[nabs-l] volunteering and missions
Darian Smith
dsmithnfb at gmail.com
Tue Dec 22 06:30:46 UTC 2009
Robert: nothing developing as of yet with community service division
stuff. I would love to see something come out of it, but there is
not alot of interest right now that I've gotten.
I've been sending out E-mails to those who have been contacting me
and I'll update people and regage interest amungst those individuals
who I know have interest.
Ashley:
I had done all of the work I mentioned with AmeriCorps. So I had
served on four different projects doing different jobs on each
project, but I did find that I ended up doing quite a bit of
construction work.
I used a Dropsaw or chopsaw; a tool that had a base and it is
atatched to a saw with a handle and safety structure around it and
you use a handle to lower the running saw blade to the wood and it
cuts throughwooden boards.
People do use circular saws to cut as well; I'm just not one of
those people who has used it very much so I'm not to confident in
it yet.
I also have used a sawzall; I think of it as a smaller hand-held
version of a chainsaw. it's actually pretty fun as well.
you can measure with different tools but I'm not very well versed
in those tools, but I wont to learn as much as possible about them, so
a habitat build would be great for me I think.
as painting goes; I painted walls and building sides; I would
paint alongside a sighted person because I felt that for myself, it
was a little easier to have somebody point out of I missed a spot,
and it was good to keep up conversation.
I just went about the act of painting by moving the roller up and
down the wall moving down the wall kind of inching my way along to
insure I did my best to minimize mistakes.
it's easy to hear when you are running out of paint because you just
hear the kind of scraping of the roller aginst the wall as it's
ran out of paint to rool on the wall.
Hand sander was a nice little tool.
just a electric hand held tool that you would atatch a sand paper
covered disc to the end of it and hold the trigger. you can hold
the tool in motin over the spot you need to san for a couple of
seconds and then move on along the area you need to sand.
I generally dubble checked with my non-sanding hand to
see how smooth the surface is.
i did some things different than my sighted worckers, but I
learned that this was my way of doing it.
I think we learn different ways of doing things and in what I did,
ti might have been a little different in that you just kind of are
learning as you go. maybe you have training, maybe you tinker around
with different things. At the end of the day, you just kind go for
what works, my team mates were great at teaching me as well could be
said for my site supervisors.
I'm rambling I know,
but I think the point is that to be able to use power tools as a
blind person certainly it's a really good feeling to know that you
yourself can do it and as a tudent it ties in to the thought that if
you are a part of a club or an alternitive spring break where the
oppertunity comes up that you might have the chance to use power
tools, you can go into it not fearing at all that you can't be
successful.
Darian
On 12/21/09, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
> Hi Darian,
>
> There is a need to reach out in our own country and overseas. Financially
> its easier to start in the US.
>
> That's great you were part of a construction project. How many did you work
> with? You say you did some painting. What did you paint? Do you have any
> vision? I think that would be helpful to keep track of what you're
> painting.
>
> Alabama and Texas are quite different places. Was this part of a mission or
> what sort of purpose was it for?
> What did you use the hand sander for? I've heard of it but know little
> about it. Did you find yourself doing things differently than your sighted
> workers? I would think not; you'd just have to feel a little more and
> listen. Any of you cut wood for construction?
>
> This is interesting.
>
> Merry Christmas.
>
> Ashley
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Darian Smith" <dsmithnfb at gmail.com>
> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, December 21, 2009 6:46 PM
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] volunteering and missions
>
>
>> Hi all,
>> Robert: I think what you've done is nothing small, there are many
>> people who might not flinch at the prospect of going overseas as
>> they may not find the need there ( people don't see the need in this
>> country, in their citys or around them. Of course site has nothing to
>> do with it, people just don't take the time to make themselves aware
>> of what is lacking in our situations/other situations and realize
>> that they are more empowered to do than they even think they are
>> themselves.
>>
>> Ashley: habitat builds are things I would love to do. I served in
>> the national civilian community corps (An AmeriCorps program) and
>> did some environmental work in colorado; building trails and clearing
>> wood (halling slash). I also did construction work as a part of a
>> project in south Texas and was a part of a constructional
>> restoration project in central Alabama. In both alabama and texas, I
>> used your Standardhammer and nail gun. I also used a hand sander and
>> painted. Using powertools or even simple hand tools arn't very
>> difficult; you just have to get the hang of it. My understanding of
>> habitat builds are that they do train people before they do take on
>> the job so if you don't know, it's okay because you arn't the only
>> person knowing.
>> Best,
>> Darian
>>
>> On 12/21/09, Robert Jaquiss <rjaquiss at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>> Hello Ashley:
>>>
>>> About all I was able to do in Dominica was to deliver a brailler to
>>> a
>>> deaf-blind girl, send a few books and eventually arrange for three people
>>>
>>> to
>>> come to the 1999 NFB convention. I regret that I was unable to do more.
>>>
>>>
>>> I am totally blind and have been so from birth. About all I did for
>>> roofing our house, was to help carry up the eighty pound bundles of
>>> shingles. As for tool use, my Father showed me how to use tools. When
>>> hammering, I hold the nail betwene thumb and finger and hit the head with
>>> the hammer. Once the nail is started, it is possible with practice to
>>> keep
>>> hitting it. You could also use a pair of pliers to hold the nail. The
>>> sound
>>> of a nail being hammered changes as it goes into the wood. I have not
>>> worked
>>> with concrete or bricks. I am not sure its a good idea to get concrete on
>>> hands for an extended period of time. As a blind person, I do want to be
>>> careful of my hands and not get calluses especially on my fingers. This
>>> would make reading braille awkward.
>>>
>>> Merry Christmas,
>>>
>>> Robert
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
>>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Monday, December 21, 2009 2:08 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] volunteering and missions
>>>
>>>
>>>> Hi Robert,
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for sharing your experience. I figured this was doable; after
>>>> all
>>>> it seems a pretty tactual thing.
>>>>
>>>> What did you do to help the blind population in
>>>> Dominica? That is a poor island so I imagine much needed to be done
>>>> including getting them supplies.
>>>>
>>>> That is impressive you assisted your father and helped on a church trip.
>>>> Have you always been blind? I have some central vision, but would do
>>>> this
>>>>
>>>> sort of thing nonvisually because its safer.
>>>>
>>>> For the roofing did you do anything differently other than use your
>>>> sense
>>>> of touch? Have you mixed and laid concrete or bricks?
>>>>
>>>> How did you learn this stuff? Did someone show you? How do you hammer?
>>>> You can touch the nail but cannot do so while you are hammering. Maybe
>>>> you check your progress with your free hand after hammering a little
>>>> bit.
>>>> I am in VA and Baltimore is near me; maybe I'll contact that chapter for
>>>> tips if I have the opportunity to do a mission or Habitat house.
>>>>
>>>> BTW I am also a United Methodist. What a coinsidence. My home church
>>>> sends a mission team each summer to help repair buildings on the Lokota
>>>> Indian reservation. I am not into going overseas, at least not now.
>>>> There is enough to keep me busy in America.
>>>>
>>>> Ashley
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "Robert Jaquiss" <rjaquiss at earthlink.net>
>>>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Sunday, December 20, 2009 11:01 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] volunteering and missions
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Hello Ashley:
>>>>>
>>>>> I have done some volunteer and missions work. I am currently the
>>>>> Missions chairman for Faith United Methodist Church in West Monroe,
>>>>> Louisiana. One Saturday each month, I help distribute food as part of
>>>>> our
>>>>>
>>>>> work with Angel Food Ministries. As the Missions Chairman, I also deal
>>>>> with a small budget and hold periodic meetings.
>>>>>
>>>>> When I lived in Oregon, I went with a church group to help
>>>>> winterize
>>>>> a house. I am familiar with the use of hand tools and I installed screw
>>>>> on weather stripping which included a bottom door gasket. We also
>>>>> installed plastic sheeting on the inside of the windows and I got the
>>>>> difficult window that had an airconditioner in it.
>>>>>
>>>>> In 1996, I went by myself on a short trip to the Commonwealth of
>>>>> Dominica to investigate the needs of the blind living on that island.
>>>>> It
>>>>> was quite an experience and I was able to provide a little help.
>>>>>
>>>>> If I recall correctly, members of the Greater Baltimore chapter of
>>>>> the NFB helped install vinyl siding on a Habitat for Humanity house.
>>>>> The
>>>>> report I heard was that they did a very good job.
>>>>>
>>>>> My thoughts on this sort of work are that doing some planning is a
>>>>> good thing. Learn how to use hand tools. We can certainly hammer nails,
>>>>> drive screws, cut boards etc. I have installed a garbage disposal,
>>>>> kitchen sink faucets, a new bathroom sink and cabinet including all the
>>>>> plumbing. When I was twelve, I laid the decking for an eight by
>>>>> twenty-one foot deck. I have helped my Father roof a house and also
>>>>> helped with other maintenance. In case you wonder, I am totally blind.
>>>>> If
>>>>>
>>>>> you want to go overseas, I suggest trying a domestic opportunity first.
>>>>> Go with an organization that has a good track record and experienced
>>>>> leadership. Study about where you want to go, learn about the culture,
>>>>> the food eaten etc. Of course learning a foreign language is also
>>>>> helpful. Hope this helps.
>>>>>
>>>>> Merry Christmas,
>>>>>
>>>>> Robert Jaquiss
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> From: <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
>>>>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Sent: Saturday, December 19, 2009 8:01 PM
>>>>> Subject: [nabs-l] volunteering and missions
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi all,
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> This list is sure quiet. I was thinking this is the time of giving
>>>>>> around the holidays. Have you participated in an outreach project?
>>>>>> Anyone done Habitat for Humanity and if so what did you do and what
>>>>>> alternative techniques did you use? Can we hammer and drill safely?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> For those of you who are religious, have you been on mission trips? I
>>>>>> would like to do that someday. So far I have been to a shelter to
>>>>>> serve
>>>>>>
>>>>>> lunch with my church. I have volunteered for the talking book library
>>>>>> and political campaigns. So what are you all doing lately? I hope to
>>>>>> hear someone has done Habitat because that is something I am
>>>>>> interested
>>>>>> in but I don't know how I can contribute. I think I could paint and
>>>>>> mix and lay concrete outside. Look forward to your responses.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Ashley
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
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>>
>>
>> --
>> The National Federation of the Blind has launched a nationwide teacher
>> recruitment campaign to help attract energetic and passionate
>> individuals into the field of blindness education, and we need your
>> help! To Get Involved go to:
>> www.TeachBlindStudents.org
>>
>>
>> "And if you will join me in this improbable quest, if you feel destiny
>> calling, and see as I see, a future of endless possibility stretching
>> before us;
>> if you sense, as I sense, that the time is now to shake off our
>> slumber, and slough off our fear, and make good on the debt we owe
>> past and future generations,
>> then I'm ready to take up the cause, and march with you, and work with
>> you. Together, starting today, let us finish the work that needs to be
>> done, and
>> usher in a new birth of freedom on this Earth."- Baraq Obama
>>
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>
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--
The National Federation of the Blind has launched a nationwide teacher
recruitment campaign to help attract energetic and passionate
individuals into the field of blindness education, and we need your
help! To Get Involved go to:
www.TeachBlindStudents.org
"And if you will join me in this improbable quest, if you feel destiny
calling, and see as I see, a future of endless possibility stretching
before us;
if you sense, as I sense, that the time is now to shake off our
slumber, and slough off our fear, and make good on the debt we owe
past and future generations,
then I'm ready to take up the cause, and march with you, and work with
you. Together, starting today, let us finish the work that needs to be
done, and
usher in a new birth of freedom on this Earth."- Baraq Obama
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