Saturday May 2nd 2009 was the official Rebuilding Together Day for the Greater Des Moines area. It is estimated that over 1,000 volunteers participated.

For those who are not aware, Rebuilding Together is a nationwide non-profit that helps elderly, impoverished, infirm or otherwise disenfranchised homeowners whose homes may be in various states of disrepair but the homeowners themselves lack the capacity or wherewithal to make the needed improvements. On Rebuilding Together day volunteers descend on approved homes and perform extreme makeovers with no cost or obligation on the part of the homeowners.

The project I had the honor assisting on was a home at 4010 Burnham Ave. in Des Moines. We actually had two rebuilding days because our major project, a ramp for handicap access for Jeff, the son of the homeowner Lori, required that we set concrete for post supports. Jeff, age 40, had for his whole life, (true story) thrown his wheelchair out the front door and crawled down the steps to then pull himself up into the chair so he could leave the house.

On a rainy April 18th Larry Draughn, project leader and owner of Draughn Construction Co. and I met at the home to start digging the support post holes. We were soon met by two of his eager employees, Seth and Mike. About four hours later we had the 8 holes dug down about fifty inches with deep wide bases. The next weekend Larry poured the concrete so the supports were ready for the official day.

On May 2nd the official Rebuilding Together Day Larry and I again met up at the home, this time joined also by Larry's sons Russ and Patrick and Larry's wife Patricia. As Seth got busy on the decking covering the old patio, Jeff and I tackled overgrowth and lawn debris in the backyard. With the aid of a large dumpster we were able to get the backyard cleaned up in short order. I was also happy to remove a gas grill that had not functioned for fifteen years yet remained hooked up to the home's gas system! Lori and Jeff celebrated as it was pitched into the burgeoning dumpster.

Larry, Russ, Patrick and I got busy on the deck with the late arrival of the post supports, materials courtesy of The Home Depot. By noon the deck and ramp had really started to take shape. Just in time came Patricia, Larry's wife, with pizza and beverages compliments of Sam and Gabes Italian Bistro in Clive. The pizza was fantastic and we enjoyed a much needed break.

By 3:33pm we had the ramp and deck completed enough for Jeff to make an inaugural run. We all cheered as he went first up and then down with pride and humility. He thanked us profusely. A lifetime of dragging himself out his front door so he could see the world ended in one fell swoop.  It was all our little gang could do to keep from just bawling our eyes out right there, but we still had work to do. There were some smoke alarms to install in the home, some safety bars for the bath and some much needed help with household items for Jeff's mother Lori.

As the day drew down the time came to break up our merry crew. We lingered on the deck exchanging compliments and singing each others praises, no one wanting to be the first to leave. I had three children and a wife at home that I missed dearly, so I hastily bid my final goodbyes and we parted company.

As I drove home I passed several other houses swarming with crews dressed in the signature Rebuilding Together Day 2009 white T-Shirts emblazoned with black and green logos. I felt a strong sense of community and pride on seeing them. I knew that all across the city there were many thankful homeowners and many more exhausted yet fulfilled volunteers who didn't want the day to be done. I enjoyed it immensely.