Good day, hard day

• Good day.  We did trees all day.  Wow.  From before 9 AM to 8 PM with one break for dinner. Add heat and you have a really tiring day.  I think everyone is tired now.  I know I am!  Indeed I do not remember being this tired.  Going to be an early night.
• More pictures are being uploaded as I type....here they are: BonaResponds Ohio Tornado Set
• Have 4 more people here tonight.  So our total is 11 even though Emily and her sister did not make it.  nor did Jeff.   
• There was a gigantic "spread" at the fire department.  Lots and lots and lots of food.  From Spaghetti and meatballs to Salsbury steak and potatoes.   Not quite as many choices for vegetarians but still ate way too much: spaghetti with ketchup, salad, and watermelon. 
• After eating we went back and worked for almost 2 more hours on the site.  
• Tried to go bowling but seemingly EVERYTHING closes about an hour earlier than even Haiti time.  So we got  ice cream at the grocery store instead.
• Chris (the professional tree person from Canton) is really good.  I am sure we are all learning much just by association. His friend Scott (and his some Drew) made it is after work today, with 2 BobCats! 
• Tomorrow (Sunday) we have to clean up the church area and then will go out for an hour or so before coming back for the service.  
• One of prouder moments was when Pete cleaned out the church's gutters.  Why?  Just because they needed to be done.  

Sleep time.

Short update from Ohio

Good day of tree work in Millbury Ohio. We worked with many local volunteers and family members/neighbors.

* The work was mainly clean up after heavy equipment had been through, but still very much needed. We did down three damaged trees and cut up several that were down.

* Laura and the United Way people at the fire hall in Millbury have several jobs lined up for us tomorrow.

* Jen and Phil got in late tonight. Emily and Anita are coming in the morning as is a professional tree guy who called tonight and is coming in to help from Canton. He will be bringing his tree climbing equipment which will help on several.

* We are staying at the First Presbyterian Church in Clay Center. It is an almost perfect set up with two big rooms separated by a kitchen. No showers, but otherwise ideal.

* here are some pictures of the day.

* The number of trains and the amount of traffic on streets at night remind me of Randys Rangers camp circa 2007 in Pass Christian MS

Updates on Ohio

Updates on Ohio--
We have had several contacts with people in Ohio today.

Short version: much work to do, so come one with us!  or meet us there!!

1. It is very difficult to assess damage from afar, but it seems like Millbury is a bit ahead of surrounding towns in their clean up process.  The fire chief and a member of the Board of Education both felt that they were well along in the clean up process.
2. The MainStreet Church is acting a volunteer and distribution center.  We have had a couple of discussions with them.  They have two locations.  One was destroyed.  The other is helping with recovery both physically and spiritually as two members of their congregation died in the tornado.  They are having funerals on Friday and Saturday.  It is a very sad situation and they are doing better than could be expected.  They have been VERY helpful to us in finding work and even in attempting to arrange a place for us to stay.
3. ISOH/Impact has arranged much work for us (as in we can not run out of work).  They are helping in several smaller towns in the area (including in Michigan).  We might be working in any of them, but the most tree work seems to be in the  Delta area.  Ironically ISOH/Impact was very active in Biloxi (medical mainly) in and around Yanqui stadium where we had many meals! So we might have met them after Katrina!
4. Tom and others from Chicago are going to try and meet us there!  As is Gina from Cincinnati.   Andy (back from haiti and an original BonaResponds founder) is also coming!  As is Phil, Nate, Jen, Emily, Laura H, and hopefully you! :)

BonaResponds to help in Ohio

This past Saturday a series of deadly tornadoes swept across the Mid-West.  Especially hard hit was Millbury Ohio.  Approximately 50 homes were destroyed and another 50 severely damaged. In addition many farms, parks, and churches were damaged.


BonaResponds will be going to help this Fri-Sunday.  The base of operations will be the Mainstreet Church at 705 N Main Street in neighboring Walbridge OH.

We'd love to have you along to help!  It is a short trip but I am sure we can make a big difference.

You can meet us there (for the entire weekend or for just a day) or there will be two vans leaving SBU (one at 8:00 AM on Friday and one at approximately 5PM (stay tuned for exact times).

Please come prepared for the work.  Bring work clothes (boots, gloves, etc), a sleeping bag, personal items, toiletries, sun block, a digital camera, a good attitude!  You will also be responsible for food in transit.  Food will be provided while in the Millbury area.

You do not have to have any tie to SBU or have been a past BonaResponds volunteer, but it is extra nice if you have been!  (Wear your BonaResponds shirts or at least an SBU shirt if at all possible :)  If not HODR or any other shirt will do...lol.)

We do ask that you have had a tetanus shot within the past 7 years and you must be accompanied by a parent or other adult if under 18.

Stay tuned to the blog and the BonaResponds twitter account 

Please email BonaResponds@gmail.com to let us know you are coming!  or you can call 585.376.0231 as well.


I am sure it will be a good time and that we will be helping many people in their time of need.  So please come out.  You will like it!  Guaranteed :)

BonaResponds possible trip to Millbury Ohio

Notice Board announcement:

The following will be posted on teh notice board at SBU this morning:

"BonaResponds-Millbury Ohio

In response to a series of tornadoes that went across Ohio, BonaResponds is planning a relief trip to Millbury Ohio this coming weekend.

We have been in contact with local officials in Millbury and it seems like the trip is a "go". But they will be getting back to us after further meetings and assessment of needs before we know for sure.

Like all BonaResponds events, this will be open to all. Costs are being worked on, but it is most likely this will be a free trip.

Family and friends and alumni from the Ohio area are especially welcome!

Most details are still being worked out (like where we will stay, when we will leave, etc). Current plans are for a group to leave either late Thursday or early Friday to establish contacts, secure sleeping quarters, and begin work. A second group will leave after three PM on Friday. Current plans have us getting back to SBU LATE on Sunday/early Monday AM.

Sleeping arrangements are unknown but expect them to be primitive so bring sleeping bags and tents if possible. Work clothes (boots etc) as well as being up to date on tetanus shots is a must.

More details will be forthcoming and be sure to check http://BpnaResponds.org and our blog, and twitter account (@BonaResponds) for more up to date info



(BTW as long as we have your attention: we will also be working NEXT weekend (June 19) in Buffalo and then the following Sunday (the 27th) in Olean.)"

My Favorite

My Favorite
Originally uploaded by FinanceProfessor.

BonaRespinds and HODR brought together via this picture :)

The shirt is filthy and it was under a long sleeve taped down shirt! More pictures of this job site are here.


A video of the day is here.

Some more new pictures

I think I am up to about 100 pictures now. Many more to still come

No matter the size of the disaster

No matter the size of the disaster
Originally uploaded by FinanceProfessor.

No matter the size of the disaster, it is still disastrous to those affected. Here we are reminded of that by a simple photo album that was largely destroyed by the water.

Mr. Perry Sings some good advice.

Mr. Perry Sings for Group
Originally uploaded by Nif.

Mr. Perry is the owner of the trailer who's cleanup was the dirtiest job I had done (see yesterday's blog entry). Here he sings to us after we cleaned up and got got ready to leave.

This picture was taken by Jen. It is one of over 280 other pictures from the trip that she uploaded.

Want to listen to Mr. Perry? Here is a video of one of his songs which serves as our send-off as well as a piece of good advice for us all.






BTW I will be uploading a few other videos of his songs soon.

Where are you Mike Rowe?

This has to go to Mike Rowe. It just has to. And Mike, please come with us on our next trip!

What a group and what a day!

Wow that was a day! I could easily write four of five articles, but the most visually telling is this story (with accompanying videos) of what may have been the dirtiest BonaResponds' job I have worked on. Definitely the dirtiest since March 2006. Actual pictures will follow, but the video shows, we might have Mike Rowe look like he was the cleanliness inspector at computer chip manufacturer. Wow were we dirty.

We we at a trailer in Shelby Ohio that had been flooded pretty badly. The carpets on the inside had to be removed but the really dirty work was under the trailer where insulation and other "debris" had to be removed. Wow. It was disgusting.

First you are in a dark, wet area with itchy fiberglass insulation (fortunately we were covered head to toe and taped into our clothes with masks etc on) all around. Add to it you had less than three free to moved around in and you get some small idea of what it was like. Bad? It gets worse. There was mud everywhere, bugs galore, and even the occasional skeletal remains of various wildlife (we think it was a raccoon, but maybe possum).

Add to the wonderful mix, despite the fact that it was announced the plumbing had been disconnected, a volunteer decided to use the "facilities" when other volunteers were underneath the trailer with predictable consequences. In fact, here is Mike describing what happened:





But as they say in show business, the show must go on, so we continued (although a few did opt to work inside).

We got it done and then a neighbor who graciously allowed us to shower before getting in car and driving back to Olean.

Tomorrow we will be doing a partial day back in Olean (working on trails etc).

Here is us "calling out Mike Rowe" and inviting him to our next trip.