Erie Canal Group Workcamp to Repair Homes for Needy in Niagara County

The NCBA Board of Directors has approved a donation of $250.00 for the Erie Canal Group Workcamp, which takes place in Niagara County from June 29 to July 5. We are asking all members, who are able, to offer their assistance in a monetary manner or by donating building supplies. A partial list of needed materials follows the article below. Please call Jim Haid, coordinator of the Erie Canal Group Workcamp, at 433-5252 or fax him at 433-3562 to offer your help. Wouldn't it be great to know you were able to assist a large number of people in our community who really need your help?

Erie Canal Group Workcamp to repair homes for needy in Niagara County

From June 29 to July 5, the Erie Canal Group Workcamp will be repairing homes in the towns of Lockport, Newfane, Barker, Middleport, Wilson, North Tonawanda, Niagara Falls, and Youngstown. The workcamp is one of over 70 groups of high school students and adult leaders sent out by Group Workcamps in Loveland, CO.

The Workcamps are an intensive one-week mission trip of service that offer young people an opportunity to perform hands-on home repair projects for low-income, elderly, and physically challenged individuals. Approximately 450 students and leaders from Western New York and across the country will spend one week in Niagara County performing these much-needed home repairs at no cost to area residents. The group will be receiving food and lodging at Lockport High School.

Approximately 75 homes will be repaired during the course of the week, including roofing, painting, porch repair, wheelchair ramp construction, flooring, and dry wall installation. According to Erie Canal Group Workcamp coordinator, Jim Haid, over 170 applications have been received from needy Niagara County residents, including single parents and the elderly on fixed incomes. Due to the scope of the volunteer effort, the group is not able to help all of the applicants, but every effort is made to assist as many as possible. Students who participate in the Group Workcamp program not only give up a week of their summer to help total strangers, but they pay $400 plus travel to do it.

Local groups, including the Niagara County Builders Association and the Lockport Evangelical Ministers Association, have donated money and building materials to complete these projects. Additional funds and building materials are still needed. If you or your organization can help, call Jim Haid at 433-5252 as soon as possible. For more information, visit www.groupworkcamps.com.

Partial List of Materials Needed

Weatherization
Insulation: 3.5" and 6"
Caulking: acrylic, silicone, latex
Weatherstripping

Treated Lumber:
4" x 4" x 8'
2" x 6" x 8'
2" x 4" x 12'
stringers for porch steps

16d Galv Common nails
8d Galv Common nails

Roofing and gutters
Roll roofing
15# roofing felt
3-Tab shingles (charcoal, white, golden cedar)
Flashing
Drip cap (10" pieces)
End caps, down spouts, clinches, brackets and hangers

Dry wall
1/2" x 4' x 8'
5/8" by 4' x 8'
joint compound
joint tape (paper/mesh)

Drop cloths, dust masks

80 lb. bags of concrete