HABITAT FOR HUMANITY Photo Gallery for May 5th & 6th

This is an unusual Scrapbook Photos series of pages.  My wife, Donna, has wanted to become involved with Habitat for Humanity for quite some time.  So, when our church joined several others in a Habitat build project (May thru July 2004), there was not any real question about whether we would be participating.  Personally, I have spent more than enough time in my life with a hammer and various other tools in my hand.  So, when Habitat called, having seen photographer on my volunteer sheet, and asked if I would be willing to take pictures, trading a hammer for a camera was not a difficult decision.  However, the Lansing chapter does not yet have their website up and running as of this writing.  Hence, these pages are being developed as we go, unlike the usual "been there - done that" situation when I am choosing photos and designing pages after the fact. 

Most of you will, of course, see these pages in subsequent years when it is all built and simply history.  But, hopefully, you can get a feel for how it took place. 

 

 
My first visit to the site was on Wednesday May 5, 2004.

The above photo was the very first picture I took.  The basement had been previously poured and the deck was already framed. 

Nobody was working at that time. I had simply wanted to be sure I could find my way there before Thursday, when some more work would take place. 

I took the roundabout way that first day - not the easiest one.

 
 
 

The next day, on May 6th, I had a number of tasks demanding my time, and I did not get to the site until around 11:00 that morning. 

A small group of students from Eastern High School, their teacher, and a Habitat leader were working on basement window wells. 

As I understand it, a GM jobs bank crew had been there earlier to put the decking on. 

 

I had stopped by the Habitat office to get a copy of the work schedule beyond what the church groups were going to do. 

Michigan State University has a Habitat chapter, and some students were scheduled to help inventory and position the wall panels on Wednesday, May 12th from 6 to 9 p.m. 

The panels are constructed in the Prison Build Program and were delivered to the site. 

 
 
 

Wow, that was fast!

On Thursday, May 13, the church groups officially started participating. Once again, my schedule did not permit me to arrive at the build until around 11:00.  I found quite a crowd though, and they already had almost all the exterior, plus many interior, walls up. 

Rain, in the afternoon, slowed things down,  but it was still a dramatic visual change. 

 

I decided I needed to arrive when things were getting started at 9:00 a.m.

Originally, the goal for Friday, May 14th, was to have the trusses up and some roof.  But, by afternoon, the weather looked a little iffy (possible storms were predicted).  So a sundry of smaller details were taken care of. 

Friday's crew was substantially smaller, but very productive none the less. 

 
 
 

At 8:45 a.m. on Saturday, May 15, things were pretty close to being ready for lifting and positioning the trusses. 

It was a very chilly day, and a major parade blocking the route in had the crew leaders concerned when only six people showed up. 

But, by afternoon, the parade was done, over four times that many ultimately arrived, and the trusses finally got put in place. 

 

I took Sunday off.  Arriving shortly after 9:00 a.m. on Monday, May 17th, I found most of the sheeting on one side of the roof completed.  Since I had another commitment at noon, I could only remain a couple of hours. 

To date, I have been "on site" over 20 hours and spent well over double that inventorying the photos and laying out the pages in my computer.  A couple of times, I showed someone how to do something easier, but you do not need to lift a hammer to be of assistance.  There are many ways to participate. 

Whatever your skills, Habitat for Humanity can use your help too.

 
 

 

On my way to a business meeting in Lansing yesterday (Wednesday, May 19th) I took this photo.  It is the last one I have taken, as I prepare to upload these pages to my site.  Obviously, a lot of things had to be placed on the back burners in order to spend so many hours on this.  Those items now demand attention. 

Looks almost done from the outside.  But, it is not even close.  Some additional selections, and future shots, can be viewed, by clicking on the various photo galleries below. 

 

HFHL GALLERIES
(not all photos taken are pictured)

Wed/Thurs, May 5th & 6th

Wednesday, May 12th

Thursday, May 13th

Friday, May 14th

Saturday, May 15th

Mon/Wed, May 17th & 19th

Fri/Sat, May 21st & 22nd

Wed/Thurs, May 26th & 27th

Fri/Sat, June 4th & 5th

Wed/Fri/Sat, June 9, 11, 12th

Fri/Sat, June 18th & 19th

Fri/Sat, June 25th & 26th

Remaining Days & Dedication

Contact Habitat Lansing or
a touch of william with any questions,
or to view all photos taken.