(NOTE: If current month does not pop up, you may have to hit "refresh" or "reload" in your web browser tool bar to view updated information. Or you may have to clear your browser "history" to view updated information.)
Next monthly volunteer action day:
Saturday, Aug 28th, 2010 – Includes breakfast
POSSIBLE PROJECTS FOR THIS MONTH:
1. Martha, a disabled 63-year-old Crown Hill woman who had to quit work due to a physical condition, asked for help to clean out a small storage unit by August 31st, so she can stop paying rent on the storage space. Can anyone help her anytime during this month? A few hours here and there will be a big help.
2. I've been asked today by Charlene, a woman living in Section 8 housing, to repair her car so she can have it for errands and trips to the doctor. She also needs to move to a new apartment near Northgate by the end of the month and needs help to find an apartment and help her move.
3. Jim, a cancer patient and his wife have an electrical problem in their living room that needs to be checked out and fixed.
4. Karen, a single mom and her two children need moving assistance to get them out a friend's house and into a new apartment. She just completed several years of education and now begins a nursing career to support her family. She needs to move on September 1st.
5. Sherri, a legally blind woman we met last month, needs help to unpack her boxes and organize her apartment. We helped her move into her new apartment in July.
6. Ruth, a disabled widow whose husband was a Ballard pastor, needs a clothes dryer. She is currently hanging her clothes outside to dry since her old machine completely wore out.
MORE? – Other projects depends on number of volunteers who can help out and the requests we receive this month.
Here's your chance to meet other guys from Ballard and do a few hours of service helping those in need in our community. No long-term commitments required ... come once or come every month. We will meet at 8 a.m. for breakfast, which is hosted this month at Philadelphia Church, 7704 24th Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98117. Following breakfast and getting acquainted, we will hand out the MOB "hit list" and spend a couple of hours serving those in need. Want to help? RSVP by email or leave Gino a message at 206-971-9600. OR, if you can't help on Saturday but can help with a project some other time during the month, let us know.
FUTURE WORK DAYS — MARK YOUR CALENDAR:
Usually the 4th Saturday of the month: Aug 28, Sept 25, Oct 23, and Nov 20. (No official breakfast in Dec).
July 2010 Hits
TIMBERRRR –
"Ruby" is a retired woman who owns a small 450 square foot house in
poor condition. She called to say that two large limbs of a tree in her
front yard fell with a crash on a sunny calm day and were lying across her yard. Luckily
she wasn't in the yard at the time or she could have been crushed! She
asked for our help and we started to cut down the diseased tree and
chip up the branches. We did what we could but stalled however, when we noticed how far
some of the tree leans towards a neighbor's house. So, we are going to have to
leave the remainder of this this project to the professionals. We plan to help "Ruby" sell the
wood on Craigslist to help pay for a new replacement tree. She also
needed a closet clothes hanger built into her bedroom, so she can hang
her clothes. One of our new recruits working on his first day with The MOB, headed up the project and built the clothes
rack and shelves.
TOILET LEAKING –
Betty, a 70-year-old widow living on Social Security called and asked for help with a toilet drain pipe leaking under the house. It was a crisis for her, as it is the only toilet in
the house and couldn't be used. One of our guys tackled the problem and spent the whole day, cutting out the floor and replacing the pipe and connections.
GET OUT THE PAINT BRUSH – We replaced a rotted wheelchair ramp for "Dorothy", a disabled grandma, last month. This month a new mobster painted it with deck paint to make it last. Thanks, Tom!
MOVE 'EM OUT – Annie, a 63-year-old disabled woman called saying that she called every service agency and organization she could think of, yet couldn't anyone to help her move. She has suffered from fibromyalgia for 19 years and can't do heavy lifting. She also had anxiety about finding a washer/dryer. Good news! The Godfather came through! We asked a young couple to donate their washer/dryer to Annie, rather than receive the $200 they were asking for on their Craigslist ad. And they gave it to us! Annie couldn't get over the fact that there are people willing to sacrifice their time and help her for free...no strings attached. She wanted to know about our group and where we came from. One of us was able to talk with her, along with an 84-year-old male friend of hers about the GodFather (God the Father), and tell of his love for them. Wow! What a privilege. We rented a truck and had 10 people pack her up and move to her new residence. Awesome!
MORE MOVING – Sherri, a legally blind woman who lost her sight from a cancerous brain tumor about 15 years ago, called on a Thursday and said her volunteer helpers fell through at the last moment and she needed help to move by Saturday. How do you say "no" to a blind person in need? Nancy, one of our women friends from United EFC, helped her pack the next day. A young man from Bethany Community Church stepped forward and said he would get a couple of his buddies to get her moved. They borrowed a friend's pickup truck and got her moved by mid-afternoon. Wonderful!
CLEANING AND HAULING HELP –
"Mary" is a disabled adult woman who can barely walk due to bad
lymphedema, an incurable disease. We helped clean off her balcony, arrange her plants, move some large items
out of her apartment and take them to Goodwill Store.
CONCRETE SIDEWALK – The MOB needed some concrete but not for cement overshoes! We poured the concrete for a new sidewalk to help "Ruthie" have a safe place to use her scooter to get out of her house. She is overjoyed that she can now safely get out of the house and down to street level. Smooth job, guys!
A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY – We had a window of opportunity to help "Millie" an 89-year-old grandma, who served in World War II, retired from the army, and now lives with her daughter, by reglazing a window pane that was nearly falling out, and removing a storm window frame. She was referred to us by City of Seattle Human Services.
GOTTA' FILE IT TO FIND IT – Helped "Leena" a woman who had to retire early from community college teaching due to bad arthritis and injury to her hands and wrists. She is working on writing a book and was in need of a filing cabinet for her papers. We found one for her and delivered it to her apartment. She was thrilled and said, "I may the only person in America so excited about a file cabinet!"
RAMP IT UP – "Dorothy" a disabled senior had a rotted wheelchair ramp that needed to be replaced. She has had several falls inside her house, uses a walker and is pretty unsteady with it. We replaced the ramp to her front door that had rotted through and made it safe for her.
HOUSEBOUND – "Ruthie" a disabled senior who uses a scooter to get around, has been housebound for over 6 months since she hasn't been able to get the scooter around the back of her house down to the front sidewalk. The ground had become so uneven over time that it wasn't safe for her to cross it on her scooter without fear of getting stuck or falling over. A couple of our guys framed up a concrete walkway this month and will get concrete poured in July. She is thrilled and looking forward to being able to get out and having a little more freedom.
May 2010 Hits
SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED – We assembled a new dresser for "Mary" a disabled woman living on Crown Hill. We also disposed of items she no longer needed in her crowded apartment. She is in need of women volunteers to followup and help her organize her possessions in her apartment.
DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF – We installed a new front hall carpet, trimmed an overgrown bush and washed a car for a single mom with two kids who live on Crown Hill. It took a while to do the carpet, since we are amateur carpet layers, but it came out looking fine.
YARD WORK & GUTTERS – The MOB helped to arrange three separate work projects for groups of teenage volunteers for CityServe on May 29-30. Youth For Christ, an after-school club for teens, sent kids from all over the Northwest area to volunteer a weekend at food banks, downtown feeding missions, and helping seniors and the disabled. One of our guys helped oversee work at a disabled woman's house. "Pam" has fibromyalgia and other debilitating health problems. Within the last month her father and one of her dogs passed away. And her mom has bad alzheimers. She has been feeling very depressed. To encourage her we sent a team to help with her overgrown yard and exterior maintenance. The team of 7 kids and 2 adults cleaned off the moss from the roof, cleaned gutters, trimmed trees, mowed, weeded and raked. The teens had a real workout and made a huge difference in the way her house looked. Pam, who couldn't do any of the work herself or afford to hire it done, was really touched by these teens, who even if they aren't part of The MOB, joyfully worked for the GodFather!
RING, RING – The Mayor's Office for Senior Citizens referred this project to us. "Jane," an 80-year-old senior purchased a new answering machine and phones from Radio Shack but couldn't get them installed and working. She was stuck and felt very isolated and hated to miss any messages. So, one of our guys went over during the week and got them running. He also fixed a few other small items needing repair. After each item was checked off the to=do list, he kept hearing, "You're wonderful. Your'e wonderful." He said it was nice to hear, but after a while, it almost got to be embarrassing!
April 2010 Hits
LET THERE BE LIGHT – We installed dining room fixture and dimmer switch for "James," a disabled adult man in his late 40s, who has just had surgery on his feet.
OUTDOOR CHORES – Yard work, trimming, and minor deck repair for a Ballard woman afflicted with MS. Things were quite overgrown, extending out over the curb into the street. It looked like a whole new place after our volunteer crew was done! Thanks, guys!
March 2010 Hits
As men we love to use the handyman's basic three tools: duct tape, sheet rock screws, and WD40. It's amazing what can be done with just these three things! This month, we didn't get to use any of them for the projects that came our way. However, we did start our workday off right with a big breakfast of biscuits and gravy.
WHO SAYS ELECTRICITY AND WATER DON'T MIX? – The MOB returned to a home for disabled adults in Ballard and installed a new light fixture in their basement and replaced the badly leaking kitchen faucet. We saved them from having to pay plumbing professionals to do the job...so does that make us "semi-professional?"
HOME REPAIRS AND DUMP RUN – We went to a single mom's house to finish a bedroom makeover for her (paint, curtains, furniture) and put in a new bedroom light fixture. We also fixed a leaking bathroom drain, replaced a door lock, hung a mirror, did yard cleanup and took a load of old stuff to the dump.
Bedroom makeover for mom with new paint, curtains, light fixture, pillows and bedspread. Entertainment center for senior.
HOW SHOCKING – Another light fixture problem...this time for a Ballard senior, who is disabled with MS and lives with her developmentally-disabled daughter. Her dining room chandelier had previously shorted out while she was changing a light bulb. The men assigned to this project tracked down the problem and got it fixed. The women also needed an entertainment center/tv stand, which we found a few days earlier on Craigslist. When our guys went to purchase it, the sellers, Julie and Sean, kept lowering the price until they talked themselves into giving to us for free! And we didn't even ask for them to do it! Maybe telling them we were from The MOB had something to do with it. :) Thanks for your generosity!
MAJOR EFFORT FOR SOME PEOPLE BUT MINOR STUFF FOR US – For Martha, a disabled woman who can hardly walk, living in Section 8 housing and recently released from a hospital stay, we delivered a file cabinet we purchased to help her get organized. We also assembled a 2 chairs for her, repaired a dresser, and moved some furniture around. She and her 3 cats were very thankful. Meow!
PESKY LINT – Senior Services department of the mayor's office referred Janet to us. This 73-year-old woman, who was a foster parent for many years, needed the lint cleaned out of her dryer. It hadn't been done in several years and she was concerned about a possible fire hazard. She also needed a display cabinet leg repaired. We made quick work of it. (And, no, we didn't use any duct tape.)
February 2010 Hits
We had a dozen men show up and we were blessed with perfectly beautiful weather for our Saturday work day. We tackled five projects. It's work but it feels more like play when you are working with friends!
PLUMBING FOR GROUP HOME – Three of our mobsters installed two new toilets at a group home for disabled adults. The home purchased the toilets and we installed them saving a plumbing bill. The guys also repaired a couple of broken light fixtures.
GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER – We tried, but it required brain-power to get new gutters fabricated and installed for "Gina" a senior widow's in Ballard. We put in new gutters on both the front and back sides of her home. Now let it rain!
MORE GUTTERS – Lee, an 89-year-old retired carpenter, said he probably shouldn't be up on the roof cleaning his gutters, and we agreed! So, a couple of our men volunteered to clean them for him. Gino knows him personally and said he deserves the help, as this gentleman has been a real giver over the years to all kinds of causes. Now it's his turn to receive.
HELPING SINGLE MOMS – Many single moms are struggling and a local clothing bank needs our support. SMART, a clothing bank for single mothers located on Crown Hill, needed a place to hang donated clothes as they were washed and sorted. We were able to find two donated clothing racks, as well as several shelving units, and assemble them for use. The wall shelves will be used to display donated children's books, DVDs and toys.
WHO LET THE DOGS OUT? – Actually, it's more like how do you keep the kids in and the wild critters out if you have a broken gate to your backyard? A couple of our guys gave assistance to a family where the dad is in military service and the mom and kids are home alone. They needed a gate repaired and a replacement dryer vent installed in an outside wall. Men, we salute you!
January 2010 Hits
BEDROOM & BATHROOM FIX-IT CHORES – We returned to the grandma's house where in December we did the bedroom and bathroom makeover. This month we installed two bedroom light fixtures in the kid's rooms, repaired several dangerous electrical problems (switches, outlet boxes, outlets, and a closet light fixture), replaced a broken window, painted a bathroom and hall doors, installed towel racks, installed a new dryer vent pipe, and took old discarded items to the dump. Whew!
CLEAN UP AND MOVING HELP – This project came as a referral from the Ballard Food Bank. A Ballard senior suffering from MS has a mother-in-law apartment that needed to be cleaned so that her developmentally-disabled adult daughter can move into it. The MOB cleaned carpets with a rented rug cleaner, spackled spots on the walls, took some items to the dump and checked out two malfunctioning light fixtures. The following week we spot painted and helped move her daughter's items from her small apartment in Lake City into the house. With five guys on a Saturday morning we got the moving done in only two hours! Thanks, guys!
AN "ENLIGHTENING" JOB – Jim, a cancer patient, and his wife are another wonderful couple that the GodFather has brought our way. We installed a motion detector porch light at their home on Crown Hill. They so appreciated getting this done, so that on these dark wintery nights the porch light comes on before they get to the door. And it's better for security, too! We also took a few worn-out patio items to the dump. Isn't it great to have volunteers who own a truck?!
SPEAKING OF TRUCKS... – We returned to help Patty with the last of her personal items that had to be moved out of her basement apartment. She is the unemployed lady we helped move in December after the house above was flooded due to burst pipes from the winter cold snap. We took the last of her items to the dump and a storage unit. She still needs a place to live and is currently sleeping on a friend's couch. Let us know if you know of a person who needs a live-in senior citizen care-giver. That is what she has been doing for employment.
COMPUTER SETUP – One of our guys donated and delivered an older unused computer to Ruthann, a disabled woman who uses her computer every day for email and keeping in contact with friends and family around the country. Her ancient computer was broken and too old to fix. She lives a little bit out of our normal work area but she wants to move to Ballard very soon and needs someone to drive her around to look at the available apartments for rent. Can you give a few hours to drive her around in Ballard?
December 2009 Hits
BEDROOM & BATHROOM MAKEOVERS FOR CHRISTMAS – The
MOB had the great opportunity to give a Christmas surprise for the same
family we worked with in November (a single mom with 2 kids, ages 7 and
10, who live with her elderly disabled mother). The mom's husband has left
her and has moved out of state and stopped paying child support. The grandma's house
has not been properly maintained for years. We noticed that the
7-year-old girl didn't have a bedroom of her own and was sleeping in
the dining room. It was a shame she didn't have a room to call her own
when there was one in the house that could work. In her brother's bedroom, we noticed a bare light bulb illuminating a room with a bare mattress on the floor, old paint on the walls, the window painted shut and a sheet being used for a window curtain. Upon asking the mom if we could do a bedroom make-over for the kids, she replied with a big smile, "That would be awesome!" This became our big project for the month and we worked for four weekends and several evenings to bring some Christmas joy to the family.
Installing the carpet. Unloading the two donated bunkbeds. Repairs and painting.
Boy's room before, with mattress on floor, old paint, no curtains. After with new paint, new carpet, bunk bed and curtains.
Before: storage room with 2 broken windows. After: Pink paint, bed, carpet, & curtains – a room of her own & a dream come true!
The donated bunkbeds look like this.
We converted a second floor room used for storage back into a bedroom for the little girl and updated her brother's bedroom with new paint and carpet. It was such a neat surprise for the kids! It was awesome to watch everything come together. We fixed two broken windows and reglazed them. We opened up windows that had been painted shut for years. We spackled, primed, and painted the walls. New carpet for the bedrooms and hallway was donated by a senior citizen in Mt. Lake Terrace who attends Ballard Church. The carpet pad was donated by a carpet company in Tacoma. The carpet was installed by our friend, Andre the carpet installer, who drove all the way from Lakewood to do the job! Two used high-end wooden bunk-beds, the kind with a built in desk and chest of drawers, were donated by Scott B., a wonderful man in Kirkland who responded to our Craigslist ad asking for beds. Each bunk-bed cost over $1400 when new!! We added new shelves in the closets and added finishing touches of curtains, comforter, table, and lamps. Wastebaskets, chairs, and a mirror were donated. We repaired broken door locks and obtained two light fixtures to replace the bare hanging bulbs. At the final unveiling a week before Christmas, the young girl walked into her room and kept saying, "Oh, my goodness." She then climbed up onto the top of the bunk-bed, looking all around and said with a smile, "This is the best day of my life!! And I've never said that before. Usually my days aren't that good." Wow! Her brother was excited, too, but by the time we finished for the unveiling, it was 11 pm and he just walked into his room and fell into his new bed! It was such a great feeling to be able to give such an appreciated Christmas gift.
Before photo: rusted sink with broken faucet, old toilet and damaged walls. After: New sink, water-saving toilet, and repaired walls.
BATHROOM MAKEOVER
–
For the same family on the second floor, we removed an old problem
toilet and sink that hadn't worked in years. They had to wash their
hands in the bathtub or go downstairs to the other bathroom to wash. We
bought a ReStore used sink and faucet and put it in. While in the house one of our guys said, "Something doesn't smell right." Upon investigation in the basement, he
discovered the house had a defective gas clothes
dryer. The exhaust pipe was crushed in one area and exhaust fumes (and
carbon monoxide) were backing up into the house! It is so wonderful
that Lloyd spotted the problem before the family fell seriously ill. The GodFather must be watching out for them!
EMERGENCY MOVING HELP – Imagine having to move without any prior notice! Referred by the Ballard Food Bank, Patty, a 59-year-old woman
called us in a panic. The basement apartment she rented flooded when
water pipes froze in house above and then burst following our recent
cold spell. The landlord gave her a couple of days to move everything
out before the work crew came to tear out carpets and sheet-rock and
begin repairs. She had no warning, no place to go, and no place to
store her personal items. Over a couple of days our guys helped pack
and box items, take extra things to the thrift store and dispose of
things she couldn't store or use. Patty didn't have any extra funds for
a move and a shoulder injury restricted how much she could lift or
reach. She was so grateful to find some generous men who took time off just a
few days before Christmas to help her out. That's what we do – help
people who are truly stuck!
AN OFFER WE COULDN'T REFUSE – Just before Christmas we received a phone call from a representative from Sam's Club. She said they had a surprise Christmas gift for our organization and we should come out to pick it up. Picking up his violin case and fedora hat, Gino drove out to the store to receive a big check...and we don't just mean in physical dimensions! They donated $1,000 for us to use however we see fit! They also gave Gino a few minutes to speak at the early morning employee meeting to about 20 of their workers and tell them about the projects we have done to help those in need in the community. And, of course, he let them know who we work for ... the GodFather. Thank you, Sam's Club for giving us a boost!
November 2009 Hits
Repairing water damaged plaster walls; cutting sheetrock; repaired walls; plumbing assistance.
SINK OR SWIM – We assigned most of our volunteers on Saturday to work on a 100-year-old house. We helped a grandma who lives on Crown Hill with her single-mom daughter and two grand-kids ages 7 and 9. The daughter works full-time not only providing for her kids but also taking care of her mother who has mobility issues. The grandma told me that she has owned her home for 44 years, has a husband with Alzheimers in a nursing home and the family attends a nearby church. This old house needs a lot of work and is many years behind in maintenance. The kitchen sink had just clogged up and the family had to do dishes in the bathroom sink. If they weren't careful with the sink or they would all be swimming! Even though he was a first-time attender to our MOB breakfast, Philip drove home, brought back his plumbing kit, unclogged the sink, and installed a new p-trap. He also fixed a front door which wouldn't close all the way and allowed cold air to blow in. He then reconnected a shower drainpipe under the house that had come loose. Thanks, Philip!
MOB GETS PLASTERED – (Actually, we did the plastering and a wall got plastered!) At the same house we repaired a large area at the top of the stairs where water damage had occurred from a leaking roof. The roof was fixed about a year ago but a large section of plaster, about four by six feet, had separated from the lath and fallen down. Several of the men went out and bought sheet rock and "mud" while others prepped the wall and ceiling for repair. We also replaced a broken toilet seat and fixed some kitchen cabinet doors. The upstairs bathroom sink is rusty and worn and does not have working faucets. We have a replacement sink ready for volunteers to install.
HOME CHECK – Two of our guys spent a couple of hours at a 93-year-old woman's residence doing a safety check and some minor repairs. Emma suffers from macular degeneration and is legally blind. She said she probably shouldn't be up on a ladder changing light bulbs. So, after a 10-15 minute grilling as to who these men were who had come to her door, the guys replaced several burned out light bulbs and checked several electrical problems with her stove.
PLUMBING REPAIR – Another opportunity to help came our way to help a cancer patient whose toilet had suddenly stopped working. The water wouldn't flow in to fill his toilet tank. It was an easy fix. One of the guys went out and bought and installed a new toilet float valve – something the gentleman is unable do because of his extreme pain from cancer treatments.
October 2009 Hits
The MOB meets for breakfast. Thanks to our volunteer cooks from United EFC. We are hooked on your breakfast burritos!
WE HAD TO SHELF THIS JOB –
Leslie was referred to us by the Mayor's Office for Seniors &
Disabled. (Imagine the mayor's office cooperating with The MOB!) She recently purchased a new shelf unit that needed to be
picked up in the U-district and assembled in her apartment. She had no way to pick it up. She is a
former school teacher with lots of reference books and can do no heavy
lifting due to her disability. We assembled three book shelf units and
moved some of the books around for her, too.
WE HELPED A CANCER PATIENT and his wife with some minor repairs on two leaky toilet water tanks which will help save on their water bills. Jim has inoperable cancer and is in chemo and radiation therapy. He complains of being cold and wanted a portable heater, which we were able to supply thanks to a donated electric heater. We didn't do much but hopefully they were encouraged by our acts of kindness.
AUTO REPAIR – A disabled person needed someone to change out a car battery, start up her car, and get an oil change. The car has not run for a year. Martha hasn't gotten out due to poor health and wants the car to be able to attend doctor appointments and local errands. There is more to be repaired as the radiator needs to be replaced.
SMART MOVE – We helped do some minor repairs and moving for Single Mothers Acquiring Resources and Training (SMART). This clothing bank ministry was started by Philadelphia Church and provides clothing for babies, infants, and children as well as toys and women's clothing. We now need someone who knows about bikes to check out and tune up two donated kids bicycles.
YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE – We went to Teen Challenge Women's Center and purchased and installed a mailbox that had been smashed by vandals. We also replaced some burned out light bulbs to brighten up the hallways. We donated a vacuum because they had none that worked and are working on their computers.
COMPUTERS, LOVE 'EM OR LEAVE 'EM – Two of our guys picked up a computer from a disabled woman who uses her computer every day for email and keeping in contact with friends and family around the country. It had stopped working and she wanted us to check it out. It's an ancient computer, underpowered and too old to use, so we are on the lookout for a replacement one for her.September 2009 Hits
THIS JOB FLOORED US –We helped a 56-year-old woman living on SSDI and suffering from MS and severe arthritis by installing new vinyl flooring in her bathroom. She had called around for bids from several professional contractors and they wanted a $500 minimum charge to do such a small project. We were able to pull the toilet and glue down the new flooring. We also put up some new curtain rods to replace old ones that had pulled out of the walls.
A biscuits & gravy breakfast breakfast before starting out on our Saturday projects. New sign installed at TC.
A SIGN OF THE TIMES –Teen Challenge, a Christian drug and alcohol rehabilitation center for women, has been on Crown Hill for several years. Yet, they have had no extra funds to put a sign outside their facility. We were able to "go green" on this project with some creative recycling. The Gardens at Juanita Bay, a senior residence in Kirkland, donated their old sign to The MOB. We purchased a recycled plywood backer board from the ReStore, thenpainted and installed the new sign on some new donated 4x4 posts. (Photo shows the new sign with the temporary angle supports still attached, due to the wet cement.)
COMPUTER BITS AND BYTES – One of our guys tackled the job of helping Teen Challenge with their office computers. He has run an anti-virus program, set up the wireless network, and is going to set up a backup system. (They had no backup!) He is now working on getting the donated computers (see August 09 hits) for the residents checked out, repaired and networked. They women have to do all their homework by longhand writing in notebooks. It will be good for them to learn computer skills by having the new computers. Thanks, Mike! They still need a good black and white laser printer to be donated.
HOME ASSISTANCE – The MOB helped an 83-year-old woman, who is unable to walk and is totally housebound, with several household projects. We fixed a 4" hole in the wall caused by a doorknob from a door that banged the wall. A bedroom closet shelf was installed (another recycled item from one of our guys). We removed old caulking around the bathroom sink and squeezed in new caulk. We moved three bookcases into her living room. Then sorted and organized her large piles of books, and put them on the shelves. A couple of men washed and cleaned out her fridge, which hadn't been cleaned in years. Just a few hours work made a lot of difference. There is no way she could have done it herself.
SNIP, SNIP HERE AND A SNIP, SNIP THERE... – A woman in her 70s called us for help with some minor trimming on her trees and bushes. She said she really shouldn't be climbing up on ladders doing this type of work. We totally agree! We were going to cancel out on this project due to heavy rain the night before and in the morning. But two guys said, "It's not raining now and we have the tools." So they went over to her house and trimmed away. Thanks, guys.
August 2009 Hits
WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST – This month we invaded Perinatal Treatment Services. This North Seattle agency provides 2–6 month residential treatment and recovery services to over 20 pregnant, chemically dependent women and/or mothers of children under age 6. Many have a past history of physical abuse. Many are homeless and all are low or no income. Some rehab programs do not take women with children, so PTS serves a real need in our community to keep mothers and their children together. Funding has been cut back and they are in need of facility maintenance.
Through some "persuasion" from the MOB, in just two weeks, two Ballard churches collected hygiene kits and over $500 cash to purchase items for our workday at PTS. The kits were filled with shampoo and conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrushes, baby hygiene items, diapers, disposable razors, soap and deodorant. We helped to bring the PTS back patio and yard into better shape, so the toddlers have a safe place to play and the women will have a peaceful place to relax in the sunshine. We purchased sand to fill a child's sandbox and toys to play with in the sand. We trimmed overgrown bushes and trees that were blocking the play area, and weeded the yard. 560 pounds of trimmings were hauled to the dump. Thanks everyone for making a difference!
COMPUTERS DONATED TO TEEN CHALLENGE – Ascentium, local company in Bellevue, heard about The MOB and contacted us regarding the need for computers at the Teen Challenge Seattle Women's Center. They were upgrading their computers and gave us six complete computer systems with flat screen monitors!! Rich Printz delivered them to the center and they are thrilled to have them for the women to use. Now we need to get the Microsoft operating systems donated and a get a printer for the center.
JUST SAY YES TO DRUGS (the good kind!) – A 58-year-old disabled woman, whom we helped last year move to a new apartment, called and said she had no way to get to the pharmacy to pickup several prescriptions. She said she was quite embarrassed that she couldn't get them herself and had to call us. We were able to find a volunteer to pick them up and deliver them to her apartment.
July 2009 Hits
CUT, CHOP, MOW – We helped do a yard touch-up for a 90-year-old disabled widow, living in Ballard. She is bound to a wheelchair and not able to do any kind of yard work and needed a helping hand. Her husband was a Ballard pastor many years ago and she was a little embarrassed about asking for help. For many years she has given to others. Now, we were happy for our work to place her on the receiving end. We trimmed trees and bushes, mowed, edged and raked her lawn and pulled weeds. When we were done, we hauled out 15 large bags of yard waste and trimmings. Ruth thanked us with chocolates and hand-crocheted hot pads (now that's a first!).
MOB COVER-UP – We put a final coat of paint on a storage shed owned by a Seattle couple who are teaching in Asia.
June 2009 Hits
BEFORE AND AFTER
GARDEN MAKE-OVER FOR CANCER PATIENT. We helped Cindy who was laid off from her job at the end of 2008 and then got the devastating news of breast cancer. We joined with the Linda Lyons Foundation and the Green
Thumb Garden Club for an annual one day make-over event called "Yards of Hope" to help and encourage a cancer patient. There were about 25 people helping. Her large yard had become overgrown and Cindy was not able to maintain it. We cut the grass, trimmed bushes and trees,
pulled weeds, hauled trash, power-washed yard furniture, stacked firewood,
built a lattice screen around an oil tank, built a timber terrace flower
garden and filled it with soil, repaired a stone stairway, and more! Meanwhile the garden club weeded, trimmed, mulched, watered and planted dozens of plants. At the late afternoon "reveal," Cindy returned home from lunch and a movie with a friend and was thrilled at all that we accomplished. It was truly a dramatic make-over. She looked all around at our handy work and kept repeating, "This is
amazing." Overall it was
amazing at all that was accomplished. We're sure it would have cost
thousands of dollars for all the materials, dump fees, and time that
was donated. She was thrilled and so encouraged by what we all did. I think the GodFather is very pleased. Don't you?
MOVIN' ON UP... DISABLED MAN MOVED TO NEW APARTMENT – We helped Jerry, a man in his late 40's who is living on disability and Social Security income to move to a new apartment in Ballard. He suffers from agoraphobia and other medical issues and had no extra money to make the move. We moved him from Lake City to Ballard to be closer to doctors, stores, his dentist, etc. He was living in a bad neighborhood which made him more fearful to go outside and due to distance had to take a bus or taxi just to go to the grocery store. Jerry is so happy to be in Ballard. But it was kind of a crazy week, when Jerry called the day before the move with a broken tooth and was in tremendous pain. We found a dentist to take him on an emergency basis and took him to the dentist to get the tooth pulled. Then that evening the landlord wouldn't release the keys to the new apartment due to lack of approval by the Seattle city housing, and we had to cancel the move scheduled for the next day, . But the GodFather was good, when on short notice 8 mobsters showed up on the following Tuesday evening to help Jerry move, which was more men than was planned for Saturday! And Budget Truck Rental didn't charge us a cancellation fee. Way to go, guys!
CARPET INSTALLED FOR SENIOR – The MOB was unable to install a used carpet for D.S., a widow woman whose carpet was badly stained and worn out. One of our men placed an ad on Craigslist to see if anyone could help and Andre came to the rescue! He is a professional carpet layer who drove all the way up from Lakewood on Father's Day to install the living room and hall pad and carpet—no charge, no strings attached. He even paid for the tack strips. The timing couldn't have been better because D.S. was released from a rehab center the very next day after being there for several weeks due to serious ankle fractures after a fall. If you ever need to hire a carpet layer, Andre is the man!! Thanks, Andre.
CARPETBAGGERS & PAINTERS – We returned to help a low income 83 year-old woman living in Magnolia. We pulled out her worn-out, pet-damaged living room and hall carpets, along with hundreds of staples which held down the old padding, and took the carpet to the dump. We also washed the living room ceiling, walls and venetian blinds. We painted the whole room with a fresh coat of paint. Then we painted the plywood floor to seal out pet odors. We also purchased and installed a new garbage disposal. Now her dishwasher can be used again after years of not working. Whew! All this done in just a couple of hours.
BUILD NEW SHELVING AT DISABLED GROUP HOME – A Ballard group home for five disabled adults needed some food pantry shelves built and installed. A carpenter who joined the group donated his time during the week to build new sturdy custom shelves. Then we installed them and stocked the shelves with food. It was professional job and the group home staff and residents were thrilled to have the new shelves and organized pantry.
ORGANIZING HELP – This project was completed by two women from United EFC who helped a woman with limited vision and other disabilities to organize her bills and home filing. They spent a couple of hours in the evening helping to get her caught up on paperwork. Thanks to Nancy and Nelia, our mobettes (is that a word?) or should I say the WOB (Women of Ballard)?
April 2009 Hits
GROUP HOME CHORES – We returned to the Ballard Group Home for minor repairs to a garbage disposal, other repairs, and to clean mold off a bathroom ceiling, so that the home will pass a Seattle city inspection.
IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED... – Two of the MOB returned to D.S.'s house during the week to try once more to clear a stopped up kitchen drain. A plumber gave D.S. a bid of $2,000 to unplug the sink and replace drain lines but we were able to clear the obstruction and the pipes still have a few good years in them. So, she will not have to get a loan to get her plumbing fixed. "It's a miracle!" she told us. Thanks to Roy "The Snake" and his electric powered 25 foot long plumber's snake, he was able to clear the obstruction. For the first time in years, D.S. has water in the kitchen. On Saturday eight men showed up to do a deep cleaning of the kitchen and dinette walls, ceiling, floors, windows and stove. One of our guys worked for three hours just washing dirty pots, pans, dishes and utensils (don't let Matt's wife know what he can really do!). And another mobster worked the whole time on cleaning the bathroom. D.S. is one happy senior and said she can keep it all clean from here on out.
March 2009 Hits
Three new men showed up to get acquainted with The MOB and join us for our March breakfast, followed by a few hours of service to the community. They came from Ballard First Lutheran Church, United Evangelical Free Church, and Philadelphia Church.
IF IT AIN'T BROKE... – In this case it was. A Ballard group home for 5 disabled adults needed to replace a broken light fixture in a bathroom. Just the kind of job we like to handle. We went out and found a new one and wired it in. Under the kitchen sink, the bottom board in the cabinet was badly warped from a water leak and our team replaced it, as well.
PLUMBING ASSISTANCE – The City of Seattle told us about an 83-year-old woman who has lived for years with a stopped up kitchen sink drain and does her dishes in the bathroom sink. We snaked down the drain as far as the snake would reach but this is one job that has the best of us. We couldn't get the water to drain. For the first time, we hit a problem we couldn't fix. With much elbow grease, the team also got a good start on a much-needed deep cleaning of her kitchen.
SIMPLY ELECTRIFYING! – We returned to Cathy's house to replace an old stove that had bad wiring, wasn't working, and was ready for "retirement." One of our men donated a beautiful glass-top stove, which the team installed. Now Cathy (who is disabled) and Scott can finally use their oven without worry about a electrical short. We also did a complete bathroom cleanup (thanks to Jeri B. for coming along and her hard work!). Also, did some more yard work.
February 2009 Hits
IS THERE A CAR DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE? – A young woman in Ballard, whose mother recently passed away and whose father is seriously ill, was given a car to use but it hasn't run for a couple of months. Several guys replaced the dead battery and got the car running again. She is a student and needs the car to get to cosmetology school.
MISCELLANEOUS REPAIRS AT DISABLED GROUP HOME – At a Ballard group home for five disabled adults, we assigned a couple of guys to assemble some metal food pantry shelves and check out other needs. More maintenance needs to be done. We will go back to install a new light fixture in a bathroom and repair a warped base board under the kitchen sink.
BUILD HANDICAP RAMP, CUT TREES, CLEAN ROOF AND GUTTERS – Cathy, a woman with serious health issues, was just released from a rehab center following being in and out of rehab and hospital care since November. Her husband works nights and has his hands full caring for his wife who can only walk short distances. We helped them prepare the house and yard for her to be able to navigate with a walker. We built a handicapped ramp to get from the kitchen to outside. A bunch of stuff was taken from the house to the dump to make more walking room. We cut down two trees and cleared pine needles from the roof and gutters. We also cleaned up and organized a covered patio. Upon hearing of Cathy's needs, two women friends of ours wanted to get into the action. Two weeks later, they volunteered 6 hours of time to help her organize and clean up her bedroom. We can use more ladies like these who have a heart to help others.
January 2009 Hits
HANDYMAN REPAIRS – We were asked to do minor repairs at a disabled adult group home in Ballard. This home was started over 25 years ago by five couples with handicapped adult children. They pooled their resources to buy a home in Ballard for their family members, some of whom have outside jobs, and staffed the home with outside chore helpers and cooks. The parents only own this one Ballard house, don't do fund-raising and keep it a simple operation. Now the couples are in their 70s, 80s and 90s and can't do the necessary household repairs themselves. We were glad help fix those annoying little things that needed some attention and repair.
POWER-WASHING – We spent a few hours doing power-washing, raking and yard cleanup at a house run by a nonprofit that works with children and teens in Ballard.
SALUTE! – We made a return visit to a young mother whose husband is in the National Guard and was called up to serve in the Middle East. We fixed a loose bed frame for her son, helped organize the garage, and better secured her windows for safety. Also, we are helping to get rid of some pesky raccoons that moved in under her house and are pulling down the insulation. Ornery critters!
"HELLO, DOLLY" – A woman whom we met a week prior at the Ballard Senior Center called and asked if we could help tow her car from Ballard to a mechanic at the top of Crown Hill. What are the chances of asking 25 men by email if anyone has a tow dolly to use the next day? Have you known anyone who's ever even used one? Well, this ranks right up there with a miracle. On the very day that she needed her car towed, one of our men emailed right back that he was renting a tow dolly that very day to move a car he had just bought for parts! Incredible!! Think the GodFather had anything to do with the timing of that one?
PACK IT INTO STORAGE – Six men made quick work of helping a local couple who have moved overseas to work in Asia. Earlier in the month we helped to oversee construction of a new storage shed for them. Then in two hours we moved all their boxes and personal items from temporary storage into the new shed. Many hands make light work!
December 2008 Hits
CHANGED DOOR LOCKS – We received an urgent call from a young single mother who had just become a victim of domestic abuse. "Emily" had a boyfriend who tried to run her over with her own truck and then kicked in the front door to her house. She and her children were frightened and called the police but the boyfriend fled before police arrived. "Emily" feared for her safety as her boyfriend has keys to the house. After getting a no-contact order from the courthouse the next day, two men from The MOB arrived to change her locks. She feels much safer with her doors secured. With sincere thanks she and her kids cooked up some home-made Christmas cookies for us to enjoy. Yum!
BED FOR NEEDY FAMILY – One of our men heard of a need for a family of four whose two children were sleeping on the floor because they didn't have a bed. The father had just been laid off his job a month earlier. On his own, the Man of Ballard donated a bunk bed that he owned and brought it to the family in Everett. The kids were very excited to finally have a bed to sleep in.
November 2008 Hits
THANKS FOR BREAKFAST! – Teen Challenge, a woman's live-in treatment center for addictions hosted and cooked the Saturday breakfast for all us men before we went out to do our various projects. Thank you, ladies!! The table decorations of hand tools, nails, glue, etc. was a such a great joke and totally appropriate. Much better than any sissy flowers! And the hot breakfast was wonderful. We were really touched by the ladies' stories of life transformation because of the Teen Challenge program. The Center is located on Crown Hill (North Ballard) and operates on contributions and house cleaning jobs by the ladies.
IT'S A JUNGLE OUT THERE – Six guys (including one of the new men, Lloyd, shown above) practiced the art of giving as they cleared out a jungle of ivy, wild trees and blackberry vines for Elizabeth, a woman in her 70's who called The MOB for help. She was in despair because the health department planned to fine her $25 a day until she got the overgrown property under control. It was a nasty, back-breaking job but we conquered with 6 pickup loads to the dump. When we finished Elizabeth was happy, but the neighbors were even happier!
"Isn't there supposed to be a post right here?"
WHAT A BUNCH OF ROT! – We repaired the two rotted posts supporting a small front porch roof of a disabled woman living in a small house on Crown Hill. Who knows what was still holding her roof up? Yankee ingenuity resulted in using two car jacks and a bunch of plastic milk crates to lift up the roof for the repairs! We can get pretty creative when we have to.
UP FOR THE CHALLENGE – Several guys worked on repairing broken exit lights and sawing and replacing rotten deck stairs for the Teen Challenge women's center on Crown Hill. Thanks, men. Too bad you missed out on the fun of the jungle trimming job!!
October 2008 Hits
SERVING THOSE WHO SERVE US – Seven of us helped a young mother whose husband was called by the National Guard to serve in Afganistan and Iraq. He has left for training and will be gone for over a year. This family of four not only faces the challenges of separation but their income has taken a big hit as well. To encourage the family we repaired and moved furniture in the house, fixed a broken fence, hauled trash to the dump and helped organize her garage. We were rewarded by a child's smile, a mom's hug and many kind words of thanks.
JOE THE PLUMBER? – It was really "JOHN the Plumber" who was in the news here in Ballard. He spent five hours unplugging a couple of stopped up sinks at Teen Challenge. It required a trip out to get a longer plumber's snake to get the drains working again. Not an easy job. Thanks John H.!
BRUSHING UP ON HOUSE PAINTING SKILLS – We were asked by Parkview Services, a local nonprofit which provides housing and friendship for disabled adults, to paint the outside of one of their group homes in Ballard. Three adults in wheelchairs live here. This is our biggest job to date!! We spent three separate weekends to power wash, scrape, prime and prep. Eight men helped on the final weekend to brush on the final coats of paint.
SINK OR SWIM – One of our men replaced the kitchen faucet at Teen Challenge, a Christian rehabilitation center for women dealing with addictions. The faucet wasn't just dripping...it was a flood down below the sink! Thanks John H. for your plumbing help.
August 2008 Hits
MOVING JOB HAS ITS UPS AND DOWNS – Two of our men helped a disabled man, suffering from bipolar disorder, to move into a new apartment on Capital Hill. One of our men loaned his personal truck for the job. The old apartment was on the 5th floor and the new one was several miles away on the 11th floor. One of our volunteers could only work for about 1 1/2 hours, so the other mobster volunteer ended up working with a friend of the tenant from 9 am to 7 pm! A very long day. Way to go, John M.! Sorry there weren't more volunteers who could help out.
MOVING ASSISTANCE – We helped Marty, a woman who had been in the hospital with life-threatening blood clots for over a month, can barely walk, and is now unable to work. Susan H. volunteered her time to The MOB to help Marty pack during the week. Marty moved to a nearby apartment on Crown Hill and had volunteers from Catholic Services to pack the moving van but needed help with the unloading, which we gladly helped her with.
July 2008 Hits
LET THE SUNSHINE IN – We made a return trip to the widow we helped last month and replaced a shattered living room window and glazed in the new glass. We also repaired the sash weights in her bedroom window, so it could be opened safely and provide ventilation in the hot weather. It was a small crew that showed up to work (only three of us) but it is amazing to see is how each month we have had just enough men to match up with requests for assistance!
GOING GREEN – One mobster and his wife visited a house-bound Ballard woman who just needed helping hand in removing a large pile of paper recycling from her apartment and putting it in the dumpster. We also moved a couple of large objects around that she was unable to move. She is a sweet lady and we were glad to help. (We meet the nicest people while out on doing our random hits of kindness!)
June 2008 Hits
SPRING CLEANING – Yard clean up, edging, weeding, trimming a tree which was hitting the house, and hauling away an old fence and trash (600 pounds!). It was something the 89-year-old woman living on 8th Ave NW could never have done alone.
CLEAN OUT THE GUTTERS – Two of our men felt on top of the world as they climbed 24-foot extension ladders to clean out the gutters of a single senior who lives on 20th Ave NW. They almost needed a weed whacker since the job hadn't been done in so long and grass was really growing up there!
ASSISTANCE IN FINDING AN APARTMENT – One of our guys helped our new friend Jerry, who we met last month and has no transportation, to view several available apartments. He found one in his price range and was approved by the manager to move in. Yea! We had a bunch of guys give him a hand with the moving. A friend of ours, Liz K., came along and she unpacked and set up his whole kitchen. Thanks, Liz!
PLUMBING — Floyd did a 20 minute repair for a single mother, on a troublesome water pipe going to a refrigerator, saving this young mom a house-call from a plumber and a large bill.
May 2008 Hits
Broken gate (before) and newly installed gate and fence (after).
OUTDOOR MAKEOVER — On our monthly work day we sent a team to help "Rosie" a 63-year-old disabled woman who needed assistance. To keep her dogs from running away, she asked for a gate to be installed in her side yard. She had hobbled together some wire and broken indoor baby gates which just didn't do the job. Thanks to Craigslist we found a used wooden gate and fencing! We installed the gate and cemented a section of fence into the ground. We then repaired another gate that had fallen down. We cut down two diseased cedar trees blocking her front door (by hand because our electric chain saw didn't work!). Her torn front screen door was repaired. We fixed the hinges on a broken front door which she was unable to lock and now she can feel safe again. We installed a new mailbox she had purchased. We got her lawn mower running. And the parking strip was cleaned up. Whew!
PACKING IT UP — A 47-year-old man named Jerry, living on disability and social security, told us he had called all over Seattle to various agencies, even the Red Cross, and said no one returned his calls or said they could help him. He said The MOB was the only group who would help. He is being forced out of his apartment but didn't want much. All he wanted was help in packing to prepare to move to a new apartment and to dispose of items he no longer needed. So, we brought boxes and packing tape, helped take apart a dining table, moved boxes around, and took items to the thrift store. Another couple sold many of his items at their own garage sale. So, he was able to get some money for what he would have had to leave behind. He was so appreciative.
SLEEP ON IT — A retired volunteer performed a couple of separate "hits" at Teen Challenge, a local women's drug rehabilitation center located on Crown Hill. They needed a bunk bed put together but there were parts of it missing that had to be constructed. After purchasing wood and hardware for the side rails, he stained and varnished the rails to match the headboard. Later he took a lawnmower home and repaired a broken pull-cord so the mower would run. Thanks, John!
COMMUNITY HELP FROM A BALLARD AUTO MECHANIC — The MOB paid a little visit to a local auto repair service in Ballard. One of our mobsters leaned on the owner to "persuade" him to volunteer his auto repair services. He said yes! So, we delivered a van owned by Teen Challenge which would not run without jumper cables. He checked it all out and did some minor repairs on the vehicle and now it runs great. Thanks, Rodger, for taking time away from your own customers and giving back to your community!
April 2008 Hits – Our first projects!
WHITE WALLS ARE LIKE A BLANK CANVAS CRYING OUT FOR COLOR — This month we painted some accent walls in the apartment of Marnie, a disabled single mom, who was getting a hip replacement in April. She was so thankful and was able to come home to a cheerful, colorful apartment. She said it would have taken her weeks to do it herself, if at all, and when we left she had a big smile on her face. She said, "It's nice to have a man around the house... make that 6 men around the house!"
MOVE IT OUT — We also helped a disabled senior gentleman, who is moving out of state, to dispose of his furniture and household items in his apartment. He had no way of moving or selling them. Too bad for our volunteers that he lived on the third floor with no elevator!! Thanks, Brent, Matt, and Will.
An offer we couldn't refuse ... $1,000 donated to The MOB!
One concern with beginning the group was having money for start-up, for projects, and publicity. This need was answered in a totally unexpected way—from a teenager!! On March 23rd, a Ballard High School student donated the proceeds from her senior service project, a huge rummage sale at her high school, to The MOB. She and her friends spent many hours planning, pricing, and working at the sale and wanted the money to benefit a nonprofit benefiting the Ballard community. She chose The MOB. Thank you, JoAnne! Your gift will impact many Ballard people who are in need.
We now have a voice mail where individuals can leave a message: 206-971-9600. This number was donated to us by a local nonprofit! This will be helpful for those who do not have computers or email capabilities to reach us.
Kickoff meeting held on February 23, 2008
The MOB Moves into Ballard! The Men of Ballard (MOB) had our kickoff organizational breakfast. 16 men from two Ballard churches showed up to brainstorm and enjoy a stack of hotcakes. Our new group will be made up of men from various churches of Ballard with one main purpose – to do acts of service for widows, elderly, immigrants, single moms, local ministries, etc. We decided as a general rule to meet once a month for breakfast, followed by a few hours of work performed by small teams going out into the community for projects. We will also take on small urgent projects in between as men are available.