Service Project 2011

The first Sunday I attended YW as the new Laurel adviser, the YW president suggested that this be the Summer of Service.  Seemed like a great idea.  But I was already on the schedule as the recipient of a deacon's quorum service project.  February 27th  was the day after my husband passed away and I was at church.  Where else would I be on a Sunday morning?  Following the meeting block, the newest deacon came up to me and with his head down he told me that the deacon's quorum would like to have a service project at my house and what could they do?  He was so cute about it that I really wanted to hug him, but I know old ladies don't hug 12 year old boys on an assignment.  Instead I told him that I didn't need anything right then but in the summer when it wasn't raining I would need help painting my fence.  He looked up at me with a serious expression and said, "What color would you like?"  Made me laugh and reminded me of the scene in Jack Weyland's book Reunion when the youth asked the bishop his favorite color and then painted his brick house green.  Anyway, I told him I would buy the fence paint. 

It certainly needed paint, especially after the pressure washing

Summer came, my wonderful neighbor / home teacher / scoutmaster brought his pressure washer and prepped the fence so it would be dry by the evening of the painting project.  Then last Sunday morning he told me that the older YM had decided to participate in the painting project as well.  It made me realize how lucky I am to live in a ward where there are so many people willing to help others.
Bro H is one of the most organized people I have ever met.  He had drop cloths and buckets and brushes and rollers and a table with supplies, plus buckets with clear water for cleanup.  The boys arrived along with some adult leaders and they began painting. 

I had a bucket and brush so I could paint the tops of the pickets while they rolled the front and back as needed, but I seemed to do more moving of rhododendron branches or lending a hand instead of actually painting very much.  About 90 minutes into the project I realized they would finish the fence quite soon, so my VT partner and I began baking pizzas for them. 

See the young guy in the red shirt?  This was his first-ever YM activity 

The work project began at 6pm but by a little after 8 they were cleaning up and ready for pizza.  We also had cookies and cans of A&W for them.

And this is how my fence looks after their service. 

 I am humbled by their generous service.