Volunteers prep home for weatherization
by Kim Hornung-Marcy
After months of discussions, planning, and recruiting volunteers, the 350 Chittenden node weatherization team got to start a big job last week. We have now held three very successful work days helping the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO) get ready to weatherize a home in Addison County.
This home had a lot of items that had to be moved out of a second floor and a third floor attic before the weatherization crews could work their magic. Overall, we gave about 40 person-hours to this project. CVOEO is very appreciative, as are the elderly homeowners. This couple has waited about two years to have this service done. Currently they are cold in the winter. So everyone on our crews felt so good about helping them move towards a more comfortable, healthy, lower-cost home that will also give off fewer greenhouse gases and air pollution.
Friday, May 30, Marisa Keller, Heidi and Craig Evans, and Kim Hornung-Marcy took advantage of the sunshine to move large amounts of belongings out of the second floor and made a big start on the main, back attic as well. Then, in spite of constant rain on Saturday, May 31, Marisa, Kim, Ben Gordesky, and Rebecca Csuy made further major progress.
And finally, on Saturday, June 7, Kim and Natalee Braun and David Skopin moved most of the remaining items from the back attic.
We had to empty a very full wooden cupboard so we could then move it out of the room it was living in. CVOEO crews needed to have a five feet by five feet area right above that cupboard to access the front attic in the home. The back attic had lots of wooden shelving units with items that also had to be taken off so the shelves could be moved out of the attic.
Workers were very cheerful and patient with the couple in the home and a delight to work with. When some visitors stopped by and said to Rebecca, “Bet you haven’t ever seen this much stuff in a house.” Rebecca thoughtfully responded, “I can see the home is well loved.”
Special shout out to Marisa—her two years of experience working on weatherization with Capstone Community Action meant she was very effective with the homeowners. And she was great at helping us set appropriate goals and take breaks. She is also a master stacker of all things moveable.
Every volunteer was wonderful to work with and brought good energy and thoughtfulness to this first project.
Another, smaller project is in the works, hopefully to be followed by others, as 350VT helps shrink the long waitlist for weatherization services in the Champlain Valley. Interested in getting involved? Sign up for work parties, or email weatherization@350vt.org for other opportunities.
