Work Day #4
It is really neat to see everyone still with smiles on working as if it were the first day! Today was lots of painting along with shoveling rock. We started out with some great biscuits and gravy made by Bill. We then headed to Paradox. We split the youth up into painting groups mixed with both our youth and Paradox youth. Bill was having gravel delivered to help with the draining in the back of the building. The first load wasn't too big, so only a few were needed to help, but the second load needed everyone. Our youth still had smiles on their faces as we worked hard at shoveling and moving the gravel to create a slope against the building. Mind you this was all done in a constant drizzle. Once all of the rock/gravel was moved and spread to help with the drainage we went to shower. Tonight we went to dinner with Bill and 4 of the youth from Paradox. We headed to Knoxville and ate in Market Square at Trios. It was pretty good. Now time to head to bed to rejuvenate for our last day of work!
-Cerutti
Talk about #sweat4jesus!!! After working today, ALL of my hair is soaked with sweat. And I have a lot of hair. Today I painted a lot, so I had a lot of much needed quiet time. I used about 2 gallons of paint. I covered 2 walls and a bunch of skate ramps. For the second half of the day, we hauled tons of gravel into the back lot. This required a lot of breaks, and even more Powerade. Rigo showed me how to shovel in a really cool way that makes the gravel look like it floats to the ground. I was very proud of myself when I mastered this skill :)Julia
Today consisted of a lot of painting and then shoveling and leveling gravel. I began the day painting several walls yellow in the skatepark with Ashley. Later in the afternoon, when we ran out of yellow paint, we went outside and everyone participated in moving gravel next to the back wall and the leveled it out. This was very exhausting and took lots of muscle and energy! But we got it done in the end and it looks good!
Hannah
Today was mostly a painting day. My arms are covered in several splotches, but the wall looks great now. I also got to help paint the skate ramps and to spread the gravel onto the back alley. It was messy work, but it pays off to see the paradox looking so good!
Nicole
Now today I felt more productive than ever! I started by painting the wall in the lobby blue with Nicole and llama, yes that's what we called him. After that I went to lunch and had a great devotion with tim! Then we unloaded a ton of gravel and made a giant level on the back wall, that took us a long time and we were sweaty and tired after. But when it was all done and we stood back and took a look, it was quite beautiful! A great day!
-Anakin🐑
Today I did a lot of painting. I started off by painting black on pieces of the stage, then the entrance to the skate park. I didn't wear gloves, which was a bad move! It looked like I stuck my hands in a bag of coal and further decided to rub then in pepper. So again, sorry mom and dad, I added to the tattoo collection. After I finished painting more of the ramps and stairs green, we all went out to place gravel to build a ramp for a handicapped entrance. I still walk sideways from the pain in my back. Then the heavens opened and we got a refreshing shower while already showering in our sweat. We finally got to a point where we could stop and ran for the car. A shower has never felt so good in my life.
-Natalie
Today Hannah and I partnered up to paint all of the walls of the skate park. It was a lot of work! But we got so much done!! Tristin came to help us too. Us three got tons of work done! It was amazing!! After lunch everyone went outside to move gravel to make a way for the rain water to drain from the building. It took us forever and caused a lot of stress but we finally got it done! We made stronger friendships today and worked together as a team.
Ashley
I got a lot of paint in my hair courtesy of Beth and then got a head massage courtesy of Emilie.
-Brandon (Paradox Student)
I had a great day today. Even tho we got yelled at by Elizabeth like 60 times for doing nothing. Still love her she's my best friend. There doing a good thing for us I really appreciate it. Love these people
-Tristin (Paradox Student)
Painted. Shoveled.
-Caden (Paradox Student)
We are coming to the end of the week and I couldn't be more sad. This week has been a blast. At first we were all kinda spread apart and in our own world but now we are a big happy family. The team is running smoothly and all the relationships with the people at the teen center have blossomed. I know that even when we head back to Illinois that we will still keep in touch with many of the people we have meet. Today was more of a random task day with many people painting random things and filling in screw holes from the boards we had just put up. Emilie, Caden, and I were working on all things purple. So filling screw holes with purple paint and painting behind the sound booth. When we had finished these task we ate lunch. After lunch Brandon, Roger, and I worked on painting parts of the stage. At some point we ran out of paint and Bill was heading to get more. I'm not sure exactly who started it but somehow me and Brandon started a paint war. I would get some paint on him and then someone would hold me and he would get me all painted. At some point Tim grabbed Brandon and held him down and I go a little to much paint in his hair. Because of this we had to wWash his hair in the sink and use WD-40 to get it out (which surprisingly worked very well). It work a while but we eventually washed it all out. After this a truck of gravel showed up and we had to move all of it next to the building to hopefully prevent water damage in the newly painted basement. This took a lot of manpower and a lot of time. We eventually got it done and went to take showers. I didn't realize how much paint I had gotten in my hair till I actually started washing it. It took me 2 times to get it out. Which I realize now that I didn't get all of it out but there was nothing I could do about it. Then we went out to dinner at a place called Trios. The food was delicious. I ordered a taco salad and it was bigger than my head. I shared it with Ashly and Hannah and there was still a bunch left when we finally decided to go. After this we walked around the city a little bit and then got back in the car and headed home. The car ride home was a blast since all the boys from the paradox just kept laughing at us whenever we said anything with an "a" in it. Even though we weren't the ones with w accents. I can't wait to see what tomorrow holds! And hopefully it will be even better than today!
-Beth
-Cerutti
Talk about #sweat4jesus!!! After working today, ALL of my hair is soaked with sweat. And I have a lot of hair. Today I painted a lot, so I had a lot of much needed quiet time. I used about 2 gallons of paint. I covered 2 walls and a bunch of skate ramps. For the second half of the day, we hauled tons of gravel into the back lot. This required a lot of breaks, and even more Powerade. Rigo showed me how to shovel in a really cool way that makes the gravel look like it floats to the ground. I was very proud of myself when I mastered this skill :)Julia
Today consisted of a lot of painting and then shoveling and leveling gravel. I began the day painting several walls yellow in the skatepark with Ashley. Later in the afternoon, when we ran out of yellow paint, we went outside and everyone participated in moving gravel next to the back wall and the leveled it out. This was very exhausting and took lots of muscle and energy! But we got it done in the end and it looks good!
Hannah
Today was mostly a painting day. My arms are covered in several splotches, but the wall looks great now. I also got to help paint the skate ramps and to spread the gravel onto the back alley. It was messy work, but it pays off to see the paradox looking so good!
Nicole
Now today I felt more productive than ever! I started by painting the wall in the lobby blue with Nicole and llama, yes that's what we called him. After that I went to lunch and had a great devotion with tim! Then we unloaded a ton of gravel and made a giant level on the back wall, that took us a long time and we were sweaty and tired after. But when it was all done and we stood back and took a look, it was quite beautiful! A great day!
-Anakin🐑
Today I did a lot of painting. I started off by painting black on pieces of the stage, then the entrance to the skate park. I didn't wear gloves, which was a bad move! It looked like I stuck my hands in a bag of coal and further decided to rub then in pepper. So again, sorry mom and dad, I added to the tattoo collection. After I finished painting more of the ramps and stairs green, we all went out to place gravel to build a ramp for a handicapped entrance. I still walk sideways from the pain in my back. Then the heavens opened and we got a refreshing shower while already showering in our sweat. We finally got to a point where we could stop and ran for the car. A shower has never felt so good in my life.
-Natalie
Today Hannah and I partnered up to paint all of the walls of the skate park. It was a lot of work! But we got so much done!! Tristin came to help us too. Us three got tons of work done! It was amazing!! After lunch everyone went outside to move gravel to make a way for the rain water to drain from the building. It took us forever and caused a lot of stress but we finally got it done! We made stronger friendships today and worked together as a team.
Ashley
I got a lot of paint in my hair courtesy of Beth and then got a head massage courtesy of Emilie.
-Brandon (Paradox Student)
I had a great day today. Even tho we got yelled at by Elizabeth like 60 times for doing nothing. Still love her she's my best friend. There doing a good thing for us I really appreciate it. Love these people
-Tristin (Paradox Student)
Painted. Shoveled.
-Caden (Paradox Student)
We are coming to the end of the week and I couldn't be more sad. This week has been a blast. At first we were all kinda spread apart and in our own world but now we are a big happy family. The team is running smoothly and all the relationships with the people at the teen center have blossomed. I know that even when we head back to Illinois that we will still keep in touch with many of the people we have meet. Today was more of a random task day with many people painting random things and filling in screw holes from the boards we had just put up. Emilie, Caden, and I were working on all things purple. So filling screw holes with purple paint and painting behind the sound booth. When we had finished these task we ate lunch. After lunch Brandon, Roger, and I worked on painting parts of the stage. At some point we ran out of paint and Bill was heading to get more. I'm not sure exactly who started it but somehow me and Brandon started a paint war. I would get some paint on him and then someone would hold me and he would get me all painted. At some point Tim grabbed Brandon and held him down and I go a little to much paint in his hair. Because of this we had to wWash his hair in the sink and use WD-40 to get it out (which surprisingly worked very well). It work a while but we eventually washed it all out. After this a truck of gravel showed up and we had to move all of it next to the building to hopefully prevent water damage in the newly painted basement. This took a lot of manpower and a lot of time. We eventually got it done and went to take showers. I didn't realize how much paint I had gotten in my hair till I actually started washing it. It took me 2 times to get it out. Which I realize now that I didn't get all of it out but there was nothing I could do about it. Then we went out to dinner at a place called Trios. The food was delicious. I ordered a taco salad and it was bigger than my head. I shared it with Ashly and Hannah and there was still a bunch left when we finally decided to go. After this we walked around the city a little bit and then got back in the car and headed home. The car ride home was a blast since all the boys from the paradox just kept laughing at us whenever we said anything with an "a" in it. Even though we weren't the ones with w accents. I can't wait to see what tomorrow holds! And hopefully it will be even better than today!
-Beth