In the first photo, from the left, are worker bees Bob and Keelie, flanking Antare (the Executive Director of
Common Ground) and Cory (
Volunteer Coordinater for the
New Orleans Rebirth Volunteer Center). Worker bees John, Adam, and Reverend Deane make up the rest of the "gutting the building" team.
On the right, Keelie and Adam proudly display the disposable haz mat suits that we wear each day while John shows how "easy" it is to climb into the suit. Though light and breathable, the suits have been no match for the good ol' southern humidity!
Each day, we have started with an empty, walk-in dumpster. By the end of each day, the dumpster is magically full!
One of the most satisfying aspects of the work is seeing the visible progress. In the photo on the left, the back of the building is overrun with trash. The photo on the right shows that by the end of Tuesday's work, we have largely cleared out the back "patio".
The manual labor is draining and the heat is punishing. But the kind folks at Common Ground have provided us each day with a shaded tent and coolers of cold water and iced tea. Best of all, they have provided us with Mr. Keith (pictured above with hams John, Adam, and Keelie, in front). Mr. Keith has inspired us with his resourcefulness, ideas, and energy. In fact, Mr. Keith's energy has often surpassed the output of his 50-plus-years-younger teenage volunteers!
