The Word of the Ward!: Mormon Helping Hands!

We had a very incredible day! Saturday, April 30^th was a day of service hosted by the Children’s Chamberlain Center and coinciding with the annual Mormon Helping Hands Day of Service. An amazing coincidence. Commencing At 8:00 a.m. there were ten acres of heavy equipment buzzing, graveling the roads to the 8 facilities, drywall hanging, roofing, laying down pavers, extensive weeding and planting of 20 shrubs some trees, and 100's of plants, cleaned a baseball field, spread rubber on a playground, wheel barrow by wheel barrow (the kids loved this job) and many specialists that volunteered their professional services. We also did some spring cleaning for 3 of the 4 houses the children live in. At least 200 people showed up and really worked until noon when we were served with a wonderful Tri-tip barbecue put on by the Rotary Clubs of Hollister, San Juan Batista, and Gilroy, who we worked side by side with, and also the Hollister Leadership group and employees and board members of Chamberlains.

(Bishop John Starkweather - helping with the driveway)

(Spencer Heap and Jason Cameron - a dirty, itchy job)

At the last minute,(Friday) Carol Lindgren, a member of the church wanting to help do a professional job of restructuring the pavers on a walkway going between houses at the Chamberlain Children's center, Carol works for Pacific Interlock company who donated the pavers and assisted Javier Quesada of New Leaf Landscape in installing pavers for a patio area and walkway, together with church members, and a board member from Chamberlains and also Josiah from C-map TV all pitched in and helped with this huge project. Josiah would stop periodically to take footage of the line of people passing bricks to each other from the truck to the pavers!

(Young Women and their leaders Weeding the Garden Area)

Did I mention the painting of four structures? John Starkweather of Starkweather Painting was instrumental in the carrying out of this huge undertaking. Also after assessing the work to be done. He retained a back hoe driver to add a new layer of gravel to the roads (which are not just a few) Lent his spray washer's for the Boys Youth group to pressure wash the buildings on a previous day and on Saturday brought in 4 pieces of heavy equipment, including arranging for a trailer with 10 tables and 100 chairs to be brought for lunch that morning.

(Bishop Loren Dickson -- attacking the weeds)

Ward members were painting the trim of the buildings when the Chamberlain Children’s Center director asked if someone could put in a new bathroom cabinet. I have to mention Kristin Grabau who was within hearing range at the time, at first offering up her husband, a contractor, but not knowing where to find him, said wait, I can do it! Well she ended up Painting and redecorating the bathrooms, with really cute curtains retrieved from her home along with new curtain rods and switch plates. We ran into trouble with the plumbing and so she went and purchased that herself. Three people ended up working on that leaky sink.

(The scouts showed up just in time from their camping trip to strike a pose. Logan Sowards, Garrett Lawrence, Tyler Hatchett, Tristan Russell, Tyler Hurtado, Miles Franklin)

The wonderful Whiteside family still roofing, the only exhausted people left, felt not to go home until their job was mostly completed. They will be back this week for the finishing touches. Many others had assisted throughout the day, Mike had been coming the past two days digging and cementing post holes and prepping so that fencing could be put up on the day of the big event. While digging the post holes on Thursday, Mike Whiteside was told about the need for roofing and so volunteered for that too. Mike is a contractor and owner of Whiteside Construction.

(Primary Children work on spreading shredded rubber over the playground floor)

The rest of the work consisted of the endless job of weeding and planting 40 shrubs, 100 plants and vegetables in planters, some of which were made that day by the Rotary Clubs who also had also done much of their own volunteer work that day, including helping put up the fencing. The Leadership club tiled the kitchen, While Richard Collie repaired counter top tiles, and will be working on creating a Jungle room for the Chamberlain Children to read in, Steve Fowles, a local contractor, will assist him in the building of an indoor tree house for the reading room.

(Annette Dickson was a machine with the weeding tool)

The members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are grateful for this wonderful opportunity, It felt good to serve together because the work is much needed, and so is very rewarding! We would love to come back again, as it is our desire and goal of to emulate Christ’s teachings, following his example and life’s work while on the earth and who particularly loved the children.

(Spencer Heap helps daughter Mason with her yummy lunch, provided by The Rotary Club.) (And I'm sorry, I can't help myself, look at Bishop Dickson's photo bomb in the background.)

Chamberlains could use many more work days, Much upkeep is required for such large grounds and many buildings. Their employees are special and wonderful that are truly dedicated people who love care for and nurture the children in their stewardship