WEEK ONE IN LA VERNE, CA

 On Friday, March 28, we arrived at the David and Margaret youth and family center in La Verne, California. We were welcomed that night with the 5.1 earthquake in La Habra about 10 miles away. It really rattled our RV.

David and Margaret Home for children was established as an orphanage in 1920 by the Home Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr and Mrs. Henry Kuns donated an old hotel on 17 1/2 acres of land.  Today they house girls in  6 cottages here on the grounds. You can learn a lot more about the work here at www.davidandmargaret.org 

 We were parked behind the "white house."

 By Sunday everyone was parked.

 We have a nice room in the white house to have our morning devotions. Going around the table from left to right is Robert and Caren (new NOMADS), Walter and Anita, Ogie and Bill, Elaine and Gene and Larry. We celebrated Larry's birthday with pizza and cake on Sunday evening gatering..

 In 1925 a safer and larger all-concrete building replaced the hotel. It is now used for offices and the bargain store, which is opened to the public.

 This building is the cafeteria. They have very kindly provided lunch and dinner for us also. We won"t be losing any weight here.

 The air conditioning system on one of the school building here on the grounds, needed to be concealed.

 Walter designed the plans and started the work.

 Gene and Bill worked on the back part. It needed to be done this week while school was on spring break.

 Tiles put on. You never would know what was behind it.

 The driveway always flooded when it rained, so Larry and Robert put in a french drain. They rented a trench digger for two days and it sure made the work a lot easier. Robert also put in another french drain by the  walkway to the cafeteria.

 Another french drain was needed by the front office, but first some concrete had to be removed. Ogie had to try using the jack hammer, at least for a few minutes!

 Bill and Robert got the concrete removed and the trench dug. It was quite a muddy mess for it had rained the night before.

 Larry was always around to give some supervision, and a helping hand.

 Late Thursday afternoon we all pitched in to help install the drain pipes and finish this french drain. They are having someone come in and pour the concrete on Tuesday.

 Anita and I painted two bathrooms in the white house.

 Of course one bathroom led us to paint this hallway and the three doors.

 Ogie and Caren worked on painting three bathrooms, one in the white house and two in the front office.

 They even repainted some doors after we figured out if they were to match the walls or the trim.

 It is a good thing Ogie can fit in tight places.

 Elaine worked all week in the store. It is amazing the truck load of supplies they get in each day from different retailers. Here she is working in the basement where they store and sort the items before they are put in the store.

 With all our painting for the week finished by Thursday afternoon we were assigned to plant two trees.

 How big is this hole to be? 4 feet by 4 feet and 30 inches deep! Use the pick then the shovel, for the ground is hard.

 No time to plant the trees till Monday, but one hole is done, we hope!