Cleaning out old file folders I found a paper copy of the journal from my first Habitat for Humanity Detroit volunteer experience: a weeklong volunteer activity at the Archer/McNamara Blitz Build 1997.
I forgot about my journal (it’s been over 25 years), but remembered how excited I was to publish updates each day on the church website (which I managed) as part of mission outreach to our congregation.
Sadly, I only found the printout of day 4 of the blitz build.
There weren’t any other printouts in my file folders. No files in my old computer backups.
And the church website (we moved to another church over 20 years ago) no longer has any online info about the event.
So I’m following my own advice, to own your content, and publish my day 4 blitz build journal on my own website.
Day 4: Archer/McNamera Blitz Build 1997
Hi everyone,
Remember when you used to play in the mud when you were young? Did you ever get your brother to eat one of your mud cakes like I did?
Well, today was supposed to be mud day.
Mud as in the kind of stuff you use to fill in cracks and seams of drywall, not the kind you get your brother to eat.
I spent the day looking for mud, carrying mud, and trying to find mudders.
I thought mudders were the people married to your fathers, but I learned mudders are very important people who have to finish their work before you can paint, trim walls, hang cabinets, and install flooring.
There’s a lot to know about mud when it comes to housebuilding.
As in there are two different kinds, and you have to use them in a particular order.
Or it just won’t stick, like mud.
The weather was great today. Humidity was low.
Most volunteers stayed for the 7AM to 5PM shift which meant we had a lot of people who could commit to long projects.
The roof is complete and vinyl siding is almost done.
Tomorrow is the last day of the Blitz Build, but we’re pretty far behind schedule.
Mudders (yes, there’s that term again) arrived late in the afternoon to put on the first coat of drywall mud and taping.
They’ll return tomorrow to add the second coat. Then we volunteers will start to sand and finally paint.
It seems like a long process.
We had a slight mishap yesterday. One of the women painting house trim had an accident when the sawhorses she used to lay out trim collapsed on her.
Yikes!
A Detroit police officer who happened to be driving by the house took her to the hospital.
We learned today she broke her ankle. She had volunteered all week and was one of the friendliest people working on the house.
We wish her the best on a speedy recovery. And miss chatting with her and having her as part of the crew.
Habitat organizing volunteers put centerpieces on our tables for dinner tonight: bowls of licorice candy and real begonia plants.
They must know we’re getting pretty tired and that small things make a difference.
The dedication is tomorrow afternoon at 3PM no matter what state the house is in.
Millard Fuller, the founder of Habitat, will be at the dedication in late afternoon. A crew of 20 new volunteers are arriving tomorrow and expectations are we will get a lot done.
Keep your hopes up we’re able to get through a lot of the work tomorrow.
Regards,
Deborah
About the Archer/McNamara Blitz Build 1997
Named for Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer (who I met and photographed for Habitat Detroit a few years later) and Wayne County Executive Edward H. McNamara, the Archer/McNamara Blitz Build 1997 was a weeklong housebuilding event held in the Westwood Park area, near Evergreen and Schoolcraft.
Over 1,000 volunteers participated in the blitz build, working in crews to build 20 new homes in one week.
As the coordinating volunteer for the build at our church, I recruited and organized a group of church members to help build a house.
For folks who are curious, can you find me in the photo?
