We had another very busy week in Muskogee for our crew and R.O.A.D. Our crew this week was made up of 11 hard working guys and gals. The first two days this week we all continued to work on the same house and then on Wednesday we split up and some started work on the second house where NOMADS agreed to work. Max and Anne remained at the first house the entire week along with our leaders Debbie and Monte, Ken and Michele and Steve and Voni. Dean and Laurie and Doug started the demolition on house two. House one was very near completion on Thursday. The kitchen was complete. Both bathrooms were completed along with the ramp for the front of the home. Doug hung the new back door before he started working on the demolition at house 2. There was a little drywall work to be completed and lots of cleaning to be done. Max and Anne completed all the LVP flooring – Yea!! We have done lots of flooring over the last 6 months and our knees are ready for some rest. Next week Steve and Voni will be finishing up the work at house one, with a target date for the homeowners to return of next Wednesday. Wish we could be there for the Bible presentation.
Doug, Michele and Ken building the ramp
Doug installing new back door
Base cabinets ready for counter tops
New back door
Anne finishing drywall in back bedroom
Dean installing electrical in kitchen island
Debbie and Laurie installing subfloor in bathroom
Steve installing the kitchen sink while Monte finishes the electrical
New water heater installed
Finished ramp
Guest bathroom at the end of week 4 after Debbie and Anne installed the tub surround
Back bedroom at the end of week 4
Kitchen at the end of week 4
Master bedroom at end of week 4
Master bath at the end of week 4
We departed Oklahoma Friday morning in route to Bandera, TX. We drove through Dallas, Waco, Austin, and San Antonio. Cities – YUCK. Traffic was awful. We are very thankful for an uneventful drive and a safe arrival in Bandera on Saturday. We are meeting up with friends here for the next week and then will head back east.
On Monday, March 16th, we joined the NOMADS Disaster Rebuild Project in Augusta, GA. This was the fifth week of the project but we were here for the final 3 weeks. The week got off to an interesting start since the Storm Prediction Center had placed this area in a 3 of 5 risk of severe weather. So, before we left for work on Monday, we pulled all our slides and awnings in and prayed for safety. We carefully watched the weather all day and fortunately, all we got was some rain and a little wind.
Just rain
Our 10 member team all went to the same house that last week’s team worked on. We had 6 members from last week’s team, so they could get us caught up on what needed to be done. This house was damaged when Hurricane Helene came through Augusta in September of 2024. Trees throughout the neighborhood came down on the homes. Evidence of the damage remains everywhere with some homes still displaying tarps.
There were many items remaining to complete in this home. In the master bath, the subflooring was leveled, the flooring was installed, ceiling repaired, textured and paint. A new vanity was installed, toilet reinstalled, the bathroom was painted, trim was installed and caulking was done.
Back bathroom when we arrived
Jim leveling the bathroom floor
Jim preparing a place for the new vanity
Kevin working on the new vanity
Finished back bathroom
Tuesday afternoon Max and Dave went to a home in Thomson, GA. The new home was completed, and they were tasked with disconnecting the travel trailer where the homeowner has been living since Helene destroyed his home. It was quite the job removing all the mobile home tiedowns. A funny moment occurred when after several unsuccessful attempts to move the porch and steps away from the trailer, they looked under the porch and found another mobile home tiedown.
Dave disconnecting water line
Max unstrapping the porch
The semi-permanent sewer line disconnected
Dave removing a chock block that was fastened down with 4 inch screws
The hallway bath required ceiling repair, texturing and painting, caulking, and trim. Flooring was replaced in the foyer, and kitchen. The kitchen also needed some painting. Downstairs in the family room, the ceiling required repairs, texturing and painting as well as all new flooring. With a lot of effort, the team completed the repairs Thursday afternoon and we presented the Bible to the homeowners.
The kitchen floor when we arrived
The kitchen ceiling when we arrived
The downstairs floor when we arrived
The downstairs ceiling when we arrived
Dave sanding downstairs ceiling
Tom spraying the downstairs ceiling
Rita and Joan installing underlayment
Rita and Anne installing a transition strip
Laurie painting baseboards
Joan and Anne installing flooring downstairs
Kevin cutting flooring
Tom waiting on last piece of flooring
The old icemaker line started leaking when we moved the refrigerator so we had to install a new one.
Finished kitchen
Finished downstairs floor
This week’s Bible presentation
During the week we celebrated two birthdays one for Laurie and one for Dave then on Friday we had to say goodbye to the 6 NOMADS from last week, Joan, Tom, Jim, Irene, Kevin and Laurie. We really appreciate all their hard work and wish them well on their next projects.
Week 5 (our week 1) team picture
Laurie and her birthday cake
Dave and Rita with the birthday peach cobbler
Saying “See you down the road” to our team members
