It's Christmas next Saturday

by Don Wheeler

On Saturday April 12, South Bend's Rebuilding Together Work Day will be held in a neighborhood on the northwest side. Our effort will be part of a nation-wide program involving approximately 250,000 volunteers rehabbing almost 8,000 houses and community centers.

Many years ago, while living on the south side of town, I noticed the sudden appearance of port-a-potties in scattered locations in the neighborhood. The following Saturday, the neighborhood was suddenly swarming with people cleaning, painting, fixing things, etc. This was my introduction to what was then called "Christmas In April".

Over the years since then, though I'd been involved with Habitat For Humanity projects locally, I had never gotten around to pitching in on this program - until last year, that is.

The John Edwards Campaign To Change America featured an organization called One Corps. One Corps was the social action component of the campaign, with chapters nation-wide. By early last spring I was a co-captain of our local chapter - One America for St. Joseph County - and this event seemed like a natural fit.

I discovered the opportunity kind of at the last minute, so we didn't get too many folks out to it. But I spent the day helping work on a home near Lincoln Primary Center. It was a lot of fun and rewarding to help someone out.

I have a lot of experience coordinating projects and quite a bit of renovation experience as well, so I thought I should check to see if Rebuilding Together had use for any new House Captains this year. Turns out that they did - and they chose to assign a home they felt was less challenging than some others for my first effort.

The two major tasks to be addressed will be reglazing windows (original to the home) and tearing down and replacing a wooden privacy fence in the back. There are few other minor repairs and some stuff to haul out of the basement. There are two other project homes nearby, so we'll be able to shift volunteers where they're needed most .

Anyone interested in rebuilding together - helping people in need and the community as a whole - can simply report to the command center at LaSalle Intermediate Center. Plan to be there by 8:00 AM. Lunch is furnished and generally the work day is not particularly long. Or, if you'd like to join in on my house, you can contact me directly at DonVila@aol.com .