Gratitude is an intangible.Nancy Bean of Ocean Park works hard to put it into words.

Volunteers from the nonprofit group Rebuilding Together have made life so much better for her and husband, Ernie, who uses a wheelchair.

“The ramps are very beneficial,” she said. “They repaired an existing one and added another. It was a major project. They were so good, so professional. It’s huge for us.”

Rebuilding Together

Rebuilding Together

Donations may be submitted to Rebuilding Together Pacific County, P.O. Box 283, Long Beach WA 98631. To contact, email rtpacific283@gmail.com or call 360-244-0277 for information or to volunteer.

Its website is rtpcwa.org. The group is also on Facebook at Rebuilding Together Pacific County Washington.

Donations may be made through the Pacific Community Foundation grants catalog at www.spccf.org.

Requests for help with a home project are processed through the Olympic Area Agency on Aging’s Seniors Information and Assistance center at 1715A Pacific Ave. N, Long Beach, open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays or call (360) 642-3624 extn. 2210.

Two ramps are essential because of the need for residents to have an alternative escape route from their homes in case of a fire or other emergency.

“If we have a fire, we have a quick escape,” said Ernie Bean, 88, who served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. “I can scoot out on my belly if I have to!” he joked.

Rebuilding Together Pacific County volunteers work on projects for clients whose needs and lack of resources have been confirmed by a social services agency.

The work includes improving access for people with mobility issues, repairing roofs and rotted portions of homes or fixing electrical, plumbing and septic issues. The group has completed 54 projects this year.

Appeal for support

The idea began in Texas in 1973. The local group is one of 130 chapters around the nation, doing work like Habitat for Humanity, the nationwide charity promoted by President Carter, though on a smaller scale. Commercial partners include Lowe’s stores, the nearest in Longview.

A Peninsula chapter was formed in 2007. It was boosted considerably in 2015 when the Michauds moved to Long Beach. Nick Michaud is a retired contractor and has acted as a project manager while his wife, Magen Michaud, serves as president and treasurer of the group.

There is never any cost to the homeowner, which means that as well as completing the practical work, leaders must raise funds to meet costs, which total about $60,000 each year. They recently expressed gratitude for $5,700 donated through the Pacific Community Foundation’s Giving Catalog, but are appealing to the public to continue to contribute.

A ‘ladies only’ project

One project this summer had a decidedly feminine flavor. Members posted details online in a humorous Facebook post, calling it a “she-build.” Volunteers Jane Meyer, Donna Boyer, Lynn Raymer, Marilyn Raymer, Lesley Ferguson, Kelly Crocker and Jean Stauffer worked to repair a home’s “belly band,” calling back Nick Michaud and long-time volunteer Joe Hoover only to replace rotted siding.

“It is important to keep the envelope of a building — the roof, windows and siding — in good repair to keep out the weather,” noted supporter Robyn West when sharing details online. “Rot is so prevalent here due to our harsh conditions. This is just one of the many ways we help to keep our neighbors safe and warm in their own homes.”

How to help

The Rebuilding folks don’t select their clients, who must be homeowners. Processing is done by the Olympic Area Agency on Aging, which runs the Seniors Information and Assistance center at 1715A Pacific Ave. N, Long Beach.

To contribute, checks may be mailed to Rebuilding Together Pacific County, P.O. Box 283, Long Beach WA 98631. For information, log on to Facebook at Rebuilding Together Pacific County Washington or the group’s website, rtpcwa.org. To contact leaders, email rtpacific283@gmail.com or call 360-244-0277.

Some 18 volunteers have helped during the past two years, some contributing to just one project but others, like Hoover and Al Ginsel, working on the majority.

The group is recruiting board members and volunteers. Greg Holmes, David Allsup and Theron Dixon joined the board this year, sharing the load with the Michauds, Stauffer and Nancy McAllister.

“We need new blood,” said Magen Michaud. “We need volunteers with some construction experience who can work during the week. Many of our volunteers are in their 70s and are aging out — including board members.”

Appreciation

The Beans enjoyed the benefit of the group more than a year ago when they repaired a deteriorating ramp, then a second more recent visit when they designed and installed a second ramp. Nancy Bean surprised the volunteers with lunch as they completed their tasks. “They were grateful and showed their appreciation,” she said.

She added that she was impressed with how they tailored the new ramp to their property and Ernie’s wheelchair. “Someone knew their engineering skills, because they had to come off the back deck and turn,” she said.

“They were very bright and pleasant volunteers, so polite, and when they had to come into our home they were careful where they put their feet!”