FMCA: HFH - Ocala FL Build Report 2003

BACKGROUND: The 2003 build was the third time that FMCA Chapter: Habitat for Humanity® had built at Ocala. In 2001 Dale & Millie Johnson lead a team of 11 coaches to build in nearby Silver Springs Shores. In 2002 Bill and Rosemary McLaughlin lead a team of 17 coaches to build home #57 in Providence North Subdivision and they also did some major framing on two other homes.

PRE-BUILD: We had a meeting at the Ocala affiliate office in July 2002 and met the affiliate executive director and his staff. We discussed what we believed it took to have a great build. We had a Roles and Responsibilities meeting with the affiliate in December 2002 and reviewed items in detail.

The Ocala and Avon Park team members met at the FMCA:SEA Rally and made introductions.

OCALA 2003 BUILD: On Sunday, February 9, 2003, twenty volunteers met together for the first time at the Oak Tree Village Campground. The team was well balanced in experience, 1/3 were “first time builders”, 1/3 had built on one to three Habitat for Humanity houses and 1/3 had built on four to 15 houses. We got acquainted and reviewed the Safety Plan. At the affiliate hosted dinner we met the home owner, Nancy Cintron (who incidentally, had been notified only two hours prior that she would receive her home; hence, she was excited), our team was caught up in the excitement and we remained so throughout the build.

We began our build Monday morning at 8:00 am with devotions and almost immediately we were deluged with rain from a huge thunderstorm that lasted until lunch. We started work on a new slab with the sole plates marked for the walls and the window and door trimmers cut and assembled. Three studded walls were up by quitting time the first day. Some major plumbing stub-up locations were identified as improperly located. We were instructed to continue framing and the plumbers had to move the pipes later.

By Friday the first week we had the house “dried-in”, felt on the roof and the exterior walls wrapped. We felt we were behind a normal build, but realized that this three bedroom home had a garage and the garage added considerable more work than a standard three bedroom Habitat house. The affiliate build manager was very pleased with our efforts.

At quitting time on our second Friday, we had the roof shingles on; the interior walls installed, doors and windows installed, soffit and facia trim installed and about 1/3 of the vinyl siding installed. The assessment by the affiliate site manager was that we had far exceeded his expectations and he informed us that the City Inspector was especially pleased with the quality of work that was done on house #68 in the Providence North Subdivision when he performed his framing inspection.

We parked our 10 coaches at the Oak Tree Village Campground, at I-75 and US 27, about 4 miles from the worksite. We paid $13.50 + tax per day, they gave each camper one day per week free if we stayed the full 14 days.

The affiliate volunteer coordinator did a terrific job of coordinating the local community in providing our lunches each day. The affiliate executive director and the team lead spoke after a dinner at the First Presbyterian Church. The speakers spoke about partnerships to build Habitat houses. We were treated to a free dinner at the First Methodist Church on our second Wednesday. The church would not reveal the identity of the donor.

The team had campfires at night, one member had typed words to songs on his computer and displayed the words on a TV screen outside his coach and also played his keyboard for our sing-a-longs. He also displayed over 200 digital pictures from the build. Another member read cowboy poetry written by Jim Plunkett…. We had many memorable moments.

The team unanimously voted that any excess funds from our $50.00 per coach fund be sent to the FMCA Chapter: Habitat for Humanity® building fund, this amount was $154.23. A check for $154.23 has been forwarded to the chapter treasurer.

At our farewell dinner the team presented the homeowner with a quilt that was hand made by Mary Stutsman and a tabletop picture album of pictures of the build that had been composed and digitally photographed by Woody and Jane Webster and Kay Cobb. The team leaders presented Superior Volunteer Awards to each team member and Superior Partnership Awards were presented to all affiliate office and site workers. The affiliate presented the team leader with a special hammer with interchangeable heads and all team members were presented gold Habitat for Humanity build pins and Greater Ocala Habitat for Humanity Tee Shirts.

The team leaders mailed twenty ‘thank you’ cards to every person and/or organization that provided any service to the team; each team participant signed the cards. Letters of thanks have been mailed to each build team participant couple.

In summary, this Habitat build experience was a successful and memorable one for everyone involved. We all went away from Ocala with a renewed sense of fulfillment.

Sincerely,

Ken & Dottie Shipe, 2003 Ocala Team Leaders
FMCA Chapter: Habitat for Humanity®