2009 Alabama Work Trip Picnic!

Attention Worktrippers!

After hearing back from some of you, I have set a time and a place for our get-together: Sunday, 31 May at 5 pm at John Erickson's house, located at 707 VT Route 132 in Norwich (near Union Village).

Our plan is to use the Erickson's outdoor wood fired oven for making pizzas, maybe do some grilling too.

It will be a great time to have some fun and some reminiscing!

John hopes to have the annual Worktrip DVD ready by then.

If you can RSVP, it would give us a vague headcount.

See you there!

Mary

Work Trip Reunion Picnic Planning (27 Apr 2009)

Start thinking about a Work Trip 2009 Reunion!

We could have it at Mary's barn, at a local park such as the Union Village Dam (which has picnic shelters and a sandy volleyball court!), or even a pizza-making party using John's wood-fired backyard clay oven.

A good time for a picnic might be late in May.

Please email Mary with your ideas!

Thank you from Mary (27 Apr 2009)

Dear 2009 Worktrippers and Parents,

Thank you for a great ten days!

This was one of the most dramatic work achievements I've seen in my twelve church rebuilding work trips. All those roof trusses!

But that was not necessarily the most important thing about the week. I was so impressed by the way you treated each other, the way you met and worked with our hosts, the energy that was with us. Each one of you was essential to our project. And my special thanks to John, Dan, Lynne, and of course Mike for helping me out with your special gifts.

I hope that this has given all you young people an appetite for helping other people. There is a lot more to be done out there and lots of fun to be had doing it!

Best,

Mary

IMPORTANT PS: I have a few lost and found items:

• A pair of (girls?) Adidas, blue, green, red
• A pair of boys (size 12) Nike running shoes
• A recycled tote bag from Shaw's
• A small green Fiskars work apron/belt
• a couple of green Nalgene bottles
• one normal grey utility knife (Meryl?)
• one super-deluxe grey utility knife (Sam?)
• one red-handled hammer (with black grip and black tape)
• one Work Trip 2009 T-Shirt, size M

I will leave them on my back porch if you want to pick them up.

Sunday Evening (26 Apr 2009)

After a very long day of driving that "featured" heavy traffic throughout northern New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, we arrived safely in West Lebanon and were greeted by our waiting families!

Thanks everyone for such a great work trip!!

Sunday Morning (26 Apr 2009)

Yesterday was a looong travel day from Anderson, SC to Washington, DC. Our early start was rewarded by an hour of wandering around the monuments on "The Mall," and then it was off to dinner at Union Station. We spent the night at Christ Congregational and will be heading out early Sunday morning on the last leg of the trip to the Upper Valley!

Saturday: Travel day to Washington, DC (25 Apr 2009)

We spent the night at the Days Inn in Anderson, SC and then were off early to Washington, DC.

After our loooong ride, we'll have a tour of the monuments on The Mall, a dinner at Union Station and then will head to our final night at Christ Congregational in Silver Springs.

Friday: Final day of work! (24 Apr 2009)

We finished up with a great half-day of work, and are now off to John Tanner State Park near Atlanta for a bit of relaxation before heading to Anderson, SC for the night.

Some of the highlights of our work today including moving the baptismal pool into position, helping with sheathing and papering the roof, and general site clean-up.

After lunch, prepared again by the ladies of Greater Bethelpore, we had a "thank you" ceremony in which we presented them with gifts of appreciation, including Work Trip 2009 T-shirts for Ealy and Rev. Brown, and Vermont maple syrup for the church.

Check out our final work photos now, and check back later for some of us at "play!"