Gulf Breeze, Florida Disaster Recovery Project

We have an extra large crew this first week in Florida.  

From the left is Pat, Gary, Jean, Larry, Marsha, Calvin, Sara, Carolyn, Gene, Jodi, Loren and Donna.  (Stel taking the picture so Jodi can get in the picture for a change.)  We shared a BYO meal in our team trailer.

We were so busy the first two days that we forgot to get pictures.  We split into 2 groups to work on two different houses.  This disaster project is the result of flash flooding last winter/spring.  This area received 26 inches of rain in two days and caused flooding in areas not normally known for flooding.  Both of the houses we worked on this week were the homes of retired single women.  One has been out of her house since the flooding and the crew is working on finishing work with the main construction having been completed by Mennonite crews.  They have painting, painting, painting and floor installation.

We have the second house owned by Delores.  She had drywall damage handled by previous volunteers and friends.  We were to paint two bedrooms and install laminate flooring there.  She also had laminate floor in the kitchen ruined so we are to install vinyl there.  She also had a sunken room off the living room and the steps had warped and caused the ceramic tile to come off and/or be warped out of place.  We are to install cement board as a base and install new ceramic tile on these steps.

Stel & Loren installed the cement board and began the planning for the ceramic tile.

Donna "donned"  her wet suit to cut the ceramic tile.

Donna and Loren  installed the tile.

With Delores and her "children" overseeing the work, Carolyn prepared the old floor to accept new "groutable" vinyl tile.  Carolyn and Gene began the layout and intallation of the tile.

Stel and Jodi installed the laminate in the first bedroom.

 

Donna and Loren and Carolyn and Gene left the project on Friday.  Both couples had been here since before Christmas and they were ready to move on.  Next week, others will be joining Jodi and Stel at Delores' house to grout the ceramic, finish installing the vinyl and grouting it and installing laminate in the second bedroom.  There are some other small finishing touches like reinstalling baseboards, electric covers and touch up painting.

This work is so rewarding to us.  Both women in these houses were ready to give up and walk away until the recovery agency and volunteers arrived.  God sends the right people to do the work needed and we are blessed to be a part of it.