Our Saturday, July 19 Women Build was another scorcher, with highs in the 90s, a relentless sun and very little shade. But a team of 22 volunteers from Chatham Middle School plugged away nonetheless, with nary a complaint. Female faculty and staff unloaded 80+ sheets of sheetrock before grabbing hammers and drills to apply them to walls and ceilings. CMS principal Gordon Fitting and assistant principal Larry Burud secured donations for our morning break and lunch, and served everyone with smiles. CMS teacher Deborah Roth, a Women Build steering committee member, took on VIC (volunteer in charge) duties, assisted by steering committee member Taitia Shelow and Meghan Connelly, a Chatham Middle School teacher who is 8 months pregnant (she helped at the beginning of the day). Elizabeth DiPalma (in photo), another steering committee member, grabbed a drill and proved she is just as adept at construction as she is at designing all the wonderful posters and programs she made for Women Build.
The middle school staff began its partnership with Habitat’s Women Build at a work party and fund-raiser in February. At the school’s annual open house in March, students began their own fundraising. Soon after, Joanne Del Rossi, Women Build co-chair, addressed the student body, which had many questions for her. Habitat board members Diana Coughlin and Georgene Gardner returned to the middle school on Wellness Day to further educate middle school students.
Special thanks to the many generous donations of Price Chopper, Bagel Thyme, Dunkin Donuts and CVS in Hudson; and Hannaford in Valatie.
