Get a peek at our home repair program through some recent highlights!

January 2024

In January, we hosted a group from St. Anselm College (NH). The week was full of snow, cozy nighttime woodstove gatherings, and plenty of home repair. Volunteers led by Caretaker Anna and Marcus helped drywall Curtis’s bedroom and replaced two sections of rotted subfloor in his home. Curtis has felt a cold draft coming through the paneling of his bedroom, and as we added drywall, we felt the temperature begin to warm. A handyman himself, Curtis offered many suggestions on how to be as precise as possible, as well as showed us many tips on how to work more efficiently. Volunteers enjoyed his homemade vegetable soup and potato salad, which helped keep us warm on a chilly day. 

A close neighbor on Clayton Road also needed our volunteers to help in her home. Kelly has been living in a shed for two years while trying to build a new home for herself after losing her prior home to fire. She has lately been feeling like this is a near impossible task with her health issues, though she keeps chipping away at it. Caretakers Jack and Casey led volunteers in finishing nearly all of the drywall inside the exterior walls, and some interior drywall. Once drywall is finished, Kelly will be able to install an HVAC heating system that will allow her to move into a warm home. She expressed her appreciation for the volunteers’ work and her renewed hope from seeing so many young folks come together to help her. 

Groups also helped with the continued internal framing of the Danny Keith Maintenance Garage with Eric and served up delicious meals with Molly on home crew—with baby greens fresh from the garden! The Projects Team used the rest of January to  visit all the nearly 40 homes on our waitlist for the upcoming year. We’re looking forward to serving our 2024 volunteers to make homes safer, warmer, healthier, and drier!

December 2023

Kelly
Kelly is a close neighbor in Clayton who has been living in a shed for two years while trying to build a new home for herself after losing her prior home to fire. She has lately been feeling like this is a near impossible task with her health issues, though she keeps chipping away at it. Naz Farm staff members Bobby and Ben joined Anna in finishing the insulation in the new home, as that would help her move in faster this winter if she can get other areas (plumbing) done as well.

Amber and Devon
Amber and Devon are an emergency case due to several factors. They have been living a newly constructed shed, which was essentially a shell when we first arrived. They had unfinished insulation (as they ran out) and could see their breath when they woke up. There is no running water, plumbing, or electric. Devon inherited a trailer next to them that is uninhabitable as of this point, but it does have some good electrical wiring that allows them run extension cords to the shed for a space heater, crockpot, and light. They have attempted to have some work done (such as framing walls) but it wasn’t done right. So far, we finished insulating their home (they no longer see their breath), reframed the main walls, and dug up a septic line. We are helping Amber and Devon with applying for the Homeowner’s Rescue Program which can potentially fund electric and plumbing. We are coordinating with a plumber and electrician, should this happen, in finishing out framing that the electrician will need done before he can come in, closing up the walls after electric is roughed in so he can finish, and finding the septic for the plumber. This case was jumped to the top of the list because the Martin’s had a baby around Christmas, and there are several health concerns that we had.

Kelly and Family
Anna, Steve, and Robby from Jerusalem Farm finished the soffit and closed up the sides on Kelly’s porch. 

November 2023

Paul and Debbie
Paul and Debbie are another close neighbor in Clayton, and had a leaking dormer roof. The shingles on the ridge cap of his roof were also uncovered. Marcus, Jack, and Anna tore apart Pauls’ dormer roof, and build it back up. Marcus taught himself to shingle, and led Anna and Jack in re-shingling. Marcus also braved the ridge cap, climbing up a steeply pitched roof, and rather high one too. We enjoyed listening to Paul reminisce about historical reenactments of fur-trapping and trading, as well as his many hobbies, including tanning hides, making knives, hunting, and knitting blankets for his great-granddaughters. Paul and Debbie are both gentle souls with a lot of life experience and laughter to share.

Karleana and Woodrow
We helped Karleana and Woodrow re-do their bathroom so that it was handicap accessible with grant money for veterans last year. Anna, Casey, Marcus, and Jack finished up this project by widening their front doorway so that it is handicap accessible, and installing a door and storm door. Marcus and Casey tackled the uneven, and very unsafe, basement steps so that they (especially Woodrow, who isn’t as easily mobile as Karleana) access their basement instead having to walk all around the house from the outside.

Dean
Caretakers went back to finish out Dean’s project. We completed hanging sheathing on his walls, and built him a set of shelves, which will help him keep things off the floor in his 12×24 shed. Marcus was also able to locate a new mattress for Dean and brought it to him.

Deloris and Conrad
We completed our last planned contractor-led project for the foreseeable future, in order to finish an electrical project at Delores and Conrad’s. Their kitchen wiring wasn’t fully safe, and Doss electrical finished the job. Delores is happy with the finished result.

October 2023

Jennifer and Ernest
Jennifer and Ernie are a fun couple with teenage kids and lots of animals (11 dogs, many cats, two goats, a pig, chickens, ducks, an iguana, a cockatiel, parakeets, ferrets, chinchillas, a turtle, and a monkey). Casey, Jenna, Marcus and Autumn Servant Jarrett led volunteers in siding their home with vinyl. The Bonds’ have been looking to start several home repair projects for long-term protection and investment in their home. They hired a contractor for a roof earlier this year, and then contacted us for siding. Jennifer and her kids enjoyed learning to put up siding, especially while telling stories about the funny antics of their pets.

Vickie and Lee
Vickie and Lee’s trailer  roof had two holes and rotten decking boards, which Jack and Anna replaced in September, and then led volunteers in putting metal on the roof to further weatherproof. Their new roof should help protect the inside from continuing to rot.

Richard & Sharon
Steve helped the Richard & Sharon by removing black plastic mulch, cardboard mulch, and metal stakes from their acre+ garden.  Steve led a Monday morning crew on a Notre Dame Group Week and then completed the job himself later over a two-day period.  They are appreciative of the Farm’s help and the care that was taken in removal and the preparation for winter storage. They grow much of their food, and dried flower arrangements are Sharon’s primary source of income, so it was important work with neighbors who have given so much to support us over the years.

September 2023

Rebecca
Becky contacted Bethlehem Farm so that she can leave her home in a good shape to her grandkids someday. Adult week volunteers and Caretakers, led by Casey, have replaced 10 tall windows and installed three new doors. Every window and door is different, each one needing an individual framing and trimming plan. Casey has led volunteers in this detail oriented work, and has more than proven up to the challenge of meeting Becky’s aesthetic preferences.

August 2023

Deloris and Conrad
Deloris and Conrad entertained Caretakers, Summer Servants, and volunteers alike with their stories about life, advice, and joyous gospel singing! Volunteers, led by Marcus and Jack, did a little bit of everything on Deloris and Conrad’s home. From building a new ramp, to replacing walls and windows, to extending their roof, to siding, it was a delight to head to their home and enjoy some good company. Deloris loved cooking lunch for the volunteers, making sure they were well-fed, and brightened our days by sharing her faith with us. 

Jessica
Caretaker Jenna, along with Summer Servants Colin and Hanna, replaced and meticulously trimmed 17 windows in Jessica’s house. Further investigation of one wall, after taking out a window, prompted Bethlehem Farm to collaborate with a local contractor to demolish and rebuild Jessica’s side room. Volunteers then sided the room and finished the inside with flooring, paneling, and trim. Jessica jumped right in on the work and kept volunteers safe. Jessica offered hospitality to many who came through with her favorite recipes for lunch and with her funny stories of her many dogs.

Kelly and Family
Bethlehem Farm has known Kelly since early 2022 and has worked with her intermittently over the last year and a half. Kelly’s home was in unhealthy condition when we first met. We have completed several projects with her, including contracting a new bathroom, building a fence, siding her home, funding a new porch, and closing in the roof over the porch. Family week volunteers, led by Anna, moved a new cast-iron and porcelain sink from one friend’s house into Kelly’s, whose current kitchen sink is falling in. Volunteers then worked on installing soffit under the roof over Kelly’s porch, as well as closing in the sides of the porch roof. Kelly’s five kids also joined in the work, adding energy to Family Week.

Kathy and Jerry
Eric led adult week volunteers in continuing Kathy and Jerry’s drywall on their ceiling. Kathy and Jerry have always provided an example of love, respect, and how to live a grateful life, and we want to honor the relationship that we’ve cultivated with them since Spring 2022. Adult week volunteers completed trimming and painting, as well as installed a handrail. 

Richard and Sharon
Longtime neighbors of Bethlehem Farm, Richard and Sharon have always helped others and been more than generous with their time and what they have. Adult week volunteers, led by Jenna, replaced and painted a section of their roof for a day during adult week.

July 2023

Bonnie
Bethlehem Farm Construction Manager Marcus, along with the help of Summer Servants Brian and Matt, led volunteers in providing Bonnie with a new roof. Bonnie’s roof was challenging in particular due to its many peaks, valleys, and the crater in the middle of one section that had to be built back up. Many hands came together to put on new metal on most sections of the roof, EPDM on one section, and demolish both porch roofs to rebuild the structure of those roofs. Bonnie saved for several years in order to pay off her roof upfront, and delighted volunteers with her biscuits and other treats. A hardworking woman, Bonnie’s day job as a caregiver made her a compassionate, funny, and wise person for volunteers to connect with at the end of the day. We’ve loved working with you, Bonnie!

Justin and Jessica
Construction Manager Marcus installed a new metal roof, in collaboration with funding from Wellspring of Greenbrier, for Justin and Jessica. In addition, the steps leading up from the road, where they park on the shoulder, to their home, were rotting and were generally unsafe. Marcus, along with Summer Servant Matt, tore down and built new steps and handrails up the steep hillside. Volunteers loved getting to know Justin and Jessica’s household, including their cats, assorted kittens, dogs, and thirteen new puppies!

Curtis
A jack of all trades and master gardener, Curtis has a lot of solutions to practical problems, including working on his home. Due to several surgeries on his back, he was no longer able to fix up his trailer and needed help with a laundry list of items. Bethlehem Farm volunteers, led by Caretakers Steve and Jack, coated the leaky roof of Curtis’s trailer and hung new gutters. We will continue looking forward to working with Curtis more in the fall!

Denise
Denise is an energetic go-getter trying to raise her grandkids. She is constantly working to improve both her home and surrounding yard, and contacted the Farm about her severely leaking roof. Bethlehem Farm determined that her roof was too much of a challenge for volunteers, and committed to paying a contractor should she provide half of the loan upfront. The original estimate of the job was adjusted mid-project, and Denise signed a promissory note for the adjusted amount. The estimate did not include some of the work that was already done, and there was a dispute about the final total and the work that was done. Bethlehem Farm used Wheaton funds to cover the work not in the estimate, and the Farm talked with Denise about the work and the total amount. We came to a good understanding and closed out the project.

Farmer Anne
volunteers helped Anne out around her farm.

Farmer Rhonda
volunteers helped Farmer Rhonda out around her farm.

Wellspring of Greenbrier
In addition to partnering with Wellspring on a couple of home repair sites, July volunteers helped split wood to stock up for their winter firewood program, cleaned out an office space for Wellspring’s planned office expansion, and worked in their greenhouse to help provide local, low-income families with healthy food.

June 2023

Stacy

Caretaker Steve pivoted in the middle of a group week and led volunteers through two days of coating Stacey’s roof, which will keep her roof from leaking for the next few years. Stacy was in the middle of moving into a new trailer, and needed a dry roof to be living under. We were glad to work with her and her family, who told us that it warmed their hearts to see folks willing to help!

Donna

Bethlehem Farm and Wellspring of Greenbrier collaborated in order to build a porch and wheelchair ramp and install a new floor for Donna. Wellspring funded the project while Bethlehem Farm Caretakers, Summer Servants, and Volunteers provided the labor. Donna had fallen down her front steps several times and broke her shoulder the last time, causing her to have to get surgery. Her new porch and wheelchair ramp help her stay safe, with a sturdy structure and ramp. The places where her flooring was sinking down were built up and we installed a new subfloor and flooring. After the project was done, we were happy to hear that Donna is delighted with her porch and likes to watch the fireflies without worrying about falling off!

Mark

Bethlehem Farm volunteers, led by Steve, went back to Mark’s to continue his underpinning from the spring, as well as install four new windows on his trailer. With his house further insulated, Mark is looking forward to a warmer fall and winter this year. He enjoyed chatting with the volunteers and introducing us to the neighborhood dogs, who humored the groups with their antics and playfulness.

October 2022

Sharon and Family

Anna, Jenna, Sarah, and October volunteer groups worked alongside Sharon and her teenage grandsons in installing vinyl siding and soffit on the home she is building. We had a great time working alongside Sharon and her family, exchanging stories up on the scaffolding. We also appreciated her accurate cutting skills on the ground! Volunteers had a lot of fun with her many animals, and we completed the siding, soffit, as well as the installation of a front door.

July 2022

Bobbie and Catherine

Bobbie and Catherine, and mother and daughter, needed new fascia, soffit, and gutters around their whole house. Sarah, Colleen, Anna, and Summer Servant Mags led groups to work on this project. We enjoyed lunches with the two ladies each day on the porch, delighting in Catherine’s excellent baked goods. We endured many run-ins with wasps in the rotten soffit, but Bobbie is fun to talk to and engages the volunteers. We also replaced their front steps, which are tipping to one side and unsafe for Bobbie, which was a great project for Family Week. This has been a great site for us and the volunteers. 

June 2022

Jerry and Kathy 

We worked with Jerry and Kathy to repair an unsafe floor, to insulate their basement (and keep their heating costs down with their new mini-split), and next to install a drywall ceiling. Steve, Eric and Casey have led this site. Our volunteers installed the foam board in the basement, and we will hire Creative Conservation to blow foam at the rim joists to complete the job. They are a delight to work with and each day they interact with our volunteers. The couple was thrilled: their floor is much safer, and they can already feel the temperature difference with the insulation that has been installed thus far. This is a great site and an example of folks who really need the help and are engaging in a mutually enjoyable relationship with us and our volunteer groups. 

May 2022

Mary Sue

Steve and Sarah lead volunteers in constructing a new wheelchair ramp for Mary Sue to help her walk out of her home down to her car without assistance, since she lives alone. The project was completed with the dumping of a load of gravel from a local supplier, to provide a gravel driveway right up to the bottom of the ramp for Mary Sue.  

Stanley

Stanley previously had only one exit to his home on the back of the house, and his front door hung 4 feet in the air with no steps. Sarah debuted as a solo site leader with Summer Servant Matt with this project of a small porch and access steps. Stanley came out every day to work with the crew and seemed to really enjoy interacting with the groups. We were moved to see that his evaluation stated: “the best part was being treated with dignity and respect by each person.”

October 2021

Jamie

Joseph led Caretakers and our fall volunteer groups to help out our neighbor Jamie when a storm blew the roof off of his hay barn. With his help, we were able to secure a new shelter before the rain and snow could spoil his harvest. We’re glad that his cows will be well-fed this winter and that we could support when a neighbor asked for help. Plus, we learned so much from Jamie!

August 2021

Judy and Family

Gemma and Tori had a blast leading crews in replacing Judy’s roof this summer! After working with her mother previously, it was wonderful to reconnect with the family and ensure a dry home for Judy and her kids. 

Sue

After holding off on indoor projects for much of the pandemic, we were finally able to safely renovate Sue’s unsafe floor and wall. Gemma led groups in locating and fixing a roof leak, replacing molding insulation, rotting floors, and water-damaged carpet. We then rebuilt the wall (with new insulation and drywall), replaced the floor and carpet, and painted, restoring the space so that she could use it once again. Sue’s patience and kindness was overwhelming!

July 2021

Brittany

Caretaker Pat and Summer Servant Clare took the lead to renovate Brittany’s bathroom. We met Brittany, her husband, and her three kids about five years ago when her house suffered from flood damage. She and her family were able to move to a better house recently, only to find that the bathrooms were in very poor shape. While Brittany does have some construction experience since her dad was a contractor, she recently had surgery and could not do these repairs on her own. Two bathrooms, laid out back-to-back in their house, we essentially unusable.  After gutting the two bathrooms and removing the wall dividing them, we performed structural repairs on the floor, reinforced the ceiling, and got to work on installing the new bathroom components. Brittany was present very often as we worked, and helped in any way that her recovering hip would allow. At the end of the project, we agreed with Brittany that we felt like “family” and would continue our relationship into the future.

Cathy

Caretakers Joseph and Raine led the way as we a built strong relationship with Cathy as we renovated her bathroom. Since her bathroom had been damaged, we did a little bit of everything– framing out walls, plumbing, and replacing drywall, flooring, bathroom fixtures, and a door. Cathy delighted volunteers with her incredible storytelling over lunch– especially her tales of matchmaking!

June 2021

Vickey

Caretaker Joseph led this site with the help of Summer Servants Mags and Casey to replace and insulate 13 windows at Vickey’s house. It was great get to know Vickey and help her home stay warm and dry.  

May 2021

Margaret

Caretaker Tori and Raine led Summer Servants and volunteers in replacing Margret’s roof. We spent time fixing the floor in her front room, which had water damage from her previous roof. the highlight, though, was learning from the generosity and kindness of our neighbor Margaret! 

April 2021

Joel and Sally

In April Caretakers worked with Clayton neighbors Joel and Sally to demo and build two porches, solar seal their roof, and fix their siding. With everyone going on at least a year of home repair experience, we made quick work of the project, and it was lovely to make more local friends in Joel and Sally.

March 2021

Ruth and Jimmy

Caretakers spent part of March working with Jimmy (Bubba) and Ruth. We tore down their front porch and installed a new one complete with a ramp for more a more accessible space. As we worked around their dogs and our hosts’ desires to keep our spirits up with sodas, we solar sealed their vinyl roof and also added a little roof over their door in back. Lunch time was a favorite part of the day as we enjoyed the early-spring sunshine and listened to stories about their dogs, their grandkids, and how they found love with each other again later in life after breaking up in seventh grade. Caretaker Pat and Bubba could often be hear shouting out their taglines, “don’t sing it, bring it!” “click it,” and “goodniiiight” which kept the work quick and our hearts light.

February 2021

Kathy

We started off the new year demoing and building new porches with homeowner Kathy. We installed a new door which will help her keep some warmth in her house after the old one stopped closing all the way. Suffering from health complications over the past few years, she really values having a safe way to exit and enter her home, and was really appreciative of the work we did. We even got to bring the Goose (our Great Pyrenees farm dog) out on the site one day to socialize her with Kathy’s pups!

October 2020

4 Farms Projects

During the Four Farms gathering in October, the Projects Team slated a week of quickie projects we could knock out with all the extra energy. This included a couple of days at Pat and Dreema’s, where a slippery wheelchair ramp got a power wash and traction strips. Additionally, Caretaker Patrick and Jerusalem Farmer Adam upgraded a drafty back door. Later, Patrick and Nazareth Farmer Mike built a new, safe set of steps out the back door. We were grateful to take care of those projects before the winter weather sets in. 

Another homeowner we visited during the Four Farms Week was Fred , a long-time Farm friend. Caretakers Patrick and Gemma and Project Director Will repaired his falling gutters and replaced some siding that had blown off the house. Another win for weatherization!

September 2020

Bonnie (5/5)

After a lot of hard work, Caretakers Joseph, Tori, and Pat (formerly Summer Servant Pat!) finished up the project at Bonnie’s. September included waving at her new great granddaughter who now lives in the house, finishing up the siding, assembling and hanging gutters, and cleaning up the trash from the project. We were so sad to leave this family, who we spent so much time with this summer. Bonnie taught us about hospitality (at a distance), love– even when you hardly know a person, and how we always have something to give to others. Check out some before and after pictures and scroll down to see more of Bonnie’s project. 

August 2020

Bonnie (4/5)

August at Bonnie’s saw the completion of metal on the roof by Tori and Pat with help from families during family week. They finished the 9ft pieces in the front and hauled 23 ft pieces up ladders and onto the roof, making sure they were square and had the perfect overhang for gutters. Rakes around the edges, capping on the ridge, and snow guard finished the roof itself off.   Joseph led family week crews to rewire the back room, and hang dry wall. Summer Servants were a huge help in joint compounding the back room, painting, and adding back the original trim which Bonnie made with her late husband many years ago. Outside, Tori and summer servant crews got started on adding siding between the old roof and new roof–using the leftover metal that resulted from pivoting the project– to better protect the from the elements. Joseph and Tori finished the month off with a marathon day laying linoleum and adding back trim in the back room in preparation for Bonnie’s much-anticipated Great granddaughter.

July 2020

Bonnie (3/5)

Work continued at Bonnie’s house in July. Work crews from Our Lady of Grace in Indiana helped Caretakers Joseph and Tori and Summer Servant Pat to haul roof trusses onto the roof for the roof over. They laid out OSB over the trusses and put titanium paper and drip edge on the roof. They built walls up to enclose the gable walls so the roof would be water proof. During adult week, Bonnie said that for the first time in months she did not have to worry about leaks when a rainstorm came. It was a huge milestone to meet over the course of a long project. At the end of the month, Tori and Pat started laying metal on the roof, and Joseph gutted a room at the back of her house.

Jimmy and Betty 

Caretakers Gemma and Raine took a long walk over to our neighbors’ property to put a metal roof on. Groups from Baltimore and Indianapolis and Family Week crews took steps to protect the original farmhouse on the Mann’s property by adding a metal roof. This project involved some carpentry to patch a few holes in the decking, and then a layer of waterproofing Titanium paper. Next came the bright red metal that we can see shining from across the way! The roof involved some tricky cuts and valleys, but Caretakers Raine, Gemma, and Eric were able to utilize their skills and share knowledge with volunteers on the site. Not only were we able to preserve a piece of history by roofing the farmhouse, but we also had the opportunity to lend a hand to neighbors who have been an unfailing source of help and advice throughout the years.

June 2020

Bonnie (2/5)

Caretakers Joseph and Tori, along with Summer Servant Pat, picked the project at Bonnie’s back up in June. After pulling off the first piece of metal in late May, Project Director Will realized that just putting new metal on the existing trailer roof and additions would be putting a bandaid on a much bigger issue. With 2 additions on her trailer home that had two different slopes, the path that made the most sense was a semi-roof over. We needed to make sure not to put too much weight on the existing structures so we put posts in the front but attached the roof in back through the wall which now sits on a strong foundation. Each day involved pulling tarps off the roof so we could do the work we needed and pulling them back on at the end of the day so they could keep rain out of the house. Even with the tarps, rain continued to find its way in during the rainiest part of the year. With help from the Baltimore boys, we built the shorter addition up so that we had a consistent height in the back of the house and used a transit to put a header board on posts in the front at the same height. Bonnie has been a gracious host from 10 ft away, and we love laughing with her, her daughters, granddaughter, and great granddaughters.

Alderson, West Virginia Flood Relief 

May 2020

Ann (3/3)

Caretakers and Summer Servants worked with Ann to finish up her project in the first week of June. During May they finished the front porch roof, put gutters on the whole house, built the porch in the back and added its roof, put up a fan on her front porch, and finished painting. Ann’s backyard came to life as the trees bloomed and cicadas swarmed to welcome the spring. It was hard to say a socially distant “see you later” to Ann, but we hope to see her for hugs soon. Scroll down to see the work from March-May!

April 2020

Ann (2/3)

In the midst of the pandemic, caretakers have retained physical distance while working to not distance socially from our local community. They returned to Ann’s house to put the metal roof and trim on, paint the house, and build her front porch and ramp. Ann was dancing on the porch before all the decking boards were even down and told us she has been eating out on her porch and enjoying the view. 

March 2020

Ann (1/3)

Caretakers Raine and Gemma had a demo week with groups in the second week of March. Working with Ann, they took down 2 porches and began taking the shingles off her roof. In the following weeks, a team of Caretakers went out to remove the rest of the shingles, fix rotting pieces of plywood, demolish her chimney, and get the roof under platinum paper.

Bonnie (1/5)

Over the first two weeks in March, Caretaker Joseph and Summer Servant Patrick McGinnis started a project with Bonnie to fix her foundation. An unsteady foundation has caused the addition on her house to pull away from the rest of the house causing leaking and roof damage. So far, they pulled off underpinning, dug holes and built piers for the new foundation, poured concrete for the base, reframed the space in between piers, and replaced the underpinning. College volunteers enjoyed hearing her hot takes on love from her decades of marriage. Still to come: fixing the damage to the roof! 

Leota

Caretaker Tori led groups to work with Leota over two college weeks in March. They helped repaint her house, seal her deck, replace some pieces of siding, and split and move a few truck and trailerfuls of wood. Leota told many stories, and we got many looks at the coal trains as they came rumbling down the train track next to her house. 

Caretaker Gemma brought crews to grind out a job with Paul one day and Paige the next during the first group week in March. They worked with Paul to reattach the underpinning on his house which had blown off in a storm. With Paige they sealed her roof to stop some leaks. Thanks to great weather and fast workers for helping with these jobs!

Jan 2020

Led by Caretakers Gemma Stanton and Joseph Reilly, groups from January jumpstarted repairs at Charlotte’s house, including a porch demo and reconstruction, fixing the back door, and improving guttering. Charlotte was an energetic cheerleader for us, helping out however she could and even providing pizza one day 🙂 Wet and slippery conditions in her yard caused a buildup of mud on the porch as we worked on it, but Joseph power washed the whole deck and steps. Now, the front porch is ready for Charlotte to relax and enjoy her stunning view of the Greenbrier River! 

Caretakers Steve Rassa and Tori Llorens led groups at Mike’s house in the first week of January 2020. They put a metal roof up on top of his shingles and were grateful for relatively-warm weather. A few mornings they experienced delays from snow and ice, but they finished the job in just a few weeks and Mike’s house, built by his grandmother in the ’70s, is that much safer.

Oct 2019

Caretaker Steve Rassa led groups at Teshla’s house through the whole summer and early fall. Bethlehem Farm executed a first site visit evaluation during the first week of July 2018 and we finally had the chance to work with her starting May 2019.

Roof – replaced rotted portions of roof and trusses, replaced soffits, installed metal roofing

Main bedroom- water damaged from leaking roof, black mold, unusable and unhealthy space. All of the unsafe and unhealthy materials were removed from the home, leaving only a shell of the room.  The room was completely renovated, installing new insulation, drywall on walls and ceiling, a new subfloor, a new laminate wood floor, and new overhead fan with lighting. 

Daughter’s bedroom:  Pulled up damaged flooring and installed new laminate Pergo flooring and molding.

Bathroom:  Home has only one bathroom.  When Teshla moved in, the shower did not function, there was no sink, and the toilet had fallen through the floor during the project but prior to renovating the bathroom (required having a portable outdoor toilet brought to her home).  The hot water heater had fallen through the rotten floor, walls, ceiling, and floor sustained major water damaged due to a leaking roof and failing plumbing.  New insulation, ceiling, walls, floor joists, subflooring, ceramic flooring, shower kit, toilet, vanity sink, and an energy efficient water heater were installed. This was the first time Teshla and her family had a functioning bathroom in over two years.

Sept 2019

Caretaker Joseph Reilly led groups at Missy’s house from March to September of 2019 in a project that included many different aspects. The short list?

• Replaced 7 windows
• Fixed the ceilings and added insulation in 4 rooms
• Fixed the floor in 5 rooms
• Replaced the porch roof

This project was the first to utilize our new tool trailer, and it made a world of difference to have many tools close by for whatever surprise presented itself.

August 2019

Caretakers Joseph and Raine and Summer Servants instructed groups to the completion of demolition and construction of a new 8’x12’ deck with 36’ of wheelchair ramp. This allowed Paul to safely make his Dr. appointments after medical complications.

March 2019

We were excited to welcome both Greg and Josh to Community Night, as they were able to get out of their houses and come visit us because of their new wheelchair ramps this summer. We began at Greg’s by transplanting five bushes and a small tree away from the wall the ramp now runs along. For a while it looked like the bushes were goners, but they happily survived and are thriving once again. From there we dug holes and began laying lumber. The second wheelchair ramp was at Josh’s house and was a bit larger than Greg’s. However, this proved to be no match for volunteers on Adult Week and Family Week. Wielding numerous post-hole diggers (sometimes two at a time), Adult Week volunteers cleared the way for Family Week volunteers to speed through installation of deck board and railings.

Frances lives just down the hill from Gloria. The exterior paint on the trim wood work on her home was facing similar problems and her two back buildings needed a complete new coat. Volunteers and visiting Jerusalem Farmers helped get the majority of the work done in October and November, and caretakers managed to tidy everything away before the first major snowstorm hit.

Gloria’s home in Hinton can be seen from much of the town, as it has little additional wind blocks or neighboring buildings sheltering it from the elements. This became an issue as the exterior paint began to chip and peel. Volunteers managed to tough out sweltering June heat and now Gloria’s fresh white coat can be seen from across the river.