Video from our ASP Center of our week there

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Echo Repeat

We are team Echo, Tomi Lee, Kaylin, Andy, Rob, John A, John O and Katy.  Our homeowner is Sharon, who is a retired school teacher and actually retired from the school we are currently staying in.  The floors of her home were severely damaged by the flood waters coming off the mountains behind her house, and considered by ASP unsafe.  In the kitchen area we installed new floor joists, sub flooring and plan to tile before the end of the week.   The living room sub flooring had been done previously and we are installing a new laminated floor.  There was some leaky plumbing, so we shut off the cold water to the kitchen and will repair that tomorrow.

The whole week with the team has been wonderful and as usual the entire ASP experience has been fantastic.  Thanks.

John A.

Diary From West Virginia.

Day 1

Its Mediocre Joke Monday, July 4^th, and I understand it’s a holiday but it is turning into a bad joke.  What is usually our mosey Monday is becoming very frustrating.  The Moseying is now a full work stoppage and everyone is getting antsy.  WE NEED TO BE WORKING!!  Materials are finally delivered around 2:30 just in time for the monsoon to hit.  We all race back to the van and try to come up with a game plan.  One discussion leads to another and before you know it hours have passed.  I reconnect with Chelsea and Erin and get to know Conner Rachel and Taylor better.  So this gray cloud of a Monday did indeed have a silver lining. 

Day 2.    It’s Tattoo Tuesday and I am hoping that this day will be more productive than yesterday, but really how could it not be?  We arrive at our site at 9:30.  We are waiting for our deck flooring to be delivered.  And waiting, and waiting… and waiting.  If nothing else happens this week God has a lesson plan featuring patience and I guess I am a very slow learner. 

Day 3.  Wide load Wednesday and we do a LOAD of work.  Yippee!  Old porch has been removed (gently), band joists attached and today we get to lay the deck floor.  The heat is BRUTAL as I watch the sweat drip from Mickey’s baseball hat brim onto Rachel’s pants.  But trooper that she is she just quietly moves her leg.  That how it is with all of crew Lima, we have our moments and then we all go about the task at hand. 

Day 4 Tie-dye Thursday – what a wacky unconventional week it has been so far.  We discover that we work so well together that our job here is almost finished.  A few more measurements, a few more cuts, a few more nails to be hammered… and then what.? It is only Thursday.  Well four year old ZKaylee and five year old Joshua Bryant the Second (as he introduces his self) comes to see if they can help us with “hammerin’” .  Before you know it cousin Levi comes over some dogs, a cute kitty, a few bike rides and piggy back rides later, the family that we really hadn’t connected with reverses all of that and we are bonding. The billboard on the church had it right: “God has no problems, only plans”.

Adriana

Team India Bravo

Laura, Andy, Zach M., Kelsey, Arthur, Danika and Kim.

We are working on a home that needs a new roof.  Our family has lived here for generations.  The road is named after them.  We’re working hard on a very hot, now water proof roof to keep them warmer, safer and drier!.

We have some great company!  Sierra is 10, she will be in 5^th grade next year and she has a new bike.  She can ride her bike all over the mountains – AMAZING!  And if you haven’t seen the pics on FB already, well, Sierra has the most adorable puppies!.  We smile and work with God’s love shining down on us – what more could we ask for! 

See you soon,

Team India B.

Hi Church

I know you are just itching to know how all of usare doing on team Zulu.  On Monday we didn’t do to much since the window we got was to big.  We ended up leaving early and having to spend at least 3 hour at Walmart and Dairy Delight (which is an Ice Cream Parlor)  It was still a pretty good day because we got to meet most of the family who are so nice. 

Well yesterday was a much more productive day.  We fixed where the window was supposed to go and installed it.  We also put drywall around the window. It is so much brighter in the kitchen with that window in.  Also we go to really meet the kids of the family.  They are too cute!  Just to give you a picture imagine two little kids a boy and a girl and boy wrapping three teenage girls with measuring tapes.

(Samantha DePiero)

Hello everyone.   This trip has been awesome. I had no idea what I was getting into when I signed up for ASP.  The kids are so much fun and joyful. Today, day 3 we finished spackling and taping up the drywall.  Stacy, Jenna, Sam and myself put down a tile floor.  I even got down on the floor and spread compound and placed a few tiles, but Stacy did most of the work – the floor looks beautiful and she is so proud of her work.  Zach B., Paul and Joe replaced electrical boxes.  We are getting to know our family and they are getting to feel comfortable with us.  We are bonding with Thomas and Kelsey who are 5 and 3 respectively.  We are looking forward to painting and completing the floor. 

Love, Kathleen

Roofs and more Roofs

This week, throughout the high heart of the mountains we started to rebuild and reconstruct the roof of a couple’s home. The roof started as what we thought would be simply, gently removing the layers of shingles and roofing material and laying new, better material on top.  When we opened up the roof we found a roof and a family in dire need of help.  Many sections of the roof were rotted away, several sections have multiple layers of roofing on it, 7 in one area and one section of the roof was built using 2x4’s over an old section in an attempt to clear the roof of water.  Instead it caused a place for water to settle.  We are doing our best to fix the home, so the couple, their daughters, and their grandson, along with their many cats and dogs will never have to worry about their roof leaking or falling again.

Becca

Great Day for Lima

Decking started going down on the porch.  Kaylee, the 4 year old girl came out to see the progress.  Dave, the homeowner stayed with us a short while, said how nice it looked and, praised the job we are doing.  Should finish the deck on Thursday, then build a step on Friday.  2 days to go.

Mickey, Adriana, Connor, Chelsea, Erin, Taylor, Rachel

Awesome

First work day of ASP 2011, on Team Awesome (Ben D. Linda O., Colleen C., Maria F., Mike G., and Matt S.) a very heavy job replacing the ceiling of Mr. and Mrs. Delta with sheetrock.

Upon arrival, the friendly face of Mrs. Delta is a great sign.  While inspecting the ceiling to be replaced, the shining face of Mr. Delta popped up.  After a friendly intro we started clearing out the room.  After 45 minutes of walking back and forth, the room was finally ready to begin the actual job. 

Without ladders, none of us were tall enough to reach the ceiling.  Feeling hopeless, we decided to wait for ASP to drop us off some free standing ladders.  After 5 minutes of unsuccessful problem solving, Mr. Delta walks in with a triple pronged hook with the additional 4 feet.  Mike, Matt and I were able to pull the ceiling panels off.  After 10 minutes of fun for the boys, clean-up began.  Still the problem of the ladders dragged on. 

In this time, we spent it getting to know the couple.  As we learned from the sweet and outgoing duo, Mr. Delta is a retired paratrooper as well as a cop while Mrs. Delta is a retired shop worker in town.  We even got to meet the homebound neighbor.  Another very, very sweet lady.  First request from her was to buy a watermelon and eat it all!!  Upon arrival with the watermelon, we broke for lunch. 

Waiting for the ladders still, we got to watch the Pittsburg Pirates win and our ladders arrived!  After the arrival of out ladders, we were able to make easy and fast work of taking out nails in the ceiling and putting up our first drywall sheet.  As we left, we planned to make tomorrow the best we could and get the drywall all up.  As I quote Matt Crawford and Mariel Slater “Best Monday Ever”.

Ben Dettelback

Day Two in Lima Land.

Much progress today.  Chelsea & Erin back to hammering (not their fav. thing)  Taylor, Connor, Rachel on the saw.  We put most of the joists in place.  We should start decking tomorrow.

Mickey, Adriana

Slow Start with Team Lima

Monday is demo day.  We are removing and replacing a side covered porch. 

Demo went so much easier than thought we were done by lunch and with no new wood to start construction.  Slow start, quick finish.  Left a lot of time to get to know: Mickey, Adriana, Connor, Chelsea, Erin, Taylor, and Rachel.

Mickey.

Just a note

Just a note: we arrived at the ASP center safely Sunday afternoon.   Sorry we have not blogged sooner, but we have been busy locally.  Thanks to everyone.

Paul

ASP NEWS

·        ASP Planning Team Meeting this Thursday at 6 PM:  Anyone  (adult or youth) interested in helping to plan this summer’s trip is welcome to join us at the church

(reception area) this Thursday from 6-7:30 PM.  We will be discussing this Sunday’s Kick-Off dinner and fundraising expectations for participants.

·        Kick-Off Dinner this Sunday at 7 PM:   The official first event of the ASP season is here!  This Sunday we will meet in the Cave (church basement) for a kick-off dinner

and organizational meeting.  We still haven’t learned the exaction location of our assignment, but I am told it will be in West Virginia.  Maybe we will know more by Sunday. 

This event is for participants and their parents.  Dinner begins at 7:00 and we hope to be done by 8:30 PM. 

·        ASP Applications due March 28:    Please make every effort to get your registration materials and fee in by March 28^th.  We have a limited number of ASP spots and your

Are not promised a spot without your registration forms.  If money is an issue please see me (Linda) or Joan Bloomer to make arrangements.  No one will be left behind

because of $$$$!  

·        ASP Spaghetti Dinner, March 25, 5-8 PM:   Our first fundraiser of the year is just around the corner.  You can volunteer to help, invite friends and neighbors to join us or

buy a ticket and eat!  The cost is $9 for adults, $6 for children 5-12 and free for children age 4 and under.

Day Five, Adult Appalachia Service Project, Feb 2011

On our last day we woke up hoping for a good day so that we could finish the work on the deck. While eating breakfast a fast moving rain storm came through with strong winds. We saw that it was moving through rapidly and would clear in time for us to go out to our work site and complete the desk. On our drive out to our work site, we stopped to take pictures of the creek which was very high after all of the rain. At the site we removed the tarps and got to work. With the bottom part of the deck completed, our task today was to build the top part of the deck complete with posts, railings, spindles and a gate. We worked hard all day and were able to complete our tasks by the end of the work day. During the day, we presented our host, Loraine, with a rocking chair we all chipped in to purchase and also a quilt made by the Arbor Glen quilters. Pictures for the day will provide you with images to go with the description above.

Work Hard all Day, Play at Night

On day three, after accomplishing a lot at our work project and after dinner, we journeyed a short distance to Pennington Gap where we sat around to listen to some of the local musicians playing Blue Grass. You can see and hear some of what we enjoyed for over an hour and a half by going to http://gallery.me.com/tedsettle/101038

If you are PC user, I recommend using Firefox, not Internet Explorer and select small movie, not medium.

Day Four Adult Appalachian Service Project Feb 2011

As you will see from a short video and other images, we woke up to rain on day four. With panchos on, we did finish attaching the deck boards. Later some of our group returned to place a tarp over the deck to try to create a dry workspace for tomorrow. It is predicted to rain in the morning but be sunny in the afternoon. We are hoping to finish a railing on the porch deck before we have to leave. We also decided that our host would need a comfortable rocker to use on her new deck, so we talked with some of the staff. Keith located a store in Pennington Gap, where we had visited the night before for Bluegrass Music played by local musicians. Jane and Ted drove over to the store. We liked the rocking chair so much that we decided to purchase one for ourselves to bring home with us. While in the store we observed a woman siting behind the counter crocheting (she turned out to be the store owner's mother) and asked her about what she was making. Her response, "A prayer shawl." Imagine that!! Jane asked her where she gets her yarn and she said she orders it and gave Jane one of the catalogs from which she orders.

!!

Day Three Photos, Adult Appalachian Trip, Feb 2011

On the way to our site, we passed a couple of old homes worth pictures. In the initial images, you can see the structure we erected for the porch at our site and also you can see Loraine's house in relation to Trading Creek. During the day Paul and Jane finished putting the spindles on the gate and were able to get the gate hung and working smoothly (Loraine tested it). As we worked, we noticed two inspectors sitting up high in nearby trees, making sure our work was acceptable. For the porch, we hung the joists and began the process of laying down the deck. Because of the length of the porch, 3 inches longer than our 14 foot 5/4" X 6" deck boards, we placed two extra joists and will put one of the deck boards on each end of the porch and lay the other deck boards between them. During our work, the power went off in the hollow (we thought we had blown a fuse), so we reverted to old technology, sawing by hand. We will finish up the decking tomorrow, if we can beat the rain. We also began digging post holes for the stairs coming off the porch.

The day was beautiful and sunny, even though, as you can see from the way Betsy was dressed in an early picture, it was cold to begin with.