Dateline: 20 November 2016

(click on pictures for enlarged views)

My previous blog post told the beginning of the story about Bob and how my community came together to help him with a used shed he purchased. This post concludes the story.

After disassembling the shed, transporting it on Steve’s trailer, and unloading it at Bob’s property, Steve, Ben, Beth, and I agreed to return five days later on Saturday to rebuild it. Throughout the week, we collaborated on the project details through Facebook group messaging.

The pictures below document our shed-building endeavor that Saturday. It was the closest experience to a traditional Amish barn raising I could imagine.

This is Bob, seated on the shed’s deck that his son built earlier that week using fresh lumber.

We salvaged as much material as possible from the old shed, dismantling the walls and roof, and diligently removing all the nails. Ben, an old friend from high school, can be seen in the background. Beth is attempting to extract a nail, while Jodi finds humor in the situation.

Chris Miller, a local photographer, visited us to capture the progress of our project. In this picture, he’s demonstrating how to take his picture to the woman holding his camera. You can find Chris’s full photo set at the provided link.

I captured this shot of Chris while he was being photographed.

I managed the cutting station for most of the project. Steve, wearing the light blue shirt, and his daughter, Kimberly, assisted where possible.

Here, I’m fastening the fascia board to the rafters. Due to the board being warped, Steve lent a hand by pulling it down. Keith (in the brown sweatshirt) kept me supplied with a drill and screw gun, while Barry (in the hooded sweatshirt) observed. Ben can be seen in the denim shirt, and Bob’s wife, Jodi, is snapping a photo on the left.

Beth and Jodi generously prepared a feast for us. The man in the black sweatshirt is John, Beth’s husband.

That’s me. The shed is really coming together.

Keith and Ben can be seen installing the metal roof, which Steve provided.

Steve and John are cutting roofing material. Steve’s son, Mark, who assisted us throughout the day, is on the right.

From left to right: Mark, Beth, Jodi, and Mike. Despite having a leg injury (in a cast), Mike contributed significantly. Everyone appears to be in high spirits for some reason - perhaps they were laughing at a joke, or maybe they simply found my presence amusing. It wouldn’t be unusual.

Ben’s expertise was invaluable. He had been learning carpentry from his grandfather since he was a young boy and had even helped with roofing projects as early as ten years old.

We wrapped up the shed around 5:30 p.m. This photo captures those who were still present: (from left) Keith, Barry, Mark, Steve, Bob, Jodi, Ben, Beth, and John. This group was instrumental in bringing the project to fruition, despite others contributing throughout the day.

Beth took this group photo, including me, after the previous shot.

And that’s the story of how we helped Bob get his shed, forged new friendships, and created lasting memories together.