This past week was a little thin in the volunteer department, but we managed to finish one more house completely anyway! The Colvin/Sterling home on 7th st. east passed our final inspection (with the city) and also the homeowner walkthrough. The final punchlist items, touchup painting and cleanup as well as landscaping were all done with our newest brand of volunteers- the RV Care-a-vanners. The average age, we figured out, of those schlepping four pallets (3500 lbs. each) of fresh cut sod was 73 years old. I had to bring this to the attention of Stephen and Joey, our two young and strong staff members, and once the shame set in, they all jumped in and voila, a lawn! The lead couple, Lavern and Sue Clarke are a beautiful young couple that have been married 56 years. The RV Care-a-vanners is an organization that is coordinated thru Habitat International and there is a website where people sign up to come and work with Habitat affiliates allaround the nation. We have jsut expanded our spots to eight for RVs to come and stay and work with us. As we receive more people here, we are working out the bugs of the facility at the Y's Acres camp. The six new sites are located on a paved basketball court and one of the new arrivals today tried to make a basket with the front of their rig. (very small scratch on the fibreglas). We have to work on getting a dump station for the black water and maybe internet and cable as a luxury add-on but also more of a draw for future Care-a-vanners.   
     This Monday we also welcome back a group of Mennonite young men led by Anthony who have been in town working with another organization, building what they called Mcmansions out in the Holt area . Nice homes but way above the standard that they are normally used to, so they have decided to come work iwth us here. Great guys with can-do spririt and working hard!
     This week we will be focussing on completion of BA's home. Brenda Anthony, I'm sure has way exceeded her sweat equity hours and definitely has the record for most hugs given to volunteers! The last homethat we are builing of 7 in a row is for jackie Booker. Her house is about to be framed. The floor system has started, but the weather has kept us working inside the other two homes.
     We have also welcomed a new long-term volunteer named Roger from Columbus Ohio. He will be with us for ten or twelve weeks.  Brandon has him overseeing the first foundation (of 30) on Juanita Drive. The city council here has put in motion a name change for Juanita Drive to Rose Petal somethingorother. juanita drive was famous for criminal acitvity before the tornado. I'm guessing our activity there may have more of an impact than a name change.