We built a ramp!Peter Stathis, John Stewart, Kevin Andros, Kevin Michael Andros, Kurt Raschi, and Tom Gerhard
A family in Ridgefield needed a 50-foot ramp to make their home wheelchair accessible and a half dozen experienced Spirit Builders were happy to make it happen. The team spent four hours working with masks on while observing social distancing guidelines. It felt great to be able to get back to work helping families in need.
We are also excited that we are getting more requests for ramps again.
We are challenged by some supply problems caused by the pandemic. First, since ASP did not make 150 ramp sections for us this Spring as they normally do, our inventory is almost gone. Secondly, our suppliers have very little pressure-treated wood to offer since the factories that make it were on lockdown for several weeks. The pressure-treated wood that is available costs twice as much as it normally does.
Despite these challenges, we are doing our best to work through the challenges to make a positive difference in our community.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Spirit (and the Church) are telling the Spirit Builders that the best way that they can serve their public is not to gather close together and do invasive work at peoples homes or at the Church....
And so it goes.
Spirit Builders have enjoyed delivering Sunday brunch to the "Older Than Dirt Gang" (the seniors in the congregation that always went to Dimitri's Diner after the 9:00 service).
Spirit Builders have also enjoyed doing some individual grocery shopping for people who best would not be out at all and other odd errands or little projects that can be done individually and non-invasively.
So please be on the lookout for how we could help someone this way. The volunteers are really anxious to help and would love to know how and where.
And so with guidance by the Spirit we remain patient and vigilant to operate within very careful limits as long as necessary.
Life is like that.
2020!
And so we shall rise to meet the challenge.
In 2020 Spirit Builders plans to:
Meet the needs of many dozens of people who are trapped in their homes by building wheelchair ramps for them;
Cut through the 20 inch thick south facing second floor brick wall of the Church and put two windows into the Music Minister’s office which lost its west windows to the Bridge; and
Refresh their 2010 renovation of the Tanton Hill parsonage as it is changing Music Ministers.
Spirit Builders is planning take on a number of smaller capital projects around Jesse Lee's campus while remaining on ready to answer any call from a neighbor in need of some light construction.
God blesses us all to have fun being a blessing!
Submitted by Peter Seirup
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Most impressive. And most helpful:
On the first Saturday of November WITH MANY KEY LEADERS AWAY Spirit builders still were able to take down a ramp and build approximately 250 feet of new ramp, freeing 6 souls by providing means for them to get out of their homes with dignity.
As we continue to make a significant difference to the disabled community a number of Spirit Builders "worker bees" have graduated to ramp co-leaders. We continue to nurture and develop volunteers to become leaders in this vital mission.
But remember: When The Spirit Builders Council decided on its three-part mission in 2009, #2 was defined as helping community families in need with light construction. While access ramps has become the lion's share of this "light construction" it is not all of it. Over the years Spirit Builders have performed renovations on a number of homes.
In November Spirit Builders worked on two such homes helping the owner families through a rough patch in life's journey.
All Spirit Builders enjoyed summer relaxation during the month of August…That does not mean that our public of access challenged people went ignored however. A couple of leaders snuck in and worked with family members to build five access ramps and free five people otherwise stuck indoors during this beautiful time of the year.A dedicated group of volunteers also disassembled and refurbished a 120-foot ramp to provide parts for some of the new ramps. Spirit Builders also had a couple of reunion lunches in August where some time sensitive work on the Bridge got addressedAfter lying low through Labor Day, Spirit Builders will start meeting at the Bridge every Thursday at 8:30 to do the bridge punchlist. Also Thursdays and the first Saturday of each month will be dedicated to that work, ramp builds and new projects.Our first Saturday work day in September will actually be on September 14.... And you are invited! God blesses us to have fun being a blessing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------JUNE IS THE LAST MONTH OF BUILDING THE BRIDGE!...
...before we do some finish work in the fall : )
But we are planning on functional occupancy by the end of June.
So now is your chance to help make it all come together!
Besides our usual first Saturday of the month work day (JUNE 1) we are planning an extra Saturday opportunity on June 8. This one comes with a Thanksgiving feast including roasted Turkeys, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie etc. What could be better than that?...
Well, on Saturday, June 1 chef extraordinaire, Doug Clewell, will be serving his famous pulled pork to all Spirit Builders working on The Bridge! In May Spirit Builders built a big ramp and a medium sized ramp and delivered two substantial ramp kits for people with mobility crises while concentrating on the Bridge Construction.
Join us for lunch both days in Martin Hall!
With the help of ASP Senior Skills volunteers we painted the newly sheet rocked walls and the four coats of hand-mixed and hand applied stucco are almost complete.
Saturday June 1 we will be, of course, building some ramps to give people the dignity of mobility. We also plan to install the stunningly beautiful flooring that we have chosen for the Bridge. Hot on the heals of the flooring will be installation of the interior trim the same day.
Saturday June 8 you might want to help pack 15,000 meals with Ridgefield Rises Against Hunger in the morning and then feed your own hunger with our Thanksgiving Feast at the Church before helping apply the final coat of paint inside and out of the Bridge.
WE LOVE WORKING ON A CHURCH!
ANOTHER WHIRLWIND MONTH AS WE MOVE INTO SPRING! Jesse Lee's army of Spirit Builders are working in high gear trying to get functional occupancy of and a C. O. for our new Bridge over the Portico by the end of June.
All the while we do not want to neglect those in our disabled community who need access ramps.
On the first Saturday of April three crews of Spirit Builders took down a 90-ft ramp near Torrington that they built for an ALS patient last year. Then two of the crews each built a ramp for a disabled child also in Torrington. The third crew used the rest of the parts from the 90-ft ramp to built a ramp in Newington for a third disabled child. Each family participated and was very moved by the process.
At the Bridge, with the help of ASP Senior Skills training volunteers, Spirit Builders put up new bead board on the ceiling of the Portico and put up the other half of the sheetrock inside the Bridge (half went up last month)
Also crews put on the first coat of drywall mud and applied more stucco to the outside Tudor walls.
During April, besides the first Saturday and every Thursday, we had some "surgical strike" days to move the sheetrock mud and stucco along to keep on our critical construction path. It really is coming together!
A woman is stuck in her house in Trumbull and you can help build a 50ft ramp to set her free. It is profound how much positive difference this makes to a person with ALS. A gentleman suffering from MS, and his wife are living in the garage level of their home in Waterbury since he is unable to get upstairs. You can help install one of our wheelchair elevators and a 50ft boardwalk leading to it. They promise to make you the best Jamaican food for lunch that you have ever had! We will also be laying concrete block outside of the Narthex for the new fire exit steps, laying the new handicap bathroom floor tile up in the choir area and working on the punch list from this Phase I of the Jesse Lee Accessibility Project.
Here at the Church Doug Clewell will be putting on one of his signature cookouts with his legendary pulled pork. It is ambitious, but so important.
LOVE WORKING ON A CHURCH!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The accessible Playscape at Farmingville elementary school is finished. The dedication at theschool was moving and electric. Third grader Edwardo emerged from the second floor of the Barn and swooped down the ramp in his wheel chair to address the crowd. Beaming he summed our creation as “EPIC”!Please give some thought as to what days you might be able to give to these endeavors to serve those less fortunate. Sign up in the NarthexGod blesses you to be a blessing.