Ramping the house down

[rdickinson]

From time to time there are posts here of people cleaning out the house in preparation to going full time.  It dawned on me that most will have gardening implements of all descriptions as well as some construction related tools powered as well as non powered.

There are a host of Disaster Response groups doing good around the Continent.  Habitat and MDS are generally fairly well outfitted but there are a couple I know who are in desperate need of tools and any supplies you may want to clear out.  Part box of nails or staples, a little bit of this and that.  Whatever you have they need desperately.  The Fuller Group in Panama City is one and Chads bunch the Recovering Oklahomans is another.  There are other groups scattered around hopefully close enough to make this a doable option.

I can provide contact info.  I wish I could do more but these DR trips are enormously expensive.  1$K diesel each way for starters, let alone 1k for the ferry and 1300 for travel insurance for 4 months.

Cheers.

[Kirk W]

11 hours ago, rdickinson said:

I can provide contact info.

Please do. I just did a Google search on "donate tools" in several variations and found no US based organizations. 

[rdickinson]

Here's a message from one, their contact info is in there.  The Fuller group, I'm working on it.  Shipping may make it not worthwhile but if there is an affiliate close enough, they may be prepared to deliver them.  It could also be an opportunity to get involved in volunteering.  The USA has no shortage of damage from floods, fires, hurricanes and tornadoes.  My thoughts are you will never catch up or keep up.

It's too bad Volunteering is not high on peoples list of things to do.  There are a number of very skilled people on this form.  Heck, even those with no skills but a willingness to learn or take direction would be welcome.

 

Chad Detwiler

405-698-8610

Recovering Oklahomans After Disaster

Join Our Facebook

Edited December 27, 2019 by rdickinson

[Kirk W]

3 hours ago, rdickinson said:

It's too bad Volunteering is not high on peoples list of things to do. 

I think that there are significant numbers of members of these forums who do volunteer in some capacity. I have seen many posts related to various RV volunteer positions. There is a forum Volunteering Adventures that is made up of such threads. Pam & I have completed more than 30 such tours of volunteering. If you check the list of Escapee Birds of a Feather groups you will find the DOVES, a Red Cross disaster group, the SOWERS and NOMADS who are both Christian service groups. There are numerous other volunteer organizations of RVing volunteers who do not have a BOF but are active. 

[rdickinson]

I'm referring actively working on Disaster Response not at a State Park.  There is no shortage of Volunteer organizations but of the people who volunteer with them.  I've seen a whole 2 week build cycle canceled because no one signed up.  Houses gutted by the willing and left for long periods of time with no HVAC.  Walls twist, floors heave, rodents and pests move in.  Owners getting ripped off by unscrupulous individuals.

It's the people shortage not the Association shortage or the money runs out.

Driven thru Panama City or Tallahassee lately?  How about N Carolina or Baton Rouge?  140,000 houses in Baton Rouge impacted by floods, let alone small businesses.

I'm not referring to only the RV set but everyone in general.

There is enough money floating around to be able to find Chad some tools or a pickup or a trailer or some odds and sods of building materials.

 

[Twotoes]

I volunteer at National Parks or State Parks most summers. I checked into volunteering for disaster relief. I am full time. Was told that I had to join a local group, which I can not do since I am full time and move at least every 3 months, almost never returning to the same location. I am also handicapped. I wanted to volunteer to assist with logistics such as drive a shuttle bringing other volunteers to the site, or make trips to the store to buy supplies or food etc. Was told that they only wanted people that could swing a hammer. Was very disappointed. I contacted several organizations such as Habitat For Humanity, Red Cross, and Escapees BOF.

[RV_]

Dickinson,

Hats off to you for volunteering. There is also no shortage of organizations that do good things asking for help. I'm glad you found your favorite charity/cause/place to volunteer. But I'm sorry I have my own charities I support as much as I am willing to do. And spending time maintaining a website for info as well as 19 years writing answers here and elsewhere helping out with hard earned info is volunteer work as well. Many folks are looking for places to painlessly volunteer and do something from writing a check to swinging a hammer or a track hoe bucket. I hope folks who don't already do, will too!

[rdickinson]

I know the Habitat contact so that doesn't surprise me.  I've no contact with the Red Cross or Escapees.

There is one you have to join and I didn't qualify. 

Have you had any construction experience?

Have you done any teaching in one form or another?

What did you do prior to retirement?

Would your handicap allow you to work in a re store assisting customers? I'm hedging around being politically correct here so bear with me.

I install and assemble kitchen, wire closet shelving, baseboard and trim, install doors, laminate flooring, exterior Hardiplank. 

So cabinet doors need to come off, handles installed both on kitchen cabinets and interior and exterior doors, baseboard trim cut, nail holes and joints filled, cabinets cleaned out, crud wiped of the shelf edging left by the bander, screw holes capped, divots and touch-ups done.  Colored putty sticks and a rag with solvent to remove the excess and 901 white Seamfill on the edges of white cabinet shelving.  Kinda like a small toothpaste tube.

If a chop saw was set at an accessible level, If I  showed you how to operate it safely could you do cutting?

One of the few times I use a hammer is for snapping banding on a cardboard box containing Home Depot or Lowes cabinets.

Mostly I use a small prybar to level things and shim then screw them to the wall or each other.

Sometimes it isn't what you can do, it is that there is a presence on the job which give the people hope.  Even if it is just sweeping or tidying up.

Let me know what are your limitations??

 

Roger

[rdickinson]

14 minutes ago, RV_ said:

Dickinson,

Hats off to you for volunteering. There is also no shortage of organizations that do good things asking for help. I'm glad you found your favorite charity/cause/place to volunteer. But I'm sorry I have my own charities I support as much as I am willing to do. And spending time maintaining a website for info as well as 19 years writing answers here and elsewhere helping out with hard earned info is volunteer work as well. Many folks are looking for places to painlessly volunteer and do something from writing a check to swinging a hammer or a track hoe bucket. I hope folks who don't already do, will too!

Any charity that helps others is worthwhile.  We all have different interests and skills.  Mine happens to be Disasters.

Cheers.