OF THE HOUSE, WE WERE LEFT WITH LOTS OF HEAVY LUMBER TO HAND-CARRY |
UNSTRAPPING THE LUMBER, SO IT COULD BE MOVED TO THE BACK OF THE HOUSE |
WE RELOCATED THE STACK OF LUMBER TO THE BACK ANY WAY WE COULD CARRY IT |
INSTALLING NEW, STRONGER JOISTS TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF A TUB IN THE BATHROOM AREA OF THE HOUSE |
OUR YOUNGER TEAM MEMBERS, TAKING A WELL DESERVED BREAK |
COMPLETED WORK IN THE BATHROOM AREA - THE NEW STRUCTURE WILL PROVIDE NEEDED SUPPORT FOR THE HEAVY BATHTUB |
FINISHING UP SOME FINAL WORK, JUST BEFORE LEAVING FOR THE DAY |
WE LEFT SOME SUPPLIES FOR THE NEXT TEAM'S WORK ON THE HOUSE |
TREATING A BEE STING - AN OLD NORTH CAROLINA HOME/FOLK REMEDY WAS USED, A BIT OF TOBACCO JUICE ON THE AREA! |
UNFORTUNATELY, THE HOMEOWNER WAS IN THE HOSPITAL, BUT EACH TEAM MEMBER SIGNED A BIBLE FOR HIM |
THE FOLLOWING MORNING, WE LEFT TO RETURN HOME AT 6:00 A.M.! |
WE HAD VERY LITTLE RAIN DURING OUR WORK WEEK, BUT OUR LUCK RAN OUT ON THE WAY HOME |