Volunteers come out for 'Day of Caring'
Some Lawrence residents were put to work doing handiwork across town as part of a program sponsored by the Roger Hill Volunteer Center. Enlarge video
KU students from a learning communities class paint the outside of the building Centro Hispano shares with Birthright at 204 W. 13th St. on Saturday as part of the Day of Caring.
Who doesn’t need a helping hand when it’s comes time to move — especially when it involves relocating 100 tons of recycled building materials?
That’s why the two dozen or so volunteers helping move, organize and tear down a roof for Habitat ReStore were so welcome for director Katherine “KH” Harris.
“It’s not like we are moving boxes of dishes; some of this stuff is awfully heavy,” she said.
The group was among the more than 350 volunteers in Lawrence who helped around town cleaning buildings, planting gardens and painting houses.
All the volunteering was part of a Day of Caring event, part of National Volunteer Week and organized by the Roger Hill Volunteer Center.
Over the past few weeks, Habitat ReStore has been moving from 800 Comet Lane to 708 Conn., where the location, space and layout is better, Harris said.
Among the helpers were Kansas University students Andrew Buchholz and Edwin Dunson, who tore down a roof at the store’s new home. “I just wanted to help out,” Buchholz said.
They weren’t the only KU students hard at work. At the corner of 13th and Kentucky streets, students were giving a face-lift to the office of Centro Hispano Resource Center and Birthright.
The building’s dull gray paint was being replaced with a cheery blue, trimmed in beige. The day before, employees with Payless Shoesource were scraping off paint and priming the house.
“It is wonderful for us to have people helping us out,” Centro Hispano director Lydia Leon said. “It gives a new fresh look to our agency and it makes it just a happy and comfortable place to go to.”
Comments
deec 4 years, 1 month ago
Why is this woman exposing her infant to toxic paint fumes?
makeshift 4 years, 1 month ago
deec, lighten up and get a life.
livingstone 4 years, 1 month ago
Toxin is harmful only when exposure to it too long, or in an enclosed environment. And not all paints contain harmful toxin.
Confrontation 4 years, 1 month ago
Don't forget that Birthright is conservative, and Conservatives only care about a child when it's considered a fetus. After that, it's on you.
burck1918 4 years, 1 month ago
Every single one of you need to lay off complaining about Margie. She is just introducing her baby to the gift of helping others out. I'm sure Margie did not do any harm to her baby when they posed for this picture.
As for your complaints about the Birthright organization, they are reaching out to mothers who are choosing not to kill their babies. I cannot believe how unbelievably blind all of you are for not seeing the good that people like Margie are doing for other human beings. If you don't get it now, you never will. Your hardness of hearts will lead you to an eternal life of misery and loneliness. May God have pity on your poor souls.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 4 years, 1 month ago
Yea, sic God on 'em, burck-- that'll show 'em.
Strontius 4 years, 1 month ago
Burck,
The baby is no more capable of being introduced to helping people out than being exposed to dangerous paint fumes in the open air.
You're on quite the self-righteous soap box. Do you think people actually respond positively to statements like the ones you've made here?
eb 4 years, 1 month ago
Margie is right-handed. Suffice it to say, this picture is staged. Now please lay off the impolite comments; she's a sweetheart.
sas 4 years, 1 month ago
For those concerned about toxic paint, try learning more about low/no V.O.C. paint. Much of the paint used for the Birthright project is Sherwin Williams Harmony. Good for the environment. Good for Birthright. Not bad for mom or baby. Also, since Margie was painting a porch, it doesn't seem that poor ventilation was much of an issue. Thanks for your help Margie, and everyone else. The house looks GREAT! Margie - you're an awesome example of a young mom whose doing her part to make her community a better place to be. Way to go!
deec 4 years, 1 month ago
Wow. I post one comment in 3 months and I need to "get a life?" Seems to me the person who posted that comment should follow their own advice.
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