Today is the last company work day in Biloxi, MS for 2006.
While there have been some glitches along the way here and there, I haven't heard anyone say anything but positive things about us being here and I'm VERY encouraged by how many folks are talking about returning next year however they can. I hope that the time we’ve spent here and the volunteers that have made the trip in 2006 will be enough to convince management that we should return in 2007.
Dan, Deb, and I drove to the Village for our last day with the crew there. Deb goes back to her sheetrock job, which she seems to really enjoy. It's always nice when you find something that you're good at and that you like doing - especially when it's outside of your usual comfort zone. I know I’ve mentioned that I'm klutzy - so doing finishing painting was a REAL challenge plus I wasn't very good at it. Turns out "klutzy" is great for demo - and I like doing it. Heck, anytime a Louisville Slugger can be used as a tool of progress, good times are bound to follow, right? Am I bruised? Of course I am. In fact, there's a bruise on my left arm that probably will be with me a month from now. (I connected with a beam that was tougher than I was.) Were the bruises, sore muscles and aching feet worth it? No question. Sadly I’m guessing that when I return in 2007, there will still be demo to be done. Jim was right – this work will continue for years to come.
The other teams will be wrapping up today too, of course – wrapping up as much as they can so that the next week’s volunteers can pick up right where they left off. Most of the crews come to the realization that they won’t be “finishing” whatever their assignment is, so you just want to tie it up as much as you can before the week is over. It is commonplace at the camp to have Friday crews miss dinner because they just don’t want to quit until they’re really, truly done.
Dan, Deb, and I drove to the Village for our last day with the crew there. Deb goes back to her sheetrock job, which she seems to really enjoy. It's always nice when you find something that you're good at and that you like doing - especially when it's outside of your usual comfort zone. I know I’ve mentioned that I'm klutzy - so doing finishing painting was a REAL challenge plus I wasn't very good at it. Turns out "klutzy" is great for demo - and I like doing it. Heck, anytime a Louisville Slugger can be used as a tool of progress, good times are bound to follow, right? Am I bruised? Of course I am. In fact, there's a bruise on my left arm that probably will be with me a month from now. (I connected with a beam that was tougher than I was.) Were the bruises, sore muscles and aching feet worth it? No question. Sadly I’m guessing that when I return in 2007, there will still be demo to be done. Jim was right – this work will continue for years to come.
The other teams will be wrapping up today too, of course – wrapping up as much as they can so that the next week’s volunteers can pick up right where they left off. Most of the crews come to the realization that they won’t be “finishing” whatever their assignment is, so you just want to tie it up as much as you can before the week is over. It is commonplace at the camp to have Friday crews miss dinner because they just don’t want to quit until they’re really, truly done.
Dan and I join Arlen and head to our house - 157 Keller Street. We start out by draining the water heater and clearing out the bathroom and by 10am, we can safely see that we'll be done by Noon. I've dropped Jim a note requesting a few minutes of his time during the afternoon for a possible tour of the area and during a break, I check my email and see that he's agreed to do this. I'm always surprised by his ability to juggle his many responsibilities, his willingness to take on even more things to do while managing to keep his sense of humor - it's a skill I would like to develop further myself.
Jim drops by around 10:30am and we get a thumbs-up on what we've accomplished. By 11:30am, we load up the wheelbarrow one last time, gather our tools and take a LOT of photos of what will probably wind up looking like a whole bunch of nothing ... but it'll like a finished job to Arlen, Dan and I.
At lunch, Deb joins us and the three of us are assembled for Jim at 1pm. He asks me what I've already taken them to see and I'm surprised at how I refer to these places so much like the rest of Jim's team. I know addresses and the families that will occupy these sites, I make sure to call them homes, not "houses", plus I actually know the layout of the town and how to get from A to B (something I'm embarrassed to admit I cannot do in the city where I work). I've only been here three weeks - and not even consecutive weeks, at that - but clearly this place and these people have made a deep impression with me.
Jim takes us to see the Biloxi Bay Bridge or, rather, to NOT see it.
We also visit the Hurricane Camille Memorial (which has Katrina damage).
Jim drives us through a graveyard that was damaged
(and he points out the headstone of a decorated veteran of the Indian Wars, if you can believe it).
Of course, we also visit the Reddix home (which you saw at the start of this weeks’ journal). We review the plans for the Reddix home (since we won’t be around to see it completed),
check out the framed interior walls that will soon be ready for insulation and sheetrock,
and inspect the windows and porch to make sure they past OUR standards.
We also go to Mr. Lee’s home, which is ready for electrical inspection and sheetrock
– and to Miss Dickson's home, which has had the interior ceiling sprayed for texture+the+tapers.JPG)
and is being taped to prepare for primer). 
Jim kindly gives us 2 hours of his day and we say our goodbyes in the parking lot as he's off to another meeting. I'll see him in a few months because honestly I can't think of a better, more rewarding way to spend my sabbatical (and yes, I know it's *6* weeks, but I'll commit to 4 for now and see how I feel about giving more than that in a month or so). I can't believe that I've only known Jim, Nancy, and their team for less than 2 months. We joke and talk to one another like old friends and already exchange e-mails at least weekly.
Since I'm writing this at 5:07pmCT, I can't really end this journal "nice and neat". I am happy to tell you that Miss Iona will be moved in to her new home next week, prior to Thanksgiving – just as Jim and his team planned it.
I'm sure that the remaining volunteers will be back at camp shortly and that we'll get together and do something on our final night here.
The other reason I can't end it is that this isn't ending and I’m reminded of that as I drive through the streets of Biloxi. There are an abundance of homes that need attention.
Plus, there's nothing "nice and neat" about Biloxi. The work we've done ... the work being done ... will still be happening in 2007 and in 2008. Will we remember these people and their stories then? They'll still have a need to be remembered, and there will still be a need to respond - at any level possible. I'm happy that the company remembered and responded in 2006.
**************************************************************************************
I'm proud and absolutely honored to list our 2006 “Biloxi-bound” Volunteers:
Bruce B. ........... Paula B. ................ Jaime B. .............. Marcio C.
Eva C. .............. Patricia C. ............. Michael D. ........... Mark D.
Bruce D. ........... Danny D. ............... Rebecca D. (and her new dog, Billy)
Emily F. ........... Kevin K. ................. Kerry Ann L. ........ Deb L.
John L. ............ John M. .................. Karen R. .............. Tim S.
Silke S. ............ JJ S. ...................... Scott T. ................ Dan V.
… and Jules
Take fun. Have Care. Be good.
Jim drops by around 10:30am and we get a thumbs-up on what we've accomplished. By 11:30am, we load up the wheelbarrow one last time, gather our tools and take a LOT of photos of what will probably wind up looking like a whole bunch of nothing ... but it'll like a finished job to Arlen, Dan and I.
At lunch, Deb joins us and the three of us are assembled for Jim at 1pm. He asks me what I've already taken them to see and I'm surprised at how I refer to these places so much like the rest of Jim's team. I know addresses and the families that will occupy these sites, I make sure to call them homes, not "houses", plus I actually know the layout of the town and how to get from A to B (something I'm embarrassed to admit I cannot do in the city where I work). I've only been here three weeks - and not even consecutive weeks, at that - but clearly this place and these people have made a deep impression with me.
Jim takes us to see the Biloxi Bay Bridge or, rather, to NOT see it.
We also visit the Hurricane Camille Memorial (which has Katrina damage).
Jim drives us through a graveyard that was damaged
(and he points out the headstone of a decorated veteran of the Indian Wars, if you can believe it).
Of course, we also visit the Reddix home (which you saw at the start of this weeks’ journal). We review the plans for the Reddix home (since we won’t be around to see it completed),
check out the framed interior walls that will soon be ready for insulation and sheetrock,
and inspect the windows and porch to make sure they past OUR standards.
We also go to Mr. Lee’s home, which is ready for electrical inspection and sheetrock
– and to Miss Dickson's home, which has had the interior ceiling sprayed for texture
+the+tapers.JPG)
and is being taped to prepare for primer). 
Jim kindly gives us 2 hours of his day and we say our goodbyes in the parking lot as he's off to another meeting. I'll see him in a few months because honestly I can't think of a better, more rewarding way to spend my sabbatical (and yes, I know it's *6* weeks, but I'll commit to 4 for now and see how I feel about giving more than that in a month or so). I can't believe that I've only known Jim, Nancy, and their team for less than 2 months. We joke and talk to one another like old friends and already exchange e-mails at least weekly.
Since I'm writing this at 5:07pmCT, I can't really end this journal "nice and neat". I am happy to tell you that Miss Iona will be moved in to her new home next week, prior to Thanksgiving – just as Jim and his team planned it.
I'm sure that the remaining volunteers will be back at camp shortly and that we'll get together and do something on our final night here.
The other reason I can't end it is that this isn't ending and I’m reminded of that as I drive through the streets of Biloxi. There are an abundance of homes that need attention.
Plus, there's nothing "nice and neat" about Biloxi. The work we've done ... the work being done ... will still be happening in 2007 and in 2008. Will we remember these people and their stories then? They'll still have a need to be remembered, and there will still be a need to respond - at any level possible. I'm happy that the company remembered and responded in 2006.
**************************************************************************************
I'm proud and absolutely honored to list our 2006 “Biloxi-bound” Volunteers:
Bruce B. ........... Paula B. ................ Jaime B. .............. Marcio C.
Eva C. .............. Patricia C. ............. Michael D. ........... Mark D.
Bruce D. ........... Danny D. ............... Rebecca D. (and her new dog, Billy)
Emily F. ........... Kevin K. ................. Kerry Ann L. ........ Deb L.
John L. ............ John M. .................. Karen R. .............. Tim S.
Silke S. ............ JJ S. ...................... Scott T. ................ Dan V.
… and Jules
Take fun. Have Care. Be good.
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