It all started with an email. “Look into volunteering opportunities for Babcock & Jenkins,” Denise said. And so it began, and before I knew it we were assigned to work at a house in Southeast Portland by Rebuilding Together, a national organization with the mission of “Volunteers Rebuilding and Repairing the Homes of Those in Need.”
I crawled out of bed that Saturday (after having gone to a concert the previous night, maybe not the best idea) and headed for Jim’s house. Jim, the homeowner, made rounds all day, getting to know us all and helping out where he was needed. When I introduced myself I quickly found Jim to be an amazing guy to talk to; he’s a deft listener who puts your interests before his. Quiet but quite passionate about his life’s work and interests. I chatted him up a bit, asking him for direction as we prepared to rebuild the lawn. His constant response to us all: do what you’re doing, it looks great.
Denise Barnes, President, hard at work.
We arrived at the house a little past 8, having been sent after coffee for the troops. I was impressed to find many of my co-workers already hard at work. I signed a waiver (you know, in case I accidentally severed a limb, broke a toe, broke someone else’s toe, etc.) and grabbed a garden tool.
Our most important items of business for the day: two pieces of yard that greet guests as they approach the property and painting the house. We dug right in: Lauren, Denise, Lisa and Ali pulled knee-high weeds while Brent and I raked and hoed away excess grass and greenery. A little later we decided we’d need more to work with so we sent Brent and Lisa off in search of bark dust (graciously provided by Rebuilding Together), Round-Up, shrubs and flowers. The rest of us continued to work preparing the ground for its eventual makeover.
Climbing the ladder, Julie Wisdom, with Jim Barntish on the roof.
After lunch when I thought I couldn’t pull another weed or move another rock R.D. stepped in to take my place (what a guy!). I wanted to check out what other folks had been up to all day. Dave and Will scrubbed the roof, removing years of moss build-up. Eli, Mitsy, Debbie, Ron, Jim, Julie, Scott and Jin painted the house. A couple of engineers assigned to this project replaced some rotting wood under the siding of the house. Others washed siding and windows in preparation for a new coat of paint. Still others picked up trash and moved tons of river rock. After a quick loop around the property (and a bottle of cold water) I was back at it, amazed at all we had accomplished in six short hours. Even the neighbors started to take notice.
That’s me up front, with a bunch of the team.
Brent and Lisa returned with supplies to polish off the yard work in the front. Things shifted into high gear at this point; the day was winding down and not finishing the lawn was not an option we wanted to consider. Shrubs were arranged, flowers planted, bark dust flowed from the bed of the truck. In no time we were looking at a revitalized yard.
Lauren Goldstein likes what she sees.
By days end we had landscaped the front of the property, painted the house, and tidied up by filling an industrial Dumpster with years of detritus Jim had collected during the lifetime he’d lived there. We all had sore backs, spent muscles, blisters and a satisfying sense of accomplishment. We’ve all gotten soft working in an office, but we haven’t lost our perspective.
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