FMCA: HFH - Portland MA Build Report

GREATER PORTLAND MAINE AFFILIATE - AUGUST 21-SEPTEMBER 1, 2000
BUILD REPORT
Submitted by Team Leaders
Raymond & Jewel Hebert
September 12, 2000

After attending the largest FMCA Summer Convention ever in Brunswick, Maine 34 Volunteers from the MCA Chapter Habitat for Humanity traveled to Portland, Maine to participate in the building of three homes at 13-15 Mayo Street in the heart of the city of Portland, to give three more families affordable housing in Maine. We were there from August 21 through September 1.2000.

Volunteers were kept informed through e-mail on how the site was progressing each time we visited the site and met with Rev Snyder and Carl Zeus, Volunteer Coordinator in June and July. So when we arrived everyone knew that we would be working on the interior of the homes.

All 17 motor homes stayed at Wassamki Campground in Scarborough, Maine about 8.3 miles away from the work site. Their regular weekly rate is $170.00 per week but, they gave us a price of $155.00 a week and then they needed the motor homes that would not be there through the holiday week end (Labor Day) to move on Friday morning to site with only water and electric. The Manager agreed to give us Friday night Free and reimbursed those who had paid for that day. We thought this was more than fair.

On Our first night at the campground the new owners of these homes put on a welcome dinner for us Rev. David Snyder, Greater Portland Executive Director introduced his Site Supervisor Steve Bolton, and several Volunteers to our group. Every morning except Friday Rev David Snyder, affiliate executive director was on site and performed the morning devotions. On the first Friday Floyd Hager our National Officer and team member took over the devotions and the second week our Treasurer, Wally Starz did the honors.

The Affiliate Site Supervisor Steve Bolton was on site to guide us daily. He was available to us all day from 8 AM until 3:30 PM each day and was really super. He had a lot of patience, and answered all our questions no matter how involved they were and was there to guide us so we could do our task efficiently and to the Portland code where necessary. Everyone liked him and tried to follow his guidance to the best of their ability. Tools were provided but some members of our team elected to bring and use their own. On the first day, Steve Bolton, Site Supervisor explained what needed to be completed . One team started building 5 stairways, another team sorted through tools in the three storage sheds and went to work putting the tools in order and labeling everything so they were easy to find. Another team worked to finish the siding on the top section on the front 2 houses that was unfinished while another team started putting in the insulation in all the houses while another team worked on the sheet rock. As they completed an area another team started mudding and taping the seams. Everyone worked together. Those who were doing this for the first time working with a more experienced member of our group to complete as much as we could in the time we were there. We are proud to say with 34 FMCA members (which we believe is the largest team yet) working for the two weeks we had no injuries that needed to be attended to. We feel this was due to everyone reading and following the Work Site Safety Rules.

The three families who will be living in these homes and a local volunteer provided our lunch at the site daily and two of our members were there to accept food and lay it out for us. We all appreciated these meals and they were excellent. These people went to a lot of effort to provide good meals and snacks daily. We got to know the new owners quite well by the time we left on September 1.

Our Chapter received a lot of publicity as the Portland Herald sent out a reporter and a cameraman to take pictures. Wally & Judy Starz, went on a local radio program one morning to be interviewed about the "FMCA Chapter members who stayed behind in the area after the Convention to help Habitat for Humanity in Greater Portland."

Ruth Sheldon was interviewed on a Portland TV Channel while helping out for the day at a local hospice home for Aids so they could finish a painting job before an event they were having.

The Affiliate requested a donation of $25.00 from each of us but did state it was not mandatory for working there. We received donations from the majority of participants.

Our Team had three meals at the campground the first week and ate out once. The second week we had three meals at the campground with plus a potluck the last night and ate out twice.

Ray & I were really proud of the great team members we had to work with. They were willing to do what ever was needed. We had many retired contractors and experienced carpenters along with those who came to Portland to work for Habitat for Humanity for the first time on this build. We felt we were blessed with having this group to work with.
The team voted to give our surplus money of $329.23 to our Chapter Building Fund, therefore, we made a check payable to our Chapter Treasurer, Wally Starz along with a financial report we read at our farewell dinner.

Ray & I presented each team member with a hammer pin for all the work the did on this build.

This was a great experience for all of us, meeting new people, seeing our old friends from prior builds and making lasting friendships as we worked together to help others have affordable homes.

Rev Snyder and Steve Bolton, both thanked all of us for coming to help Greater Portland Habitat for Humanity with the building of these homes.

Again, we just want to say thanks to all of our Portland Teams members for a job well done. It was a pleasure to work with each and every member.

Raymond and Jewel Hebert
FMCA Chapter Team Leaders