Date: 2000/06/05
From: don diswinka
Subj: PWP Project June 2000 Habitat for Humanity
People with Parkinson's (PWP's) from the Newcountry Chatroom are gathered in Morganton, North Carolina, to build a Habitat for Humanity home for a disabled family. PWP's from both Canada and USA are participating in this project.
For more info u may see the daily updates on -
http://www.erickson-mb.com/hhpwp/
PWP = PWC
Post: 081224
Date: 2000/06/05
From: janet paterson
Subj: PWP Project June 2000 Habitat for Humanity
At 09:02 PM 2000/06/05 -0500, you wrote:
>People with Parkinsons (PWP's) from the Nucountry Chatroom are
>gathered in Morganton, North Carolina to build a Habitat for
>Humanity home for a disabled family. PWP's from both Canada and
>USA are participating in this project.
>For more info u may see the daily updates on --
>http://www.erickson-mb.com/hhpwp/
>PWP=PWC, People With Parkinsons= People Who Care.
>Don 51/3
hi don
what a great project!
we had a HFH house built in Almonte last year - it was awe-inspiring!
if any of us want to donate something specifically towards this project,
can we contact the affiliate office in Morganton?
i checked out the HFH website:
http://www.habitat.org/
Burke County, HFH of
Morganton, North Carolina, USA
A:(828)437-0370
F:(828)437-5306
which other pwp's are working with you?
where are your webpage updates?
it's almost tuesday!!
janet
Post: 081227
Date: 2000/06/06
From: don diswinka
Subj: PWP Project June 2000 Habitat for Humanity
>hi don
hi janet
>what a great project!
Thank you, it is an overwhelming undertaking, The meeting of fellow pwp'ers who were only chatroom typists is great and the excellent hospitality of Morganton, NC, is great. It was all made possible with the great assistance and hard work of Mike our PWP Project host, and Project leader.
>we had a HFH house built in Almonte last year - it was awe-inspiring!
Good to hear that .:)))
>if any of us want to donate something specifically towards this project,>can we contact the affiliate office in Morganton?
Yes they are the sponsors.
>i checked out the HFH website:
>http://www.habitat.org/
>Burke County, HFH of
>Morganton, North Carolina, USA
>A:(828)437-0370
>F:(828)437-5306
>
>which other pwp's are working with you?
ALL PWP's working on project are the people link
http://www.erickson-mb.com/hhpwp/
although parkies are arriving everyday of the week so far.
a complete picture list of participants will be posted by friday.
>where are your webpage updates?
Webpages are updated after daily events are over.
As a parkie I am kinda slow at times..lol
>it's almost tuesday!!
Gosh ur right :)))
Don 51/3
Back to the top of the page.
Post: 081751
Date: 2000/06/13
From: Joan Snyder
Subj: "cause I come so together where you are"
These are the words to an old song by Fleetwood Mac called "Sentimental Lady". They just happen to aptly express some of the emotions that I had the honor and privilege to experience this past week with my family while down in Morganton, North Carolina.
What a wondrous experience and a true lesson in giving back something to the world of your bounty of gifts!
You cannot imagine how truly nice, good, honest, hard-working, and decent people can be until you see it up close and personal like I had the opportunity last week.
As Father Ken pointed out - what a marvelous testimony it all was to the power of good provided by the internet!
We left home, not knowing what to expect, but we headed south with a dream in our hearts, bags and golf clubs (Ali's and Stan's) packed - the back section of our station wagon like a stacked locker!
Our first stop, at nearly 11:30 pm that night, was at the welcoming home of my chat room buddy - Wink's house.
Although we had never met, we knew each other so very well from our conversations online - that when we hugged, it was as if we had known each other for years!
After a good night's sleep and a wonderful breakfast and tour of Winks' backyard, we were on the road again - this time heading for the beautiful mountains of Tennessee.
There we met and lunched with Brenda and Peg - two more woman I hadn't met before, but once again felt as if we had memories going back to childhood together.
I wonder if sharing the same disease as these women made it seem as though our friendship was as old as these beautiful Smokey Mountains?
Anyway, what a mental and spiritual bonding we all experienced - how we could say exactly what the other meant - and of course, all these women loved Stan and the kids as well.
Then, onto the last leg of our journey, up and down and over and through those beautiful mountains until we came upon our host: mleo (Mike), waiting to lead us to his house in Morganton, North Carolina.
Getting out of the car was a new experience in light-headedness and no balance for this parkie - talk about your sea legs!
Inside was Mike's wife - the lovely and multi-talented caregiver to Mike's PD - Mary.
Soon they were leading us up farther into the mountains to the cabin that belonged to Helen and Joe - friends of Mike and Mary's from church who had graciously invited us to stay in a real log cabin built in the 1920's.
I must interject that this rustic cabin home had all of the amenities of a 5-Star hotel with a few bugs thrown in just for atmosphere!
If there is ever to be a real commercial in my life - this would be it - drinking my French Vanilla coffee on their screened-in back porch, watching the sunlight poke through the trees and waiting for my meds to kick in!
There was little time for reflection on that first Saturday morning, however, as we were soon at the church, getting on the bus that would take our road weary bones into Charlotte.
There we attended, along with Mike, Mary, Helen, Joe, and about 1,750 others, the Ordination Mass as Christopher Gober (the son of my dear friend Mary from down the street and brother of Megan - who is Ali and Mitch's friend), Matt Kauth, and other men as they became Catholic priests.
Needless to say, it was a powerful and beautiful experience.
The next day was filled with cooking and trips back and forth to the airport in Charlotte and even a golf game thrown in there somehow.
No matter how stress-filled and rushed they were, Mike and Mary were always the perfect hosts - kind, lovely people with a real charm and warmth about them.
That first evening, at our meeting at the church to discuss plans for the upcoming week and to get to know each other, I marveled at this thing called Parkinson's disease.
I hate this disease and I will spend every ounce of energy combatting it and promoting awareness of its ravages.
But without PD, I would certainly never have come to this place, to be counted among these heroes, and certainly never at a place where people were known only by chatroom identities!
The evening was one of hope, of camaraderie, and of plans - to build a house with Habitat For Humanity for a young couple who were themselves disabled (she from MS and he a paraplegic due to spinal meningitis), both in wheelchairs.
The next morning, Stan was off at the crack of dawn to join the crew at the jobsite.
It rained off and on all day and made for a somewhat soggy though cool working day.
As the kids were too young to be at the jobsite and I felt more of a hindrance than a help, we stayed at the hotel with most of the other women, who had wisely decided to stay out of the way of the run-away freight train of a crew into which the men had instantly bonded.
On Tuesday evening, everyone came out to our cabin, so the day was spent cooking and preparing for a late evening dinner with the plucky and wonderful Naomi, who had come all the way from New Hampshire.
The men and Allison had to play golf after work - priorities, you realize!
And we spent another evening meshing into a friendship that only PWP's and those who love them, can fathom.
We even had enough food left over for the local soup kitchen the next day!
On Wednesday, after a day of back-breaking work by the men and several of the hardier women, it was announced that we were three days ahead of schedule - quite a thrill for all of us - especially the workers!
After work, we attended a healing Mass at Mike's church: Catholic, Jewish, Baptist, and all-in-between - all asking the same God to give us strength and courage, if not a cure.
Then we went to a dinner provided by a friend of our hostess Mary and to yet another emotional high point.
Caz, our dear sweet, thoughtful Caz, had assembled a quilt made up of squares from as far away as New Zealand and Africa - a virtual Joseph's coat of many colors - each sent in by people from the chatroom - and presented it to the new homeowners who had spent many hours watching their new home being constructed.
There was not a dry eye in the house, and then sweet friend Sassy, who has dealt with PD for over half of her life, took the floor to read a story of the past colliding with the present in a beautiful story of faith and love as she presented the couple with a handmade afghan started years ago by her grandmother and recently finished - everyone was openly wiping tears from their eyes!
D2 from the chat room also had some of his handiwork to present to both the couple and to our fearless leader.
Everyone was drained from emotion and high on love this night.
On Thursday it was our day to play, and boy, did we enjoy ourselves!
Stan and BC took to the links, while everyone else piled into vans to head up to Grandfather Mountain - the highest point in the Great Smokey Mountains.
It is not in my power to describe the awesome power and beauty of this experience; suffice it to say that one comes away from this believing in a good and gracious God.
The afternoon was spent shopping in the quaint little shops of Blowing Rock.
Worn and weary, but exhilarated by our day, we spent the night at the hotel.
The next morning, amid tears and promises, we left Morganton - all of us changed in some way - all of us better people for going there.
Back to the top of the page.
Post: 081753
Date: 2000/06/13
From: Murray Charters
Subj: PWP Project June 2000 Habitat for Humanity
On 5 Jun 2000, at 21:02, don wrote:
>People with Parkinsons (PWP's) from the Newcountry.nu Chatroom are gathered>in Morganton, North Carolina to build a Habitat for Humanity home for>a disabled family. PWP's from both Canada and USA are participating in>this project.>For more info u may see the daily updates on
>http://www.erickson-mb.com/hhpwp
>PWP=PWC, People With Parkinsons= People Who Care.
>Don 51/3
Hi All,
Joan, your post reminded me to go back to this one for an "update".
What a truly fabulous "sharing".
I looked at the whole web site starting with:
http://www.habitat.org/
and then went back to look at all the pictures....
http://www.erickson-mb.com/hhpwp/
I grew up in Saskatchewan and attended many house
building / barn raising neighbourhood events as a child.
This really brings a flood of forgotten memories.
We can make a difference! ...... murray
Back to the top of the page.
Post: 081767
Date: 2000/06/13
From: Sandra Norris
Subj: Reflections on Building and Togetherness!
To my list family,
I find myself still reflecting on my past week from June 4th-11th. I was one of the pwps included in the project of building a Habitat for Humanity.
On Sunday the 4th we all met at Mike and Mary's church to meet new pwps that I had not met and get reaquainted with the ones I had met at previous meetings in Joan's hometown of Chillicothe, IL.
I had a caregiver friend of mine from church (Loretta) drive me to Morganton. It is a 45 mile drive from Statesville, my home town.
I did not get to spend as much time with everyone as I would have liked; but the time I did share was unforgettable.
My heart is fuller and my mind wiser from this experience.
I was able to be a part of raising the first wall of the house being built. It so empowered my spirit and humbled me as well.
The recipient couple of the home, Jim and Christy, both physically challenged and wheelchair bound, so inspired me by their devoted attendance at the building site each day of the week. I learned a lot about their illnesses and they learned about pd.
I recall at one time my body was being ravaged with a bout of dyskinesia that lasted for about an hour and a half. Christy reached over and embraced my hand. She held it until the dyskinesia subsided.
She gave me encouraging words such as "hang in there", "it will be over soon". It is amazing and beautiful to me how our minds and hearts connected.
Due to the separation by miles that Morganton is from Statesville I clocked close to 700 miles on my car. I am forever thankful the Lord enabled me to travel that mileage safely.
On Wednesday the 7th we gathered together for a barbecue meal. We had more time of growing and sharing.
Caz's beautiful quilt, that we were all a part of, was given to Christy and Jim. They were were blessed speechless. I was moved to give the couple an afghan that my Grandmother had started some 20 years ago.
I will send the piece I wrote and read to the list. I ask that you not see me; but, see the goodness and the wealth of belonging that sharing and caring can bring.
On Saturday, my husband rolled in on his 18-wheeler and was included in 9 holes of golf while I visited with pwps. We ate supper together. Then a tearful farewell was exchanged.
I learned so many things and was reminded of things too. Mike and Mary, the hosts of this event are beautiful, giving, selfless, and devoted brothers and sisters of mine brought together by the challenge in life that parkinson's disease brings.
By the coming-together of pwps around the world we are united in a stronger bond in which to fight and make activley and widely aware the horribleness of this affliction.
Last but NEVER the Least, I send my love and thanks to each caregiver involved. Without you these events would not be possible.
Keep up the fight...
Sassy/Sandy
Back to the top of the page.
Post: 081769
Date: 2000/06/13
From: Camilla Flintermann
Subj: Habitat posts
The lovely accounts from Joan and Sandra about their experiences helping build the Habitat house were such a delight to read.
They both wrote with such facility and feeling that I felt part of that whole wonderful week....thank you !
Camilla Flintermann
Back to the top of the page.
