Varnishing takes focus

Varnishing takes focus
Originally uploaded by c_jackling.

Carrie uploaded the pictures from the work in Friendship that occurred this past Saturday. Here Caitlyn varnishes in the bedroom.

The rest of the pictures are available here.

Notice Board announcement

Just sent the following in for the notice board:

There are still openings for the BonaResponds Spring Break trip to Galveston Texas. The cost is $50 and includes a place to stay and food for the week,transportation from Houston to Galveston, and BonaResponds t-shirt. You have to get to Houston (Flights have been running about $200). There are many time slots available. We will be helping to rebuild the area that was devastated by Hurricane Ike in September. You will have a great time and do much good work if you come!

See http://bonaresponds.blogspot.com/search/label/Galveston for more information.

If you have signed up but have yet to pay, the $50 should be paid by Thursday. Collection times will be announced soon or email Steve Gearhart. Also please fill out the forms that are listed on the blog.

BonaResponds Texas Travel form

If you are going to Galveston, please fill this out as soon as possible. Thanks!

We still have room. See previous blog entries for more info.

YouTube - Galveston's Gradual Return

YouTube - Galveston's Gradual Return

BonaResponds Galveston Spring Break Trip

BonaResponds will be going to Galveston Texas for Spring Break. The trip is the most flexible we have ever had.

Overview: you fly into Houston and we get you to Galveston to work. The work is still uncertain but will be some gutting and some rebuilding. No experience is necessary, just a willingness to help others while working hard and having fun.

Due to housing capacity issues, we can only take fifty people this time. Given pre-announcement demand, this will fill up. So act fast.

Arrive in Houston (George Bush Airport is preferred) either Friday (Feb 27th) night, Saturday, or Sunday (again housing issues are a limiting factor they do not have much room at volunteer shelters for Friday or Saturday). Vans will run from the airport at 8pm on Friday, three and 8pm on Saturday, and 6 pm on Sunday (more vans will be added if we have to, but would like to try and keep these times).

If you can't come for the whole time, we ask that you schedule flights in and out that are outside the regular workday since vans will be needed to transport people to and from work sites.


Departures can be Friday or Saturday. Friday vans will be to the airport 6AM, noon. Saturday 6AM. (again more may be arranged).

The cost of the trip will be $50 in excess of the transportation costs. That will pay for food and a place to stay, necessary tools, and a tee shirt.

If costs is a prohibitory factor, please please please let us know. We will try and help you get some sponsorship money.

Be sure to bring a sleeping bag, work boots, work clothes, work gloves, a camera, cell phone charger, sunscreen, and a water bottle.

more details (and hopefully in a more clear format will be available soon).

Thanks!!

Great day of work on Saturday

Saturday was a good day for BonaResponds but a better day for those that we helped! All told we had thirty three volunteers working at three sites. Much work got done at them all.

• In Conewango NY (North of Randolph) we helped remove over a decade's worth of debris and garbage (for instance maybe 500 styrofoam coffee cups). He had been living out of his car since the house does not have heat. It was/is a story that is worth repeating: imagine living in house that is utterly full of garbage. Much of the stuff is good, but just piles and piles of newspapers, bags, and everything else. Rats, mice, and even a raccoon shared the house with this eighty year old. And he had no heat, virtually no electric, and no running water since the pipes had frozen. Just a sad tragic story that in many ways is this year's Gerry who we met on the "big trip" in the spring of 2006. The house is still a mess when we left, but tons of stuff was removed and at least he can now get the help he so desperately needs. Here are pictures:

• In Allegany, a crew worked on drywalling and painting. They got one full room done and much of another. They also painted a bedroom and got the house closer to ready for the 69 and 91 year old fire victims who had lost their house. Here is a link to pictures from this site:

• In Friendship more of the woodwork was finished at Ed and Donna's house. The house by the way is coming along! Here are a few pictures from it. More will be forthcoming!

north of randolf: How anyone

north of randolf: How anyone could survive in these conditions is beyond me. deplorable does not do it justice

This is where the 80 year old lived. conditions are beyond bad.

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van dug out and started

van dug out and started for tomorrow. also one school van. 945 in morning from murphy.come volunteer

Thebahamasweekly.com - St. Bonaventure University Student Teachers to assist in local schools and the YMCA for 7 Weeks

So have you wondered where Laura has been? Laura is one of our student leaders. As many of you have noticed she has been uncharacteristically missing of late. Why? She is student teaching in the Bahamas.

thebahamasweekly.com - St. Bonaventure University Student Teachers to assist in local schools and the YMCA for 7 Weeks:

"Grand Bahama Island – Four senior students from St. Bonaventure University near Olean, NY will be completing their first placement of student teaching in four schools on the Grand Bahama Island.

Dave Dowd, Connor Dougherty, Laura McDowell, and Meredith Nappa will be living and teaching at local school for the next seven weeks."

It should also be noted that I have reciveed two emails from her asking what she can do for BonaResponds from there.

Video that has some BonaResponds' content

This is a Bonaventure Commercial. It is mainly about the finance department, but since there is some BonaResponds content (a short clip from Biloxi is included) I will list it here too. If for no other reason as a notice how good service in general and BonaResponds specifically is for Bonaventure marketing efforts.

My quote for upcoming article on the Galveston trip

"Just because it has not been in the news as much as past natural disasters does not mean the people do not need help. The news cycle was different this year: there was an election and a recession to cover. Galveston got swept away both literally and figuratively."

An 80 year old living in his car because he has no heat

Spoke again with the Dept of Aging. Here is the story on the one job we have this Saturday. An eighty year old has let his house go. It is pretty much a total mess.

He has no heat. When asked how he is living given the terribly cold temperatures we have had this winter I was told that on cold nights he goes into his car and sleeps there because he can have some heat.

This is a job we have to do. No way we can pass this up. I could not live with myself if we passed it up and then he dies due to the cold.

If you can help, we are going to his house starting at about 9:45 on Saturday morning.

Dress to be outside. Wear gloves and boots. I do not know exactly what we will be doing but we can't do nothing.

Desperate need for volunteers this Saturday

Before you say yes or no, I want you to try and imagine these three situations. Then, let me know if you can help.

1. I just got off the phone with the Cattaragus Department of the Aging. They have an 80 year old man who is in some trouble: his heat no longer works (it is winter) but his house is a such a mess (he is living in squalor and barely has any electric) that a new heater can not be installed. They asked if BonaResponds would be able to help clean out his living quarters and help get him heat.

A few phone calls later and we have a donated walk-in dumpster (thanks SDS!) and are in the midst of working out the details as to how we can help THIS Saturday (I would have pushed it back but he has no heat!). We can use probably 10-12 volunteers here. Transportation may be an issue since it is a 50 minute drive, but BonaResponds will reimburse gas money and provide a simple lunch. We will also try to have at least a van.

Dress warmly. Not only is there no heat, but we will be making any many trips out to the dumpster.

2. A few weeks ago there was a fire locally. It totally destroyed the home shared by a 69 year old and her 91 year old mom. Fortunately they had been planning on moving and had already purchased another home that needs some work done. Here is a part of an email I received about it:

" My mother and grandmother thank you all as well. An update.. They lost everything.
Literally got out with their clothes, no shoes, on their backs. Thankfully the dog survived and just when we were ready to tell my grandmother that her cat was gone, someone called to say they found her in the inferno, wrapped her in a blanket, gave her oxygen and took her to the vet. Only medicine, my mom's purse and the safe made it out.

Help? here is the answer to that question.. what they need more than anything is a home that is safe and comfortable. My Mom is 69 and Myrt is 91.. we're trying to paste together a small army to help us finish the 4th Street house that she closed on last week.

With many hands it will only take a couple of weeks (if that). Painting, Kitchen, a bath area for Myrt, light sanding on the beautiful floors, spackle, a very small amount of drywall, very small amounts of tile work on the floors.... I will just send out an email to this list when we'll be at the house so that if anyone is free we would more than appreciate some helping hands. You have all been so generous with your offers and there is no way we can possibly repay your kindness.. we will be forever grateful."

I spoke with her again yesterday and they have 3 or four rooms that need to be drywalled plus painting etc. They can use 10 people as well. Preferably with some experience.

3. Last, but not least, Ed and Donna in Friendship. They need some help painting and varnishing the boards that will go from the floor to the drywall in the remaining rooms. (Ed thinks 4-5 volunteers would be sufficient.)


If you do the math we need about 25 volunteers for this weekend. I realize it is short notice, but fires and emergency calls can not be planned. I realize it is Alumni weekend, but bring them along.

So there is a clear need for volunteers this weekend! With the alumni back, lets make the work day Saturday this time. Meet at 9:45 behind Murphy.


Also given the likely need to turn people away for this year's spring break trip due to the availability of housing, these local days are a good way to be sure you get a spot!

BonaResponds Spring Break Trip Announcement

This was just sent to the SBU Notice Board:

BonaResponds Spring Break trip

BonaResponds meeting Thursday at 8:30PM Murphy Aud. The main topic of the meeting will be the Spring Break trip (Space on the Spring Break trip will be limited so if you want to go on the trip, you should attend the meeting!)

We will primarily be going to Galveston Texas but depending on the number of volunteers and leaders who wish to go we may break into different groups like in the past and go to multiple sites.

Many more details will be announced at the meeting.


PS We need volunteers this coming weekend for three local jobs. While not as glamorous as helping in a disaster area, they are a good way to insure your space on the spring break trip!