Good Works, Inc. is a Christian home repair ministry located in Coatesville, Pennsylvania formed to assist economically disadvantaged homeowners in Chester County. By helping to make their homes warmer, safer and drier, hopelessness is replaced with the hope found in Jesus Christ. Services are provided at no cost to the homeowner, with volunteers - including a growing number of St. Peter's parishioners - doing most of the work. This is St. Peter's report for September 11, 2004.

Good Works Report for September 2004
By Roger Thorne, Work Crew Leader

The good news was that the September workday, Saturday the 11th, was an ideal day for home repairs. The bad news: conflicts and other personal reasons severely reduced our volunteer strength for this workday, and the results we had planned for the two homes for which St. Peter’s has assumed responsibility. That said, we accomplished a great deal with our available strength.

At Mrs. Esther Johnson’s home in west Coatesville, under the leadership of Technical Coordinator Tom Brehm and Work Crew Leader Roger Thorne, a team comprising Will Gallagher and Tom Zibrinski did an excellent job of sealing a leaking roof. The team of Lesley Pascocello and Dan Houston worked inside sanding, priming and painting Mrs. Johnson’s new bathroom. With trim application completed by Tom Brehm, we should be able to lay the new floor and complete that project next month. The remainder of the team, Mark Carkhuff, Ken Fleischer, and Gene Kiley, aided by Roger, began the job of digging the 20-something holes in which concrete will be applied to create the footings for Mrs. Johnson’s ADA-approved handicapped ramp. Much rock beneath the surface makes for slow going even with a power auger, but ten 36”-deep holes were completed. Next month we finish the footings and begin building the superstructure of the ramp.

At Mrs. Catherine Robinson’s home in east Coatesville, our work crew was led by Technical Coordinator Art Wrenn and Work Crew Leader Hugh McLennan. Karen and Brian Joyce and Brian Curtis basically finished the kitchen with the completion of all spackling, priming of the trim work, and preparing the walls for finish painting. Meanwhile, Terry Paynter and Hugh patched and painted Mrs. Robinson’s hallway with a textured finish, applied new trim. and painted the shelves. In addition, small holes in the bathroom walls are now ready for final spackle, application of door trim and finish paint. Next month we plan to replace several sets of badly deteriorated window units.

On our next Good Works workday, scheduled for Saturday, October 9th, we hope to have a large volunteer team that can accomplish jobs at both homes before the weather can become problematic.

Our next work day will be Saturday, October 9^th. If you are interested in learning more about this ministry, click here. If you are willing to participate, contact Mark Carkhuff or call 610-935-1623. You really are welcome to join us, with or without technical skill, in this important ministry to our neighbors.