2024

Our team had the privilege of serving the Sweet Gum family by redoing their bathroom and replacing their toilet. What started with studs and half insulated walls, we were tasked with installing insulation, hanging drywall, installed a new tub and toilet, and spackled everything. On Mosey Monday we got to know the family and planned our steps to make sure we give them a functioning bathroom by the end of the week. With a strong start of measuring and drywall cutting, we felt a strong sense of passion for this project along with a special need of efficiency and care. With the weather on our side we were able to achieve our goal by allowing them to have a functioning tub by Wednesday and a fully functioning new bathroom by the end of the week. When we left the house on Friday, we gifted the family with new sets of bath towels, bubbles, a cowboy hat, and 3 beautiful quilts from our DCC Quilters. The smiles on their faces made the whole week worth it. We'd like to thank all of the members of the DCC family and all who donated to make this trip possible.  

Hello friends, our trip to Kentucky this July 4th week was delightful. After a long car ride we arrived  at Montgomery Baptist church. The church had just been rebuilt after the massive flooding in July 2022. This week we were called to serve Ms. A and her granddaughter. Ms. A gave her home to one of her daughters and their children to live in previously. Our task was to return it to its former condition. The previous  ASP team worked on replacing floors in the granddaughter's bedroom. The youngest of our team members Hayden and Katie completed the finishing touches to the room by adding trim along the ceiling, doors, windows, and floors, as well as putting in new window sills!

We continued our work out of the bedroom and into the kitchen.  We repaired the rotting subfloor and laid new flooring across the whole kitchen, finishing the floor off with linoleum to pull the room together.  We tore down the kitchen wall which had the sink and stove and removed the cabinets. We installed the wall with new insulation and sheetrock. Finally we installed a new stove to replace the non-functional one.  The family dog Rocky, supervised the project all week and made sure everything looked good!

During our farewell on Friday, we presented the family with the gorgeous quilts from the Priscilla quilters, and a square tool signed by our team. It was hard to say goodbye, but the family was grateful for everything we accomplished this week! 

We are very grateful to the Denville Community Church for their support, prayers and good wishes.  The ASP group enjoyed the cow tale candy sent by Kris Holstein.

This week our project was to install a new tin roof for Mr. J and his family, including his three sons. We had some challenging moments, but we were able to overcome them as a team and complete almost the entire roof. In addition, we had a unique experience because two other teams were also working on the same trailer home with different projects. 

For many of us, this project was out of our comfort zone in many ways, but God helped us through our fears to make a profound impact on our family. The new roof will not only keep them dry but provide some relief from their own anxieties. We worked together as a team to support each other and keep our minds open to solutions coming from many sources. Through this we were all able to grow as a team, learn new skills, challenge ourselves and work through fears. We had an incredible week and the homeowner could already feel the difference inside their home. 

This week, we worked with two other crews from DCC’s ASP. Our team consisted of Tiffany M., Jack L., Payton E., Eva C., Scott D., and Alex E. Our project focused on building underpinning to protect the insulation under the house from animals and to prevent air drafts that could make the house cold in the winter. Additionally, we replaced a broken window and installed insulation on the outside of the house. In the coming weeks, more volunteers will finish the insulation and siding, making the house drier. Our homeowners mentioned that even in the short period after we installed the insulation, they felt the house was already cooler than before.

Our homeowners were very welcoming and friendly. Their 4-year-old son was adorable and loved talking to us while we worked. The two teenage sons enjoyed playing football with our church at the picnic on Wednesday. They also helped us build the underpinning. Their gentle dog, Kratos, greeted us every morning and kept us company while we worked. We were sad we could not spend more time with the family, but they were so grateful to have met us and loved the quilt that DCC gifted to them.

Our team is very grateful to have had the chance to serve this family in Knott County and build connections both with them and each other. We all look forward to future years of volunteering. 

We are all apart of Rocky Road 3. We had the opportunity to build a deck and relationships with our homeowners. A couple, their three boys, and their dog Kratos live in a smaller mobile home.  We had to overcome rain, mud, and bureaucratic delays. Therefore, we were able to work with two other teams on our work site. Their existing deck had to be replaced due to safety issues for the youngest son who is four years old. Our homeowners were so thankful and appreciative when they saw the progress of our work in such a short time. Upon our near completion the skies opened up and thunderous rain poured. All three teams on the site agreed that there was no end in sight and we needed to end our day.  We gave them all of the toys and goodies we purchased as well as the beautiful quilts made by our Priscilla quilters. Fortunately the Lord heard our prayers and the skies opened with sunshine. A small team returned to the worksite to finish the deck to make it safe for the four year-old to safely exit the house. This is not normally done but since the center is closed next week, we did not want our amazing family to wait two weeks for their porch to be fully completed. They were grateful for all of our dedication to them.