Seven projects kept crews busy in April
Rebuilding Together Shawnee gathered 200 volunteers to tackle seven rebuilding and repair projects for deserving homeowners in Shawnee during National Rebuilding Day on April 24, 2010.
Of the volunteers, some were professional remodelers and craftsmen and others were helpful neighbors and do-it-yourselfers. But all had a single goal in mind – to participate in the hands-on experience of giving and make a direct impact in the community by helping residents in need live independently with dignity.
As a three-year-old organization, Rebuilding Together Shawnee has already completed improvements to 30 local residences. But the project list in April posed an especially daunting challenge. The seven projects ranged from door and safety rail installations in homes to a whole-house remodel for a family in need.
An army of volunteers
Volunteers with Shawnee United Methodist Church helped with one of two projects funded through a $10,000 Sears “Heroes at Home” grant awarded to Rebuilding Together Shawnee earlier this month. The grant benefits repairs for homes of military veterans, and the team was putting in new exterior doors, a new garage door, safety rails and a new driveway in at their project home.
Other volunteer teams worked on other projects throughout the city, including one unusually large rebuilding project on a house owned by a single mother with four children, one of whom has endured serious medical challenges that made home repairs and improvements out of reach.
Dozens of licensed contractors, skilled laborers and handy volunteers participated in these projects to improve the lives of families in our community.
How good news spread across town
This ambitious day of hard work caught the attention of the local media, which spread the word about Rebuilding Together Shawnee and our dedicated volunteers. Take a look at our In the News page to see who covered National Rebuilding Day.
*Special thanks to Libby Knox of Knox Creative for writing this story.