Return to Baton Rouge 2019

We have returned to Baton Rouge, Louisiana for the Disaster Recovery project. 

Our host church is Francis Asbury UMC which is also the home of the Louisiana Conference Disaster Recovery headquarters.

The Conference has provided full hookup campsites for various volunteer groups but especially, the NOMADS.

Our group for this week from the left are Lisa, Mark, Cheri, Butch, Janet, Harry, Max, Anne, Stel, Jodi, Mary, Randy, Nancy and Gary.

Our first project is this house which had all the drywall on the walls removed after the flood and NOMADS have replaced drywall and are in the process of finishing all the walls and ceilings by sanding, mudding, sanding, mudding .......

The rear has a breezeway and a one car garage where a few belongings are stored.

The owners (Sherry and John) have been living in this FEMA trailer at the rear of the property. The trailers are due to be picked up in April, so we need to help move this house toward recovery soon.

Nancy applies mud, some of it on the walls

Gary and Randy taking measurements in this bath to install the tub surround.

Randy is applying the adhesive while Gary cuts the surround pieces

and this is the finished product.

There is a ton of sanding and mudding and Anne is doing her part

as is Mary

and Stel

and Harry

and Max

and Janet.

One of the delivery trucks got off the driveway so we need to fill the rut while the soil is still moist.

Another property we are working on is this mobile home owned by Pam.  The mobile home had a supplemental roof built over it to cover a front and rear porch as well.  Because of this, the mobile home was not condemned but was gutted and rebuilt with studs, insualation and drywall by NOMADS.

The walls are now ready for the mudding and sanding as well and Cheri is detail sanding the window area.

The owner is living in a camper trailer in the driveway but her water heater is not working so Butch is trying to repair it.

Lisa is applying mud to the drywall

and Mark is installing a partition halfwall in the kitchen.

Max is filing Stel in what has been planned for the work ahead in the kitchen area.

Back at Sherry and John's house, someone delivered this custom built handicapped shower  stall for installation in the master bedroom.  First problem, it will not fit through the door.

Butch, Mark and Gary begin by removing the entire door frame.

Once inside, Randy, Harry

and Stel begin moving it across the living room

down the hallway through the bedroom door (after we removed part of the wall)

and we finally get it into the master bedroom.

This is Harry's house in another area which is almost done.  He too needs to get out of the FEMA trailer in his front yard,

but among other things, he needs steps to his front porch.

Randy, Gary and Mary set out to install the steps

and Harry asks for a picture with the crew during the construction.

and this is the finished product.

Our first week is now complete.