Open House Celebrations
Just over six months after deadly tornadoes swept through Alabama, two Sipsey residents have beautiful new houses courtesy of Restore Sipsey Co-Op. Join us on Sunday, November 13 for two open house celebrations.
All workers, contributors, and well-wishers are invited to greet Toni and Ray and share in some refreshments to mark this momentous occasion.
Open House Celebrations:
Date: Sunday, November 13, 2011
Time: Toni’s house – 2:00 PM; ‘s house – 3:00 PM
Locations: Toni – 4694 Sipsey Road, Sipsey, AL; Ray – 4474 Sipsey Road, Sipsey, AL
Want to Help with the Event?
The event coordinators are looking for baked goods to serve at the open houses. If interested in offering something sweet, please contact Peggy Otto. Please place your treats in disposable containers and deliver them to the Education Building Kitchen at Riverchase United Methodist Church by noon on Thursday. Thank you!
Restore Sipsey Co-Op Needs You!
Whether you would describe yourself as “handy” or not, Restore Sipsey Co-Op needs you! Houses 1 and 2 are nearing completion, and we have numerous odd jobs to be done at both sites. Even walking around the job sites picking up trash, wood scraps, and nails is a huge service to the families.
Here are the plans for this week and next:
House #3:
- On Tuesday and Wednesday, a few of us will be doing the rough electrical
- On Thursday, we have a good crew planning to do the roofing
- If we have extra help, we will be constructing the landings and steps for the front and rear doors
- We will install a few sheets of drywall in house #3 before HVAC rough in
- HVAC rough in will be early next week
- As soon as landings are complete, we can begin vinyl siding
House #1 and 2:
- Last closet doors to be installed
- Cabinets are to be delivered mid week and can be installed thereafter
- Laminate flooring can be installed early next week
- Counter tops after cabinets installed
- Appliances installed after laminate
Workers are needed every day this week (Tuesday through Saturday). Contact us or leave a comment on the post to let us know if you would like to participate one of these days! The addresses for the sites can be found on the Schedule page.
Denise’s Story
Courage
Denise has displayed tremendous courage throughout her life. She raised her two daughters practically on her own, and she has battled cancer twice. Her parents encouraged her and supported her every step of the way. Sadly, Denise’s father passed away five years ago. She says of him, “He was one of the greatest Christians I ever knew. I miss his guidance and love and wisdom.” 
Denise looks back at those difficult times and sees prayer as a constant theme through her trials. Her friends prayed. Her family prayed. She prayed.
Another Storm
On the morning of April 27, Denise and her husband Ron were awakened by a phone call from her daughter who lived 3 miles away. A dangerous storm was approaching Sipsey, and they were going to a friend’s house to get into their storm shelter.
Denise and Ron heard the winds outside. Still in their pajamas, they ran for their front door, trying to get to Denise’s mother’s brick house next door. Before they reached the door, the windows began shaking. Immediately Denise and Ron ran to the other side of the trailer just as glass began flying. Then the roof came off.
Ron kicked the back door open, and he and Denise jumped off the back deck and ran to stand next to their shed. Ron remembers Denise praying loudly.
They again tried to run to Denise’s mother’s house. They made it to the door only to realize that Denise’s mother was not home; she had gone to another person’s storm shelter. Ron made a quick decision to run back to their trailer to get keys to Denise’s mother’s house. Fortunately he found the keys and they were able to go inside to seek shelter. Their trailer suffered severe damage.
After the Storm
Since the storm, Denise has had tremendous back pain. She has been staying with her mother while Ron and his two daughters stay in temporary housing. They’re eagerly looking forward to moving into their new house.
Denise is thankful for the work that Restore Sipsey Co-Op is doing on their behalf. She thinks that this house is a blessing to help them get their lives back on track. And Denise is patient, knowing that building a house and rebuilding lives takes time.
There’s No Place Like Home
We all know the story of a girl from Kansas who got swept into a the magical world of Oz by a twister. The only way home was to click the heels of her ruby-red slippers.
Restore Sipsey Co-Op home recipient Toni lost many of her heels (an flats and and sandals and sneakers) in the tornado. The twister left her with only one pair.
When Toni met Restore Sipsey volunteer Janis, Toni commented on Janis’s shoes. In the following days, Janis and a few other ladies each mailed Toni a pair of shoes so that she could start to rebuild her collection.
A Cool Breeze and a Glass of Iced Tea
When teams arrived at Restore Sipsey site #1 last Saturday, they were surprised by what they saw on the back porch of the house – a table and chairs. Home-recipient Toni is so excited to move into her new house that she’s also already moved in a bed that had been stored in her storm shelter.
Her house is far from finished, but Toni is already planning how she will practice hospitality in her new abode. She wants to host a “girls’ party” to celebrate her new home and the new friends that she’s made since the April 27 tornado destroyed her house.
All Toni needs to relax on her new porch is a cool autumn breeze and a nice glass of iced tea.
Upcoming Work Opportunities
Teams will work Friday (tomorrow) and Saturday (8/19-20).
Work will continue at sites #1 and #2.
Meet at 7:00am at Costco in Hoover if you want to carpool.
Upcoming Work Opportunities
Tuesday, August 9
Friday, August 12
Saturday, August 13
Meet at Costco in Hoover at 7:00am if you want to carpool. Otherwise, meet at the sites. More information is available on the Schedule page.
Those Who Truss in the Lord
The Bible says, “Those who trust in the Lord shall renew their strength.” The volunteers with Restore Sipsey Co-Op are learning that those who truss in the Lord also find strength and provision from God.
Warehouse Sought and Found
Restore Sipsey organizers had been seeking a warehouse where volunteers could work on construction projects at night and out of the heat. As they prayed, they looked at various vacant warehouses around the Birmingham area, but either rent was too high or the spaces not quite right. On Saturday, a Restore Sipsey volunteer offered use of his warehouse for free. And the warehouse comes complete with tools. Praise God for providing this warehouse!
Organizational Changes
As Restore Sipsey Co-Op grows in complexity, its organizational challenges multiply. So leaders are currently making some organizational changes that will hopefully increase efficiency and productivity. Please ask God to give these leaders wisdom as they plan and guide!
Additional Prayer Requests
- Pray for Toni and Ray, the recipients of the first two houses. Pray that God would encourage them and draw them closer to Himself.
- Pray for worksite safety. This past weekend we had the first emergency-room worthy accident on a worksite (broken arm). Please ask God to keep the volunteers safe and in his care.
- Pray for more volunteers. Many individuals have been quite generous in giving financially to Restore Sipsey Co-Op, but we need more volunteers helping with construction, worksite safety and hydration, and other tasks.
Four Walls, a Roof, and a Smile
This past Friday and Saturday volunteers from Pensacola Baptist, Crossbridge Church of Christ, Lakeview Pelham United Methodist Church, and Riverchase United Methodist Church endured the heat and humidity to make significant progress on Toni’s house. (Click here to read Toni’s story.)
Toni was present at the work site both days, thanking volunteers and passing out water.
Toni said she hardly slept Thursday night because she was so excited for the work to continue on her house. When volunteers gathered for prayer before beginning work on Friday, Toni cried tears of joy – her gratitude overflows.
By Friday evening, Toni’s house had four walls and trusses installed. Saturday teams began working on the roof and installing windows.
**Apologies to those from Lakeview Pelham UMC and other churches that were not acknowledged in the original post!
Upcoming Work Opportunities
Here are the upcoming work opportunities in Sipsey. We have several projects, and so we can take several volunteers. Please fill out the form below to let us know which day(s) you are coming.
Thursday (8/4) and Friday (8/5)
Lunch: Bring your own
Projects:
- Build shelving for tool trailer
- Replace window headers (Site #2)
- Install windows (Site #2)
- Nail scraps up to aid sheetrock crew (Sites #1 and #2)
- Build attic entrance (Sites #1 and #2)
- Complete gable ends with barge/lookouts; reinforce gable truss (Site #2)
- Install fascia (Site #2)
- Finish a few pieces of exterior sheathing (Site #2)
- Build and install sign post (Site #3)
- Water seal porch (Site #1)
- Build bathroom closet (Site #2)
Saturday (8/6)
Lunch: Provided
Projects:
- Complete unfinished jobs from Thursday and Friday
- Build steps and porch (Site #2)
- Install drip edge (Site #1)
- Roof house (Site #1)
Getting to the Sites:
If you want to carpool, meet in the Hoover Costco parking lot (near the flyover) at 7:00am.
Site #1 – 4694 Sipsey Road
Site #2 – 4474 Sipsey Road
Sign Up Here!
