2017 Habitat for Humanity Build, Bayfield Colorado
After
my rest period at Priest Gulch, I went to Bayfield Colorado to participate in
the Habitat for Humanity duplex build.
We had a total of 6 Care-A-Vanners assigned to the project for a 2-week Period
Habitat for Humanity Care-A-Vanner is a volunteer program for anyone who travels in a recreation vehicle, wants to make new friends, wants to build a habitat houses and have fun doing it. Most builds are for a 2-week period with the option to stay longer if desired. There are in excess of 700 builds all over the US and Canada to choose from. At any given time there are about 6,000 Habitat Care-A-Vanners on the road.
This makes the 3rd duplex I have been involved in at Bayfield, Colorado. It was a real pleasure to work with the group this year. It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling to be able to help a family obtain affordable housing. Another great pleasure, we get to meet the families and work side by side with them during their Saturday sweat equity (recipients must work 250 hours per adult).
Habitat for Humanity Care-A-Vanner is a volunteer program for anyone who travels in a recreation vehicle, wants to make new friends, wants to build a habitat houses and have fun doing it. Most builds are for a 2-week period with the option to stay longer if desired. There are in excess of 700 builds all over the US and Canada to choose from. At any given time there are about 6,000 Habitat Care-A-Vanners on the road.
This makes the 3rd duplex I have been involved in at Bayfield, Colorado. It was a real pleasure to work with the group this year. It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling to be able to help a family obtain affordable housing. Another great pleasure, we get to meet the families and work side by side with them during their Saturday sweat equity (recipients must work 250 hours per adult).
Every year I end up making new friends. I met Joe and Paula Henrick in 2015 on a build. To this day we remain good friends.My tasks this year were, wrapping the building with moisture proof cloth, siding, framing windows, installing upper trim, soffits and belly board. I didn't spend much time on the ground, I worked 85% from the scaffolding.
By far the toughest task was putting on the soffit and upper level siding (4X8 sheets) , working up high, upside down and using a 5 pound nail gun (felt like 20 pounds by the end of the day) was a challenge for my arms, by the end of the day I was a little sore.
Before & After Pictures
Front
Back
North Side
South Side
Saturday paint and caulking crew
Red shirt (me) White shirt (Bill) Installing Soffits and trim
Lowering the and moving scaffolding
Alan our project manager has these words of wisdom that he throws out now and then, example: Safety has no seasons, Hold the phone, Alto Alto, Shaking the bush boss and my favorite, Do I need to get the shovel. If you happen to be standing around, he will get you a shovel to lean on, he relates it to road construction crews who stand around while one guy does the work. The group decided to get back at him by giving him a gold shovel with a safety belt. Of course the whole thing is just a joke, however we have alot of fun teasing each other.
(Front row, right to left) Alan, Joe, Susan, Paula, Steve, Me
(Back row, right to left) Eric, Bill, Natalie
Kathy, Steve's wife is missing
The young couple in the front row on the left are the new home owners. The other members are friends that are helping them.
After our last day we gathered at my motor home to have lunch and to say our goodbyes
On our first Saturday on the job site, I invited Alan( Program Manager) and his wife Carol, Joe & Paula and Susan Cooper to a salmon feast. In return Alan invited us to his house on our last Saturday for dinner.
I will be back next year.
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