We are in the process of closing out our center. Only one more day of paperwork and then Tuesday we head to Johnson city to drop off our ASP vehicles.
We completed 17 projects this summer and finished them all up this weekend. We had many interesting projects and worked with great families.
One of our favorites as a staff, was a bridge we redid last week, it turned out great!
I have lots of pictures to share when I get back.
For the next 24 hours we are going to sign off our contracts with families and say goodbyes. Fill out lots of paperwork, and move our of our staff quarters.
I'll be leaving Appalachia on Saturday, in Chi for a night, then in Madison for an afternoon and back in Minneapolis on Sunday the 9th. Heading up north for a week on Madeline, Minneapolis for three days, a week of work at Empire in Madison, home for three more days and then leaving for Kenya!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Week 3
And as you can tell, staff life doesnt leave much time for personal computing. We had an early staff meeting tonight so we could all catch up on sleep.
Tomorrow is Tuesday of Week 3, we are still working on the same 11 homes, but will finish a few of them this week. Last week's group hadnt been to ASP for 5 years so it took them a bit of time to get into the swing of things. But they showed us their commitment through fundraising.
We are working for a family that has no plumbing or electric and lives in a box frame house in Flatwoods. Our other big plumbing and electric project is very similar. We are essentially redoing the entire house, foundation up, studding out walls and insulating, etc.
In Virginia, specifically Lee County we have to subcontract all of the plumbing and electric out to licensed VA professionals. So these two homes have total estimates at $11600, (a septic will be an additional $5000 for our home in Flatwoods). We gave the group last week a goal of $2600 and they donated over $8000!! I'm so excited about this and we will definitely be able to plumb and wire our Flatwoods home, and hopefully get a septic installed.
Tomorrow I'm going out with the Health Inspector so he can tell me what size tank will be required for the home and land. Then we'll move on to get an estimate.
Well, I'm going to bed now, as I gave myself a midnight curfew.
Tomorrow is Tuesday of Week 3, we are still working on the same 11 homes, but will finish a few of them this week. Last week's group hadnt been to ASP for 5 years so it took them a bit of time to get into the swing of things. But they showed us their commitment through fundraising.
We are working for a family that has no plumbing or electric and lives in a box frame house in Flatwoods. Our other big plumbing and electric project is very similar. We are essentially redoing the entire house, foundation up, studding out walls and insulating, etc.
In Virginia, specifically Lee County we have to subcontract all of the plumbing and electric out to licensed VA professionals. So these two homes have total estimates at $11600, (a septic will be an additional $5000 for our home in Flatwoods). We gave the group last week a goal of $2600 and they donated over $8000!! I'm so excited about this and we will definitely be able to plumb and wire our Flatwoods home, and hopefully get a septic installed.
Tomorrow I'm going out with the Health Inspector so he can tell me what size tank will be required for the home and land. Then we'll move on to get an estimate.
Well, I'm going to bed now, as I gave myself a midnight curfew.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Signing homes~
We've signed some great projects so far, we're about halfway done and on our way out to sign more.
The photo is up on the Web site, so check it out:
http://asphome.org/getconnected_contact_va_lee.html
Off to sign more homes, take care!
The photo is up on the Web site, so check it out:
http://asphome.org/getconnected_contact_va_lee.html
Off to sign more homes, take care!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Summer begins!
All of the staffs have left for their counties and we are here on the very quiet porch. We went out to dinner with Campbell and Claiborne counties in Middlesboro, and then cruised back up the hill. We're going to finish cleaning our center, setting up the office, look at some applications and call it a night. Tomorrow will be the start of "set-up" week, which includes: looking at lots of applications for home repair, setting up the center for the arrival of Vs, setting up all of our accounts, planning our projects and EGs, etc.
Nancy (my returner) and I will go on initial home visits (IHVs) all day Monday, while our first years Chad and Michelle get to know Lee County a little better in what we have deemed "first year initiative" day.
We have 12 work crews coming week 1.
3 of the 4 churches are all adult groups, we will have to adapt our programming a little bit, but I'm excited to have them.
Off to staff meeting!
Nancy (my returner) and I will go on initial home visits (IHVs) all day Monday, while our first years Chad and Michelle get to know Lee County a little better in what we have deemed "first year initiative" day.
We have 12 work crews coming week 1.
3 of the 4 churches are all adult groups, we will have to adapt our programming a little bit, but I'm excited to have them.
Off to staff meeting!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Training
Hello~
We are more than halfway through regular training. The rest of the staffers arrived a week ago, and we found out our staffs on Saturday (only the CDs find out that night). Then on Sunday we have "the picnic" where we create an obstacle course the staffers must complete to find out their staffs. I will be on staff this summer with Nancy, Chad, and Michelle, here in Jonesville, VA (one of ASPs year-round centers).
Tomorrow is County Visit Day. Half of the CDs have left the hill for their far away counties and the rest of us have the night off. Tomorrow I'm meeting with our building inspector, a few community contacts and exploring the county a little more. Even though I've been here so many times for training and wrap-up, I'm just starting to take note of everything like its my county.
CD training was great, the 25 of us got along really well and it was much more relaxed than regular training. Our days are filled with construction sessions, paperwork training, staff management, and much more.
On Friday we go to Johnson City to get our summer vehicles and supplies. Then on Saturday everyone will leave for their counties and we'll stay here, probably go help another center move in, or build showers- yay black plastic ASP showers!
We are more than halfway through regular training. The rest of the staffers arrived a week ago, and we found out our staffs on Saturday (only the CDs find out that night). Then on Sunday we have "the picnic" where we create an obstacle course the staffers must complete to find out their staffs. I will be on staff this summer with Nancy, Chad, and Michelle, here in Jonesville, VA (one of ASPs year-round centers).
Tomorrow is County Visit Day. Half of the CDs have left the hill for their far away counties and the rest of us have the night off. Tomorrow I'm meeting with our building inspector, a few community contacts and exploring the county a little more. Even though I've been here so many times for training and wrap-up, I'm just starting to take note of everything like its my county.
CD training was great, the 25 of us got along really well and it was much more relaxed than regular training. Our days are filled with construction sessions, paperwork training, staff management, and much more.
On Friday we go to Johnson City to get our summer vehicles and supplies. Then on Saturday everyone will leave for their counties and we'll stay here, probably go help another center move in, or build showers- yay black plastic ASP showers!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Hey all!
Hello~
As I begin my summer in Jonesville, VA with Appalachia Service Project I thought I would try a new way of keeping everyone up to date on what I'm doing.
We just finished our third day of Center Director training and will be joined by the rest of the staffers on Wednesday. We've had a very busy three days of training- full of construction refreshers, home visits and many more sessions- and after writing five final papers, and going to the 612 for 27 hours before begining the two day leisurely drive to ASPland (which included a 5 AM arrival at our friends place in Chicago, and a night of camping with no air mattresses-all in good spirit of course) you may imagine I'm more than a little tired.
But I love this place, it's been absolutely wonderful to see everyone again!
I'm going to bed and sleeping in tomorrow! (until 7am, yep, thats a good sleep in day here ;)
I'll post later this week- miss you all! and thank you for all your support! I couldn't have made it down here without the help of my fam, shan, sus, and many others- thanks!
good night from under the star filled sky
As I begin my summer in Jonesville, VA with Appalachia Service Project I thought I would try a new way of keeping everyone up to date on what I'm doing.
We just finished our third day of Center Director training and will be joined by the rest of the staffers on Wednesday. We've had a very busy three days of training- full of construction refreshers, home visits and many more sessions- and after writing five final papers, and going to the 612 for 27 hours before begining the two day leisurely drive to ASPland (which included a 5 AM arrival at our friends place in Chicago, and a night of camping with no air mattresses-all in good spirit of course) you may imagine I'm more than a little tired.
But I love this place, it's been absolutely wonderful to see everyone again!
I'm going to bed and sleeping in tomorrow! (until 7am, yep, thats a good sleep in day here ;)
I'll post later this week- miss you all! and thank you for all your support! I couldn't have made it down here without the help of my fam, shan, sus, and many others- thanks!
good night from under the star filled sky
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