Dollar Generals - youth

Team Dollar Generals Day #1

Today we arrived at our work site expecting to remove and start replacing drywall that had been water damaged.  When we got there however we found the rooms we were to be working in were stacked floor to ceiling with garbage.  After spending the whole day cleaning out the rooms including the mold that coated most everything in the room we should be ready to begin the dry walling by Tuesday afternoon.  Our home owners are very sweet, the husband Melvin lives with his wife and grandson. Their grandson helped us carry some heavy stuff out before he had to leave to work and their next door neighbor allowed us to eat lunch in the shade of the tree in his backyard.  We accomplished very much today and we’re looking forward to what we will accomplish the rest of the week.

Cori Babcock and Team Dollar Generals

Cooks & Day 1

The cooks succeed.

Breakfast Day 1 on site.

Up at 5:00am only to liese Veto, Jeannie Nelson in the kitchen hard at work, 90 blueberry Pancakes later, 3 dozen oranges, 2 seedless watermelons and 90 Bob Evens sausage links.

Dinner day 1 on site

Pasta for 32 with garlic bread sticks and mixed salad.

Chuck takes Ryan under his wing and shows him around the kitchen

Together they cook 90 breadsticks.

The crew is beginning to mesh and ready for another day.

Now I lay me down to sleep…………………ZZZZzzzzzZZZZZZzzzzzzzz

posted by Jim Post

Team Dollar General & Team Ice Cream

Team Ice Cream

·         Nancy Leyden

·         Jim Nagle

·         Anthony Wendorf

·         Tyler McCann

·         Betsey Strader

·         Katey Strader

·         Jim Post – Cook

·         Rob Pauley – Construction Superman & Dollar General

Team Dollar General

·         Rod Ring

·         Mike Fournier

·         Mike Galagher

·         Nick Jarell

·         Kevin Brock

·         Cori Babcock

·         Morgan Nelson

·         Liese Vito - Cook

The temperature has been HOT HOT HOT. 

We were provided the opportunity to help Melvin, his wife and their grandson Joe who in turn helped us. 

Our job was to remove a lot of stuff out of the house and tear down dry wall and ceilings.  In order to do the Katy & Bets bagged the stuff and threw it out the window.  A crew below tossed it into a dumpster.  While Anthony was working he go overheated and took a break from some water.  Just a he finished what he had , Joe walked by and asked if he needed some water Joe went inside and got 2 bottles of water and said he had put a bunch in the refrigerator for us.

We broke for lunch (and Tyler broke a wall – but that is another story) and the next door neighbor offered to le us sit under his tree.  He had loaned us his ladder when we first got there to protect the windows below from falling debris

One room was so crammed with debris that we could not even open the door.  After much pushing and shoving we cracked the door and were able to slide a few of the skinnier guys around.  The ceiling had completely fallen down.  The room was just chalk full of junk that had got wet dried and fused together.  We were not able to complete our demolition but hope to tomorrow then onto some dry walling.  So far we have filled a 20 X 10 X 8 foot metal dumpster.  And did I mention that the weather was HOT HOT HOT. 

Just before bed Anthony and Tyler bravely captured a bat that was running around loose in the church where we are staying.

Submitted by Tyler & General Mike

Can We Fix It - day 1

Our group name is Can We Fix It and we were tasked with the job of repairing a broken wheelchair ramp for our project. We didn’t know what to expect, but when we got there we were greeted by one amazing host. Her name was Angel and she was very happy and appreciative of our help. She had been though some really rough times, and the bad neighborhood just made it worse. We were very thankful for her hospitality, and we were more than happy to help her. We quickly realized however, that a wheelchair ramp wasn’t the only thing that needed assistance. We decided that the front porch also needed an overhaul, as well as trash in the yard. We quickly got to work and by the end of the first day we have already demolished the old wheelchair ramp and are ready to install the replacement. We also have ripped up the carpet and boards to the front porch, and have the new boards on standby. Our first day was not uneventful, as we found a groundhog living under the ramp and two snake skeletons in the porch! We look forward to our work tomorrow when we can serve God more.

We  had a wonderful trolley - tour of the Windy City. We were blown away with the beauty and architecture and history of the downtown area and the Chicago River, the Miracle Mile, the Water Front area, Navy Pier and Historic District.

98 degrees and 99 percent humidity wears you out (actually we're just checking to see if the grass is safe for napping on).

Crews start their jobs tomorrow, deo water damage drywall, another has soffit repair and replacement, and another has porch repair & stair replacement.

Each work team will be posting beginning Monday.

After a long day in the car, we cooled off by going rafting. Despite an overboard passenger, and wet clothes, it was a truly fun experience! After was another long drive in the vans (with stops for ice cream, of course). A bit later, we arrived at a beautiful, historical church. We made ourselves quite at home, then set off once again to go to the Navy Pier. After a few hours of riding ferris wheels, playing mini golf, and spending time together, we went on the Sea-Dog, a jet-powered boat. The highlight of our night was watching fireworks on the Sea-Dog. The fireworks won't the only thing lighting up the night, The towering buildings of Chicago looked beautiful. Exhausted after a busy first day, we fell asleep quickly, excited for tomorrow.

Safe and sound at Trinity United Methodist Church

Beverly Hills (Chicago), IL

Sunday Service at 9:00

load up for sightseeing and travel to Rockford

Hey, mine's the white van!