This week, after moving the fence on the north of our property back a few feet, our weekly volunteers also plotted out Heather's house on our new property. At Silvia and Haylee's houses, Steve and Ron installed the windowsills.
Saturday September 6
Today we had about 24 volunteers at our site, where at coffee break Bonnie gave a devotion and at lunchtime Walmart provided a sandwich lunch. Thanks, Walmart!
At Silvia's house volunteers installed a laundry room cupboard and put in door knobs while Silvia swept up and painted door frames. The closet doors were delivered to the property to be installed as well as the kitchen appliances. Volunteers started to install those appliances and will continue next week.
At Haylee's house Dawn and Haylee painted door trim while others washed windows. At the Warehouse Dawn and Haylee continued painting and reassembling her doors.
At the Warehouse, volunteers continued building walls in preparation of Heather's build, while she panted the HVAC vents with water repellent paint. Heather is looking forward to seeing her foundation dug by the Cudaback crew on Tuesday.
On Tuesday Steve and Dennis put the kitchen bar in for Silvia. Outside Bill and Rodger installed more fencing. Yes there is a lot of fencing and it takes a lot of time to install.
At the warehouse Ken painted a cover for the generator used for the food trailer at the new build site, since there is no electricity there yet. Jerry, Clint and Ron started building the walls for Heather’s house.
Upstairs, Silvia painted a cupboard for her laundry room from the furniture donated to us and Haylee started painting doors and woodwork for her house.
On Thursday volunteers put up the cupboards in Haylee’s house.
Dave Waggoner worked on the plumbing in Silvia’s house.
At the new property, volunteers mowed the area so the electrical pole can be installed.
On Saturday, August 23, Judy and Ken filled nail holes and then painted the door trim at Silvia’s house.
Steve made a template for the countertop in Haylee’s kitchen and bath.
Ken continued watering the sod at both houses.
At the new property, volunteers took down a fence which needs to be re-located.
During the week Building Committee volunteers installed the countertops in Silvia’s kitchen and bathroom. The first appliance – the microwave – was installed, and shelving and rods were installed in the closets. Carpet pads were placed in the three bedrooms.
At Haylee’s house, Howard and Sandy installed the tile floor in the bathroom, and the white cupboards for the kitchen and bath were delivered to the house, ready for installation.
Ken worked on smoothing the yards, getting ready to lay sod on Saturday.
Saturday, August 16 with an enthusiastic crew, we laid the sod at both Silvia and Haylee’s houses.
John Gosswein gave a devotion at coffee time, referring to laying sod, “faithfully do your ordinary work and God will provide the extra ordinary.” Volunteers finished laying two flatbeds of sod by 11 am, before the heat of the day finished us off.
Ken set up the watering system and will make sure the lawns get a good start. We will seed the back yards.
July 31 - Ken painted trim boards in the warehouse. Crew continued putting in cupboards in Silvia's house, Bill started putting in carpet tack strips in the bedrooms of Silvia's house and fencing continued outside.
August 5 - Volunteers continued working on fencing for both houses and Bill continued putting in the carpet tack strips in Silvia's bedrooms.
August 8 - BT&F Construction installed the rain gutters and downspouts on both houses August 9 - Ken smoothed the lawns, getting ready to lay sod on August 16 while Silvia's crew put the second coat of paint on the peak of the house and also filled nail holes in the woodwork inside.
During the week at Tyson and Haylee’s house volunteers poured the sidewalk leading from the street to the front door. Another group started laying landscape timbers.
On Saturday the 19th, a large crew of painters finished the primer coat of paint on Tyson and Haylee’s house so we can start with color next week. Other volunteers continued with landscape timbers, placing the timbers and then filling with rock.
A lot of donated dirt was brought on to the yards of both houses and volunteers helped break down the clods and rake it into place.
Sandy and Howard came in to lay the tie in Silvia’s bathroom.
John Gosswein provided the devotion at our coffee break at 9:30 on Saturday, and Catholic Daughters served a fruit and sloppy joe lunch.
On Saturday, July 12, we had 30 volunteers to help with work in muddy, sloppy lots, but much was accomplished. At Silvia's house many volunteers helped Silvia paint two coats of color to her interior walls. Great work! Outside volunteers laid the timbers around the base of the house so that rock can be placed there. Others laid the sidewalk forms so that concrete can be poured later this week.
At Tyson and Haylee's house volunteers swept and cleaned the floors and walls so that paint priming could be continued. Other volunteers blew insulation into the attic. Outside, volunteers placed rock between the driveways and in the landscape timbers which were laid around the base of the house. Building Committee members poured the concrete in the sidewalk in front of House 102 and laid the forms for the sidewalk from the street to the house.
Sheryl and Beth hosted at the food trailer and gave a devotion at coffee time, then prepared for the hamburger and hot dog lunch provided by the Knights of Columbus During the week the building committee moved the food/supply trailer to the north end of Avenue P in our new property so that work can begin on prepping the yards on Avenue P and 16th Street. They also set forms for the sidewalk in front of House #102. Heather and daughter Grace started priming the walls in Tyson & Haylee's house.
On Saturday, July 12, we had 30 volunteers to help with work in muddy, sloppy lots, but much was accomplished. At Silvia's house many volunteers helped Silvia paint two coats of color to her interior walls. Great work! Outside volunteers laid the timbers around the base of the house so that rock can be placed there. Others laid the sidewalk forms so that concrete can be poured later this week.
Sheryl and Beth hosted at the food trailer and gave a devotion at coffee time, then prepared for the hamburger and hot dog lunch provided by the Knights of Columbus.
At Sylvia’s house volunteers wiped down the walls preparing to paint the primer coat.
On Saturday, June 28, Carol and Bonnie hosted and Jerry Gloystein from Holy Cross Lutheran Church provided a devotion at coffee break and members of that congregation provided a great Taco lunch.
At Tyson and Haylee’s house volunteer blew in insulation on the outer walls. Outside, workers finished the second coat of paint on the front peak, poured the street end of the driveway and the sidewalk to the garden shed and spread dirt around the foundation of the house.
Since Bob and his crew finished hanging the drywall, during the week our professional drywall finishers, Zach and Keith came in and got most of the drywall finished. Soon we’ll be ready to paint the interior for Silvia!
At Tyson and Haylee’s house, the driveway was prepared on Tuesday and poured on Thursday, except the end. The volunteers continued installing f-channel on the house and started installing the soffits.
On Saturday, June 21, we had 28 great volunteers bare the heat and accomplish a lot of work by lunchtime.
Two Maria’s from St James Church hosted during the morning and later Danay and Jessie joined Maria to finish the day. The First United Methodist Church Seekers Class (Gaye, Alice and Barb) provided a delicious chicken fingers lunch with lots of sides. Thanks, FUMC!
Later in the morning Dawn started painting the white trim on Silvia’s beautiful gray house.
It was a great day for painting, though very hot, and Ken and his crew completed the second coat of the beautiful green color Haylee selected for their house and garden shed. Also, volunteers continued installing f-channel and soffits. Inside, Silvia and her partners hung the sheeting for the insulation for Tyson & Haylee, while Bob and Ray started drywalling the ceiling of their house.
Outside, Jerry and Heather picked up rocks and clods around the driveway.
June 14, 2025 –
Sue and Judy hosted a warm summer day with 42 volunteers! Mel Wiens gave a devotion at coffee time and the First United Methodist Friendship Class provided a wonderful lunch. A great group of volunteers from Kearney High School were here to help Heather earn some hours.
Drywalling continued at Silvia’s house with Heather and Joyce helping Bob and other volunteers. During the week volunteers were able to insulate the walls, so by the end of the day the drywalling was almost complete!
Outside volunteers continued putting in the soffits and Silvia touched up the paint job and finished the second coat of sections not previously covered.
The driveway was poured during the week and on Saturday the back step and the drive entry section were poured.
Jerry moved a lot of dirt as usual, and volunteers helped smooth that dirt around the house.
At Tyson and Haylee’s house a great paint crew got a dark green coat of paint on the house and garden shed. Ken and Rick were pleased with the work force today!
The driveway was laid out and will be ready to be poured later next week.
Tuesday the volunteers put in the doors for Silvia's house and started siding.
At Tyson and Haylee's house Ken and Kay fought the wind to put the Tyvek around the house while others got the garden shed foundation ready to pour.
Steve works on putting backer boards in the kitchen.
Milt is our go-to coffee maker during the week.
On Thursday, a very windy day, we had the help of Junior students from Westgate School near Thornton, Colorado who always do a work trip each year. This year they selected Kearney Habitat and they will be in Kearney from Wednesday through Saturday. Our Volunteer Coordinator Rick Mitchell suggested outside activities for the group around Kearney. Today they worked with volunteers until around 3pm. At Silvia's house they helped our building committee members continue putting on siding. and getting wood ready to work on the safe room.
At Tyson and Haylee's house volunteers continued with hurricane clips, cut blueboards and installed the blueboard attic insulation, helped pour concrete for the garden shed, continued fighting the wind putting up Tyvek sheeting. Others installed the doors on the house #102.
On Saturday, May 17, Bonnie and Carol hosted 55 volunteers! Some of the volunteers were the students from Westgate School in Colorado and others were from Family of Christ Lutheran Church in Kearney, who also served a great lunch! Pastor Steven Neal gave a devotion at coffee break. Recognition should be given to Daylight Donuts who donate all the rolls and donuts for our Saturday volunteers. Thanks Daylight! At Silvia’s house volunteers started building the safe room (the closet in the master bedroom) which includes two layers of plywood and one layer of drywall all the way around, for safety.
Many volunteers helped with siding three sides of Silvia’s house, along with many of Silvia’s family.
Other volunteers filled the seams in the floor to make a smooth surface for laying the flooring at a later date.
Enthusiastic volunteers also painted the corners of the Garden Shed.
At Tyson and Haylee’s house Kay led a group to finish putting up the Tyvek insulating sheet.
The doors were installed, ready for the windows next.
Blueboard cutouts were installed between the walls and roof line to further insulate the house.
Another group of enthusiastic workers put up the garden shed, so it is ready for shingles in a couple of weeks.
On this beautiful spring day Sue and Sheryl hosted. Rick Mitchell from New Life Church gave the devotion and Sheryl and Dawn from New Life provided a pizza, salad and dessert lunch.
At Silvia's house, Ken installed insulation behind the tub/shower unit so we will be able to set the unit in permanently. Volunteers from Thursday installed the windows and today they secured and sealed those windows. Outside, a group started siding on the north side of Silvia's house.
Most of the work today was at Tyson and Haylee's house. In fact this photo (3490, Barb) shows most of the activities in one photo! Volunteers cleared the foundation so that the cement board could be installed, blue board was installed, Jerry secured the boards on the roof, and the sub-facia was installed. In the kitchen Ken and Tracy put up backer boards. Current homeowner and volunteer Lu Racine helped by taping the blueboard seams and cutting the blueboard backers between the attic and the walls.
Heather and her friend Dave helped with the cement boards. She will be the first homeowner in our new land north of the current sub-division, as the photo of the bare and shows.
A lot was accomplished on two houses this week. The sheathing was completed on house 101 and on Saturday the sub-fascia was installed along the roof line, as well as the cement board around the foundation. Blueboard was installed and a volunteer Michelle taped the seams so now the house is ready for tyvex, windows, doors and siding.
Work was started on sheathing for house 102.
Ken and Milt worked on smoothing the area south of house #100 by the street and they were able to get it fertilized and seeded.
On Saturday, April 12, we had the help of two groups; seven members of the UNK Construction Management department came to help, and 12 members of the Upsilon Eta Upsilon Honor Society for Black Excellence at UNK provided half the cost of three trees and helped plant them in home-owners' yards. Thanks to these great UNK students for their enthusiasm and help today! The hosts on site today were from St. James Church, Maria and Lisa early and then a different Maria, Barb and Mike later. John Gosswein gave the devotion for Dobytown Kiwanis who provided lunch. Arlyn, Luzy and Nancy served for the Kiwanis club.
Honor society members planted the trees with help of building committee members Ken, Milt and Rick, and then went to the North side of our current houses and cleaned up the area along the lot line. They did a great job and learned all about HFH while working with Ken.
Other volunteers brought in the walls for the second house #102 for Tyson and Haylee and raised the outer walls and most of the inner walls. Tyson and Haylee worked at putting in the hurricane clips in the base of the walls.
At Silvia's house volunteers worked on getting the upper supports put in so that we can raise the rafters next week. Silvia, her work partner and brother Nery and her sister Lilian helped put the hurricane clips on her house. Third home-buyer Heather also helped with the clips at Silva's house.
