Week 6 Pictures

 Enjoy a sampling of our final week in West Virginia this summer....

Friday, July 26, 2013

"No man or woman, even the humblest of sort, can really be strong, gentle, pure and good without the world being better for it; without somebody being helped and comforted by the very existence of that goodness."
Phillips Brook

The last day of the WV portion of the summer...always a bittersweet day. It usually turns into a day of looking back at all that was accomplished during the summer, and amazing how fast time goes.

Today most of the volunteers spent their morning helping to pack up and move all of the PV gear out of the school and down to St. Vincent DePaul. The process is so much nicer with all the extra sets of hands. After six truck/van loads most of what could be brought down was brought down to Pineville. Tomorrow morning we will finish of with a couple more truck loads and should be able to call it done.

Not to get lost in the shuffle, today was the last day of the Mullens Basketball Camp. This was the first year that we held the camp in Mullens, and the first year at The Way. We were very pleased with the turnout and the support from the parents and volunteers alike. Big thanks also to Coach D for providing another wonderful camp experience for so many kids.

After camp and after moving, many volunteers headed up to Glen Rogers Manor for one last round of Banana Bingo. It has been a pleasure to be with the residents, play games, sing and paint nails.

Since all of our dishes and kitchen items have been packed up, we treated everyone to pizza for the last night, along with quite a variety of snacks, cookies, chips, etc.  We still have quite a lot of eating to do tonight....

Tonight was also the closing reflection in West Virginia. We shared why we felt that we were in WV this summer and when that became apparent to us. The last reflection is always a nice way to wrap up the summer experience.

(Pictures from the last week will be posted before the weekend is finished)

Thank you to all the PVs who chose to be a part of the West Virginia PV experience! Onward to Brooklyn....

Thursday, July 25, 2013

"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concern of all humanity."
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today was the last day of our home repair program for the summer. Because of that, we were able to finish up the last three sites that we had open still. The rubber roofing (EPDM) was completed in Pineville, the drainage ditch was finished in Oceana, and final touch-ups to the trailer that we built the new porch and ramp, and replaced some flooring in Bailyesville were completed. For the most part volunteers finished up a little early so they were able to help with a few odds and ends around the school that a teacher asked us for help with, as well as begin to prepare for the big move tomorrow.

We did still have the Basketball Camp going on today. It was another great day with the kids. They have improved so much in the few days that they have been with Coach "D," it has been amazing.

Dinner tonight was a little bit of everything from before. It was leftover night as we were trying to clean out the fridge. Leftovers always seem to be better the second time around, so it was a good and eclectic meal. We did get to have freshly made oatmeal raisin and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. (Are you jealous?)

Tonight's reflection was all about relaxation. Soothing music was played and we even received a backrub to boot!

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

"We have to dare to be ourselves, however frightening or strange that self may prove to be."
May Sarton

Today we finished two sites, almost finished two others, putting us in good shape to end the summer program accomplishing all that we set out to do. The porch roof in Baileysville was stabilized and the gap between the house and porch filled. When the volunteers arrived this morning to do the finishing touches, the home owner had already put flowers and candles up the steps and moved all her furniture onto the porch. She was thrilled to have some shade to escape the heat.

The other site we finished was a site that was pretty much completed a couple of weeks ago, but once again needed a few finishing touches. This was a site in Corrine building a ramp for a wheelchair bound woman. She was very excited to have a better way in and out of her house.

We also continued working at the roofing site in Pineville. The crew did a wonderful job, but had to stop as they run out of the adhesive which was getting picked up in Charleston today. Tomorrow they should be able to finish the site off. They have had a lot of support from the home owner and his family throughout the project, as well as the assistance of a young man from the local parish.

We also started a new project in Oceana today, helping a couple with their roof and windows. The couple recently bought the trailer, but is unable to any of the much needed work throughout their home. We are trying to do as much as we can before the summer program ends.

Basketball Camp continued in Mullens today. Each day the camp picks up a new child or two as kids go home and tell their friends about the camp. These kids are getting a top notch camp and an experience of a lifetime thanks to Coach "D" and the PVs who have helped him each day.

We once again had a wonderful dinner, chicken (marinated overnight), rice, 3 bean salad and a green salad. After reflection we had frozen watermelon on a stick. Yummy, yummy.

Our nightly reflection tonight drew from the homily this Sunday where the Martha and Mary story was shared and the importance of hospitality and priorities was emphasized. For reflection we were asked to reflect on five things that are priorities to us and then to order those five items in order of importance. We then went around the room and shared a new and a good, and if we wanted a priority.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."
Henry David Thoreau

To keep with the rain theme from the last few days, it poured over night and was drizzling a bit in the morning, but turned out to be a very pleasant day.We continued to work at site in Baileysville where we completed the porch roof, put stairs on the railings and put on a new storm door. All that is left here is to connect the porch and trailer roofs together.

We also continued, and pretty much finished working at the other site in Baileysville. Today's crew hung a gutter and installed indoor/outdoor carpeting on the newly laid living room floor. All that is left at this site is to haul away the old porch and to backfill a few of the 4x4's

We also started a new site today in Pineville. At this site we started to install the rubber roofing. The home owner has been doing a lot of work in the trailer, but all that would be ruined if the roof isn't fixed. About 1/3 of the trailer was completed today.

We also had Basketball Camp again in Mullens. As word must have gotten out yesterday, we doubled the numbers at the camps. The kids are learning a lot and having a lot of fun.

Tonight for dinner we had what seems to be a bit of a PV tradition, shepherds pie. At some point each summer someone, and always the same person, makes shepherds pie which is always a wonderful, comforting meal. With the shepherds pie we had grilled green beans (straight from a PVs garden) and salad.  To top off the meal we were treated to homemade apple crisp. Yummy!

Tonight we reflected on the story of the Good Samaritan and how everyone is our neighbor. We also went around the circle and shared a new and good for the day.

Monday, July 22, 2013

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face...You must do the thing you think you cannot do."
Eleanor Roosevelt

Isn't there a saying about dodging raindrops? This was definitely the case today as the volunteers had to deal with showers, on and off all day. The site in Baileysville in particular had all outdoor work to do. They spent quite a deal of time waiting out the showers in the truck. There were able to make some progress between storms and they were able to finish the washing of the trailer that started last week.

We also continued on the other site we were working on last week in Baileysville. This is the site that had roofing, porch building and ramp building going on. Today volunteers were able to finish the porch roof, lay all the plywood for new flooring in the living room and fix the front door. The whole house is really coming together.

The third home repair site was also one that carried over from last week, a flooring site in Brenton. Today the volunteers were able to lay all the vinyl tile in the hallway and bathroom, as well as put tar where the porch roof meets the trailer roof to help with the leaking water. Much to our surprise, this site was completed today!

The fourth site of the day was the Basketball Camp in Mullens. We held the camp at The Way youth center. Many PVs will recognize the name of the center since a couple of summers ago the PVs put a lot of work into the construction inside the building. This is our first time having a basketball camp in Mullens, and it seemed to be a perfect place to hold it. The turnout for the morning and afternoon sessions were very good considering there was another basketball camp being held just up the road. Due to the generosity of the PV running the camp, the camp is free and kids who aren't able to attend the other camp can come and learn and have fun at the PV Camp.

Dinner tonight was yummy (beans, rice and chicken) and the best part, everything other than the chicken was already in the cupboard! Even though it is a simple meal, it is quite satisfying.

The theme of reflection tonight was lending a hand. Several quotes and readings were shared about the importance of lending a hand to others. We were asked to share when we felt that we lent a hand to someone.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Happy PV Community Day!!! We started off the day going to Mass in Pineville and followed it up with lunch back at the school. After everyone ate we dodged the rain and went to the RD Bailey Dam overlook. It would rain for 5 minutes and then stop, then rain again. After getting a little wet we decided to head back to the school. Once back at the school we conducted orientation and re-orientation for the group.

With all the logistical items out of the way, we gathered together for dinner. We had our last cook out of the summer, and the burgers were scrumptious.

We closed the evening with Commissioning and jobsites for tomorrow. It is pretty amazing that it is the last week of the program already. Lots to do still, but it will get done!!!!

Friday, July 19, 2013

"We can do no great things, only small things with great love."
Mother Teresa

We are back and fully back into the swing of things. Today the volunteers went to Mullens to help with distribution day at the Itmann Food Bank. It was another busy day, as close to 500 families came through to pick up food, clothing and housewares. In the afternoon the commodities truck came so volunteers helped to unload and organize the new food for future distribution.

After the food bank the volunteers went to Glen Rogers Manor to play a little Banana Bingo, paint nails and just have conversations with the residents.

For dinner tonight we enjoyed the leftovers from last Thursday's dinner, pasta and chicken. Yum, yum!

We wrapped up the evening with a sharing of the new and good, always a nice way to end any day.

A couple day break

After a busy week last week, we are taking a little break, but will be back Wednesday. However, we wanted to share a couple of exciting life events in PV land.

At the beginning of June, Rebecca and Rob (from Kansas) got married. Some of you might remember Rebecca and Rob got engaged in WV last summer at the New River Gorge while enjoying their free Saturday.

Also on the wedding front, this past weekend Jeremy S got married in Atchison , KS. Several PVs were present to witness Jeremy and Ruth's union. By all accounts it was a beautiful day.

On the baby front, Marisa from Delaware, gave birth to a beautiful baby boy at the end of June. While she will not be able to come this summer, she is already looking forward to bringing him down and introducing him to the PVs.

There have also been numerous high school and college graduations, too many to list, but congratulations to all the PVs celebrating.

Congratulations to all the PVs celebrating wonderful milestones in their lives!

Week 4 Pictures