the Diva meets a Boss

So we head out to the Habitat for Humanity site. 

It's still pretty chilly in the morning here in the Mile High. I didn't wear my Steeler vest because I didn't wanna make any waves today. I'm here to help and to learn. So I grab a patch of sun while the GC goes through the job site rules and regs with the crowd of 40 + volunteers.  He offers the choice of interior work, or hanging siding. I hang back, waiting for the interior assignments.  Good thing too.....I end up on Allyson's crew.

Allyson.  Tiny little woman, really. Both her Staff sweatshirt and her cuffed khakis are totally overrun with paint, sawdust and dirt. Her tool belt is worn and looks very comfortable hanging around her hips.  Hair pulled up in a wanna-be ponytail under a dirty green hardhat that's spot-sprayed with neon orange paint. She puts us all at ease almost immediately with her easy demeanor and understated confidence.  This is no Roughneck Diva. Allyson is a Boss.  As she tells me about her own journey into construction, it becomes apparent she loves what she does. 

She agrees to let me shadow her today.  For the next 6 hours, I am alternately in the kitchen with Allyson, or waiting my turn for instruction from Allyson.  This is not a bad thing.  She is very patient with all of us, and gives everyone all the time they need to understand her instructions. I make my very first cuts with a circular saw with Allyson watching sharply.  She walks me through my installation so thoroughly I don't even realize I have done most of it by myself. Confidence soaring, I head down to measure and cut some wood alone.  I only screw up once.

I needed to see Allyson.  I needed to work with her and the other female staff and volunteers in such numbers.  One lady was pregnant.  Quite a few were Regular Volunteers.....meaning they give quite a bit of their time and energy to build homes for people they don't even know.  Being around these ladies today empowered me.  Their presence assured me that I was not off on some fantasy ride; I could actually be competent, skilled and still love what I do. 

This week is definitely the best of training so far.  I hope it continues to get better.

Like Water, For Roughnecks

Week four of Green Construction and Energy training began a bit differently today.  I was introduced to water auditing.

Water conservation is quickly becoming a hot topic, both in Denver and around the country.  Most of us are aware of the restrictions placed on us during the droughts of the past few years. However, few people realize that conserving water in and around the home can not only be painless, but also beneficial.  Consider this:  the average person uses 211 gallons of water PER DAY.  By reducing consumption to 165 gallons per day, the average homeowner can save close to 30% on their water bill.  A water audit will identify where improvements can be made throughout a home or business.

Around 9 AM, we were driven to the offices of Rebuilding Together Metro Denver, where we spent the morning learning the nuances of water auditing.  After lunch, we split up into two teams to begin the installation of water saving appliances in the homes of elderly homeowners.  As most elderly homeowners are living on fixed incomes, RTMD and Denver Water provide the audits and the upgrades at no cost.  My team installed new aerators, a new efficient shower head and an ADA approved, energy efficient toilet. 

What impressed me most was the reaction of the homeowner.  She was genuinely pleased to receive the upgrades, and didn't seem to mind all the strangers traipsing through her home to complete the installation.  i could very easily see my gramma, or my mother, sitting in the same spot.  Just looking around the home at all the projects that needed to be completed made me appreciate the both the necessity of reaching out to our older homeowners and the opportunity to make a real impact on the lives of my fellow citizens.

Wednesday, we will be spending the day working with Habitat for Humanity.  If it proves to be as rewarding as today, I just may have to revise my long term goals to include more altruistic uses for my new skills.