Just doing it

stillwater-newspress.com
Stillwater NewsPress
Published: July 07, 2009 11:24 am

Just doing it

• Home’s transformation under way

Monique Headley

Digging, pouring, hammering, cutting, clearing, sweeping, painting, chainsawing, demolition, floor scraping — the Youth Force activity at North Park Drive is like one big verb.

The home of Heather and Jeff Spiva and their two sons is undergoing a transformation thanks to individuals and community businesses who volunteered time, money, resources, employees, sweat with large quantities of laughter in homage to the blood of Jesus and the undeterred belief in what people can do for one another when need is acknowledged with action.

Divided into two staging areas of massive activity and energy are 82 youth and 13 adults from First United Methodist Church of Stillwater, Henryetta First United Methodist Church, Christ United Methodist Church of Tulsa, Yukon First United Methodist Church, Mt. Zion United Methodist Church of El Reno and Eden Chapel United Methodist Church of Perkins. Tammy and Ed Davis coordinated an additional food services crew of adult and student volunteers.

Parents, kids, friends and pastors are joined in the cause of service.

“The kids are doing unbelievable, amazing, over-the-top,” said team coordinator David Lane. “They came ready to work with a great attitude.”

Despite the fact that the to-do list has grown, Lane said, the well-planned schedule is allowing for maximum efficiency and accommodation of any extra tasks. All work, he said, will be completed by Thursday.

Alton Carter, director of youth services at First United Methodist Church and director of Youth Force Stillwater, came up with the idea.

“The kids know you do this because you want to, not because you have to,” he said. “They want to be changed by giving to the family.”

Soon-to-be senior at Stillwater High School Jeredon Kuehn has done Youth Force for the past four years.

“I love seeing the progress in people’s homes around town,” Kuehn said. “It is really satisfying. Youth Force is a great way to spend your summer. It’s better than video games, gets you out in the community and it’s physical.”

Others appreciate giveback factor of Youth Force.

“I have never done this before,” said Raye Leonard, who will be a sophomore at Yukon High School. “I wanted to help the family through service and bring me more in contact with God. I feel so great. I don’t even like cleaning my room but this is different.”

The irony is not lost on parents like Sheri Stone.

“Cleaning here is totally another matter than them cleaning at home,” she said. “What I love to see is how they come in on Monday energetic and excited. On Tuesday, they continue working. By Wednesday, they are a little tired and start to think there is no way. By the time you get to Thursday and Friday, they realize that all the obstacles were overcome. I love watching the range of emotions.”

According to the schedule, the remainder of the week will be spent with continued demolition, construction and installations today. By Wednesday, furniture is slated to be installed. Thursday is planned to be the big unveil moment for the family. Just like on TV, a move-that-bus moment is being planned to take place at about 6:50 p.m., after which there will be a mini block party and ice cream social for participants and neighbors of the Spivas.