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Fairbanks, Alaska Trip - Brant's Journal
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9
Day 10 | Day 11
Day 1
I'm off to Alaska!
Today I leave for Fairbanks, Alaska, for 10 days to build homes for Habitat
for Humanity. I'm going with eight other people on a trip that's part of
Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity, an
alliance between Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Habitat for Humanity.
People who have known me for a long time probably will find it very hard to believe that I'm off to go build houses. After all, I'm not very handy at all and my friends and I used to joke that we were "allergic to manual labor." Nonetheless, I have volunteered twice in the past two years on one-day Habitat builds in the Twin Cities with my employers and found that I could actually make a difference! On the first build, I worked on putting up a retaining wall, installing a sidewalk and making tree rings. On my second Habitat build I was mainly up on scaffolding putting up siding. I'm not sure what kind of construction activities I will be working on in Fairbanks.
This will be an interesting adventure. I've always wanted to go to Alaska. We'll be working really hard on the trip up until the last couple of days, when we get some recreation and rest. Right now it's 52 degrees in Fairbanks, with a high of 66 and a low of 45. The trip organizer told us to bring eyeshades, because the sun doesn't go down until 11:28 p.m. and rises at 4:10 a.m. We'll be sleeping on cots in a church—something I haven't done since my high school church trip to Montana.
I don't know a lot about Alaska, but here are some of the things that people have told me:
- It's cold.
- It's beautiful.
- There are a lot of grizzly bears, so I better be careful.
- The sun goes down late at night.
- There are two different types of mosquitoes -- small, quick ones that are hard to get, and big, lumbering ones that are easy to get. One person told me that the big, lumbering ones carried a person off to Siberia once. (I don't believe it.)
- It became the 49th state in 1959.
- Alaska has about 640,000 residents.
- It is the largest state, about 2.3 times the size of Texas.
- Fairbanks is named after Charles W. Fairbanks, an Indiana senator and vice president of the United States under Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt from 1905-1909.
- Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million (= $.02 per acre). That’s about $90 million after adjusting for inflation (or, $4 per acre today).
Day 2
Getting to Know Each Other. . .
Between yesterday and today, all nine of the team members made it to
Fairbanks, although for two of the team members, their luggage didn't make
it. Hopefully their luggage will make it up here soon.
Here is more information about each of the team members in their own words.
- Hoyoun Kyung: "This is my second Global Village trip. I went to Cluj in Romania last summer. I am originally from South Korea and visiting San Diego as an exchange student. I study business. I am very excited about this trip and I am sure that we will have a great experience there. I was born and raised in South Korea, and visited North Carolina for one year when I was a kid. I served in the Korean army for two years, which is mandatory for every man in Korea because of the poltiical tension between North and South."
- Virginia Hopper: "I am a lifelong resident of Kansas. I graduated from Kansas State University in family and consumer sciences. I retired from the Extension Service in northwest Kansas. Married, raised two children and widowed. Have three grandchildren. Member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Colby and of Northwest Kansas chapter of Thrivent. Interested in anthropology and nature."
- David Mowery: "I was born and raised in Chicago. I moved to California in 1964, and for 25 years, I was a teacher, counselor and coach. I have been a businessman for the last 17 years in Carlsbad, Calif. I am married (43 years) with two children and five grandchildren. I love to play sports, travel, be in the outdoors and meet other good people. My building experience involves flooding the kitchen trying to install some plumbing and building a bird house that looked more like an outhouse. My fear is that my body may react poorly to six days of physical labor."
- Al Rasmussen: "I was born and raised on a farm in Colorado. I went to school at University of Northern Colorado in Greeley (UNC). I was drafted into the Army and spent two years working as a social worker. I returned to UNC and finished a master's degree in psychology. I have worked in mental health and alcoholism, in college administration and retired from the Cooperative Extension Service as a 4-H agent in Minnesota. I have two boys and a girl and have been married for 28 years. I have been a hobby farmer for more than 20 years and enjoy working on the farm. I am currently working in economic development in the county. I am actively involved with local government, church board and community events."
- Francis Chew: "I sometimes go by the moniker Psycho -- for those of you who know the movie 'Stripes'. I grew up in Malaysia, but I'm currently living in Allentown, Pa. Parents are retired. I'm the youngest of four boys. Single, no kids. I enjoy playing tennis and golf. Love outdoor activities as well. I'm acrophobic. I'm an electrical engineer. I design microchips for computer peripherals (hard disk drives). This will be my second Global Village trip. I'm excited about being able to help out the local community. In addition to enjoying the indigenous sites, sounds and tastes. Getting to know the Alaskan culture is another top priority."
- Deborah Leddy: "I am 28 years old and was born and raised in San Francisco. I absolutely love San Francisco; the people are very friendly and although it is considered a metropolitan city, it has a very easygoing 'vibe' (please excuse the word!). Although I love my hometown, I also enjoy traveling and appreciate experiencing other places. I am currently working at a small construction firm as an office manager. Recently, I have developed a deeper interest in building and have been accompanying my boss to job site visits in an attempt to learn more about the actual process of building a home (as opposed to just paperwork: contracts, estimates, bills, etc.). Specifically, I am interested in learning more about sustainable building methods and materials. It's an exciting opportunity to work toward a healthier environment. When my mind is not on construction, I try to volunteer as much as possible with different organizations in my community that address needs such as homelessness, environmental issues and health issues. My interest in volunteer work has led to a greater understanding of the problems that face our society and many wonderful new friendships. It was also the impetus that led me to Habitat for Humanity and our trip to Fairbanks!"
- Robin R. Forest: "I'm 49 years old and I live in Fairfax, Va., right outside Washington, D.C. Though not a native from this area (I grew up in New Jersey), I have lived in Virginia most of my life. I'm single. . .no children. I've worked for a global IT corporation -- EDS -- for nearly 27 years. I've moved around a bit with EDS, including living in London for a few years, and have had the opportunity to travel extensively for both business and pleasure. I truly enjoy meeting new people, exploring new places, and am always up for an adventure. I feel very fortunate to have the chance to participate in this project with Habitat for Humanity."
- Donna Mashburn (team leader): "I'm 27 years old and originally from North Carolina. I grew up working with Habitat at an affiliate my mother co-founded in 1985 in Statesville, N.C. I volunteered with them off and on through high school. I've worked in the corporate world and the non-profit sector. I've lived in Georgia and worked with Habitat International for almost two years. I love the Global Village program. I was just promoted to Asia/Pacific Coordinator for Global Village, and am now in charge of coordinating all the work teams from Habitat International to Asia/Pacific. My life is a little crazy at the moment, as I am juggling both my old job and my new one. I have traveled extensively throughout the world, but this is my very first trip to Alaska."
Day 3
Meeting the Homeowners
We met the homeowners last night at a dinner and again today on the build site. They are very grateful for our contributions and are happy to be
receiving these homes!
Here is a little bit more information about them.
- Tracy is a single mom of three—two daughters age nine and 12 and an older son who lives with his father. Tracy is a hard-working woman and has worked for a government agency for five years. She is living in an apartment complex well known for crime, drugs and violence. The roof leaks in her bathroom and there is mold growing. The two-bedroom apartment is extremely small. Tracy is very active in her church and well respected by her work colleagues and everyone who knows her. Habitat is building a two-story, three-bedroom home with Tracy, approximately 1,200 sq. ft.
- Janet is a single mom of two children—a son age 13 and daughter age eight. She lives in a very small two-bedroom apartment and shares a bedroom with her daughter. Her rent is more than one-third of her income. The apartment is dilapidated, with an unstable deck. Her son's bedroom's roof leaks, and there is mold and dry rot throughout. His bedroom wall is detaching and the windows are nailed shut. The plumbing and electrical systems are not in good working order. She has worked more than 11 years with the same medical clinic and has a great attitude. Habitat is building a single-story, three-bedroom home with Janet, approximately 1,150 sq. ft.
Day 4
It All Starts with a Big Hole in the Ground
On this Habitat build, we are starting from the very beginning. On our
first day of work (yesterday), we learned a lot about our working
environment:
- We would be working in a big pit in the ground for the majority of our time, packing in dirt and moving it around to make sure that everything is level for the foundation. (We'll be lucky if we get to pour concrete before our time is done here.)
- A slightly cool, rainy day actually is quite a decent situation for construction. We did not get too hot, and we did not get soaked.
- Beware of ravens. There are ravens hovering in the air all around the site. I had not seen a raven ever before, but I became acutely aware of their greediness when one stole our morning snack!
- It's important to know how to use Porta Potty locks. (Virginia had not figured that out, and Francis accidentally opened the door on her -- talk about getting to know each other better!)
At the end of the first work day, I wasn't really tired at all. My body had been used to one-day builds. It was on the second day that most of us, including me, started to feel the burn. The weather improved to sunshine and clear skies, which is great for hanging out, but not so great for digging in a pit. We managed to keep our enthusiasm until about 2 p.m., when everybody lost energy. The construction supervisor kept trying to push us further, while we were singing songs like "I've Been Working on the Railroad" to try to keep our enthusiasm up.
The things that keep my enthusiasm up for construction are seeing the progress that we are making (we can tell the difference even if others cannot) and working alongside the homeowners to give them a decent place to live.
Day 5
In the Land of the Midnight Sun
Besides helping out people who need homes, part of the appeal of a Thrivent Builds Worldwide trip is the opportunity to see a new place.
While the majority of our sight-seeing will be at the end of our trip, we have had the opportunity to visit some places already. Each place has its own unique flavor. The Museum of the North at the University of Alaska had some interesting history on Alaska's natives as well as excellent paintings by Alaska artists. The city of North Pole, Alaska, was an example of a city that has banked its economy on being a tourist trap. Everything in North Pole has a Santa Claus theme. I knew that they had taken it too far when I saw a sign for "Santa's Senior Rentals". Nonetheless, we bought into it, and mailed postcards so they could have the North Pole postmark.
We enjoyed a fabulous three-hour riverboat cruise on the Chena River. Sights along the way included seeing a bush plane take off from a 150-foot runway, watching Iditarod-champion Susan Butcher's sled dog team practice with a four-wheeler, and stopping at a peninsula to meet sled dogs up close and learn more about the Athabascan Indians. We also took in a G-rated "burlesque" show at the "world famous" Malemute Saloon.
Along the way, we're getting to know each other better, getting lost while driving around the greater Fairbanks area, and giving each other nicknames. (Hoyoun Kyung has become "Ho"; Francis Chew has become "Psycho"; Donna Mashburn has become "Boss"; and Al Rasmussen has become "Chief". I don't have a nickname yet, but we'll see.) We're also staying up too late, because it's very hard to get to sleep when the sun doesn't go down until midnight. I'm glad that I brought my eyeshades.
P.S. Everybody's luggage has now arrived.
Day 6
Fairbanks Residents are Very Appreciative of Visitors
Because of the weather conditions during the non-summer seasons, building
time in Alaska can be very intense. People here regularly like to tell us
about the times that the temperature hits 50 below zero. The local Habitat
for Humanity affiliate was a little hesitant
about having us visit as early as May because sometimes it snows in the
middle of May and the soil may not have defrosted yet. While the
weather has been clear and sunny the past couple of days, we indeed have
encountered some frozen soil.
Our group has been greeted with open arms by the Fairbanks community. They are thankful for our assistance not only because the Habitat affiliate here is one of the smaller affiliates (only two staff members), but because the building season is so short. We were treated to a welcome dinner on one of our first nights here, have had meals delivered daily to our work site by volunteers, and even were called out specifically in Sunday's church sermon at Zion Lutheran Church.
Alaska is a unique place, and the locals are proud of it. They definitely are individualists. None of the buildings are alike, and people collect so much stuff that there's junk strewn about in almost every person's yard. We even encountered a street called "NRA Way", in which one of the homes is owned by a firearms instructor.
We have heard many stories of people coming up here just for a week, and staying for years. The people indeed have been friendly to us, even if the mosquitoes have not. I have encountered both types of mosquitoes now, and the big ones are BIG—about three times the size of a Minnesota mosquito!
Day 7
How to Keep Things Fun on the Construction Site
Everyone's energy level is starting to get lower as the week goes on. None
of us do construction for a living, and our bodies are not used to being
outside on our feet all day every day. We seem to hit our energy lows in
the afternoons but have figured out ways to keep things lively and fun on
the work site. First of all, our sense of camaraderie is growing as the
week goes on, and many of us have a dry sense of humor and love to crack
jokes while working. Second, we play games to make things enjoyable. We
had a really hard day moving a lot of dirt from one pile to another, so we
had wheelbarrow races to see who could move the dirt the fastest. (That was
pretty exhausting!) We also have competitions to see who can hammer in a
nail with the fewest number of strikes. Finally, the most fun that we have
together as a team is when we harass Maurice, the construction supervisor
from the local Habitat affiliate. Maurice likes to drive us hard all day
(except for the occasional break for one of his lectures), so when we get a
chance to give him a hard time, we do it.
Tonight we visited the Fairbanks Ice Museum. The museum has many galleries of ice sculptures that are refrigerated at 20 degrees and includes an ice slide that we went on, an ice log cabin, an ice throne and more. It reminded me of home and the St. Paul Winter Carnival.
Tomorrow is our last building day, and we are eager to move on to the rest and relaxation portion of our trip!
Day 8
The End of Our Construction Time
The end of the construction phase of our trip brought with it a combination
of excitement for being done and sadness for not being able to continue.
We made a lot of progress throughout the week, going from a big hole in the ground to putting in forms for the foundation footing.
Even though we were exhausted after the second day, we all got our second wind and bounced back with more energy to make it through the week.
The highlight of the last day of construction was when one of the homeowners, Janet, had the honor of pounding in the last nails for the foundation footing.
As tears welled up in her eyes, I could tell that this was a momentus occasion for her and that we had made a difference in her life.
Day 9
Climbing Mt. McKinley
When the rest and relaxation portion of our trip started we got to see more
of the tourist spots in Alaska. Our first stop was the Alaskan Pipeline.
That was followed by Chena Hot Springs, which felt extremely refreshing
after a week's worth of hard work.
Today we made our way to Denali National Park. Many of us climbed to the summit of Mt. McKinley—through the air via a prop plane! The views were breathtaking, and we saw the climbers' camps at 14,000 and 17,000 feet. We also saw a group of climbers—they looked like tiny ants from the plane!
One of our team members, Al, is leaving for home tomorrow. As the trip is winding down, people are reminiscing and starting to feel sentimental about our time together.
Day 10
Down the Nenana River
In Athabaskan (one of the native Alaskan cultures), "na" means river. So
the names of the rivers around here really are repetitive. Fairbanks had
the Chena River (or Che-river River), and the Nenana River would be the
Ne-river-river River! There's no need to be repetitive, because we are
constantly reminded of the rivers' presence by the constant hum of their
white waters.
Today we went whitewater rafting down the Nenana River. Most of us had not been whitewater rafting before and were nervous about it. It turned out to be quite a thrilling experience, and there was nothing to worry about because we had a guide.
I find that, wherever we go, the Habitat for Humanity name precedes us and helps people to be very accommodating to any needs that we have. More and more, I find that people are familiar with Habitat and no explanation is necessary.
Day 11
The Journey Home
For this Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity trip, we were nine people
from all across the country (and the world) who came together for a common
cause: to help eliminate substandard housing. We were nine people whose
paths probably would never have crossed in our lifetimes had it not been for
the alliance between Thrivent Financial and Habitat for Humanity.
Along the way, we got to see Alaska, work on the foundations for two homes, tell jokes, enjoy outdoor activities and develop bonds with each other. Many of us are eager to go on another Thrivent Builds trip.
We're also eager to hear how the houses progress and to see photos of the completed homes. We have helped to give Tracy and Janet a hand up, and now we all have enthusiasm to continue that good work in our hometowns, across the country and around the world.