National Rebuilding Day 2017

On April 29, Markon partnered with Rebuilding Together Alexandria to take part in National Rebuilding Day for the fifth year!

Twenty-six Markon employees, family members, and friends participated in the project led by Charlotte Daum.

Eric Hammerschmidt and our task leaders arrived at the house by 8am to kick off the day. They had all of their tools, materials, and tasks lists, and were ready to go!At 9 AM, the rest of the team arrived from the Rebuilding Together rally in town and set right to work. Throughout the day, there was a flurry of activity. Volunteers were working to scrape peeling paint from the front steps as others rushed in and out to accomplish their own tasks.

The house, owned by an older couple no longer physically able to tackle this level of housework, had endured some extensive water damage over the years. While the water flow was staunched a year ago, all the signs of its existence still show: rotted out and missing drywall, rust around window sills, and rooms badly needing paint. All of this we were able to tackle in just one day.

Several crews worked in the bedrooms, replacing a ceiling fan, repairing an electrical outlet, and re-installing drywall where damage was so extensive that the exterior brick could clearly be seen. Meanwhile, a team worked diligently on the stairs to create a sharp-looking repair to strengthen the handrail, making the home safer for those living there.

In the downstairs area, windows were caulked, painted, and in one instance, even replaced! The paint was also freshened up throughout much of the home. The result was a very rewarding thing to behold.

By 4pm, almost all of our tasks had been completed.  As each one wrapped up, it was encouraging to see people move to assist those next to them, gladly sharing in other tasks so that we could all finish on time. With our tools and materials collected, we said goodbye to the homeowners and headed on our way.

While exhausted, it is safe to say that all of the volunteers that day left with smiles. Through one day of hard work together, we were able to make others' lives easier and happier – and what better feeling could there be?

For more photos, check out our Facebook page.