Amish volunteers show tremendous work ethic - and a sense of humor

 By David Westerfield
Director of Communications
Shreveport-Bossier Community Renewal

Ten of the volunteers on House No. 3 come from Indiana towns with names like Shipshewana, Topeka and Middlebury. Actually, they are from communities - Amish communities.

I can't claim to know much about the Amish, but I do know this - we are blessed to have them in Shreveport this week for the Millard and Linda Fuller Blitz Build. They have displayed a tremendous work ethic despite our 90-degree-plus temperatures, lifting heavy frames, working on hot roofs and nailing down so much progress that today some of them moved on to Houses 1 and 2 to help those teams.

They've also shown a joyful spirit, a sense of humor and great patience when someone started asking a lot of questions at dinner. They have names like Oree, Amzie, Galen and Elva. Elva works with his father, Oree Lehman, in construction at home. The children there go to school through the eighth grade and then go to work. They came to Shreveport in a van and are staying at a local motel.

Oree and Ernest participated in a Jimmy Carter Habitat for Humanity build a few years ago in Alabama, where they helped build 35 houses in one week. LeRoy Troyer, chairman of the board of directors at The Fuller Center for Housing, knows some of these men and asked them to come to Shreveport for the Blitz. They agreed - and are we ever thankful!

Ernest Lehman said they are glad to help those in need and are inspired themselves by the week of work: "We come away richer than we arrived," he said.

Today we finished the outside of our Clay Street house - siding and soffit - and started painting the floorboards and trim while a hired crew completed the drywall work inside. The sun seemed even more intense this afternoon, but that's better than rain. Thank you to the helpers who come by with orange slices and popsicles and bottles of water.

Many of our Community Renewal staff came to work at the site today. Some were painting and others helped with the home renovation work that's helping five local residents. Several city officials also came out to see what was happening.

Today someone passed a hat around the construction site to raise funds for a new railing at the Community Renewal Friendship House across the street. Someone saw a need and, instead of waiting for someone else to do something, said, "Let's do it - now!"

Don't you just love people like that?