11th Street Update

As we wrap up the last week of work before the Christmas holiday, I’d like to take a moment to update a little bit about one of the projects underway here at PCO.  This is the 11th Street project, funded mostly in part by the Wayne Bell Memorial fund.  I know that, a few weeks ago a group from Faith Presbyterian Church was here, and they busted out the muscle to do a great job framing and siding on this house.  They were curious as to where things would stand by Christmas.

Unfortunately, while we won’t be able to get the home owner moved in by the Christmas holiday, work is still moving very quickly on this house.  This week we completed the electrical and plumbing work, done by a local contractor.  Since we have limited volunteers in January, work will slow down a little bit (such is the nature of the beast), but will pick up with a bang in February.  During those two months, we will be able to insulate the house, install drywall, flooring, cabinets, trim, painting, and any other last detail work.  The home owner should be moved in by the end of February!

So that’s how 11th Street stands right now.  I think that we are actually moving along quite well; perhaps not as fast as we would all wish, but this project has definitely been running extremely smoothly for a complete rehab.

Hopefully I will have some pictures for you tomorrow.  Until then, click below to read more about the homeowner and the history of this project with PCO.

End of the Work Week

So we just said goodbye to our volunteers from Colonial Presbyterian Church.  They worked with us on three house during this past week, and they also did some great work on our facilities!   Check out the new addition in the men’s restroom downstairs:

Thanks, Colonial, for all your help keeping our home a safe and comfortable place for the PCO Community!  And also, thanks for the fantastically delicious breakfasts, dinners, and early-morning cheer.  I hope you have a very safe drive home and that we’ll see you again next year!

(Check out Colonial Presbyterian here)

French Quarter fieldtrip

Last night, I had the honor of taking a fieldtrip into the Crescent City with our volunteers!  We took a drive through St Bernard Parish and the Lower Ninth Ward, looking at and hearing about some of the damage of the storm – and also the development since the waters left those areas in such distress.

Then we spent a delightful evening in the French Quarter.  After a little shopping on Decatur, we ate dinner at Cafe Pontalba – a very tasty place for dinner, located in the oldest apartment complex in the nation.  We also took a horse-drawn carriage ride around the Quarter – letting our food settle and listening to some of the area’s immense history.  On our way out of the parking lot, we had to make a last, brief stop to buy some T-shirts for family and friends – and then we made our way back home to Slidell.

What a great evening!  A trip to New Orleans is always the perfect little lagniappe to make your trip with PCO juuust right.