News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Kristin Gibeau, center, will lead volunteers in building several new homes for Sisters Habitat for Humanity.
Volunteers were hard at work last week, preparing the foundation on the latest habitat for Humanity home in Sisters.
The volunteer crew is working under the supervision of Kristin Gibeau, newly hired by Sisters Habitat for Humanity to ramrod the chapter's projects.
Gibeau brings to her job as construction supervisor 14 years of experience in the construction field.
"I grew up in it," she said. "Some people are army brats; I'm a construction brat."
She has worked all over Oregon, including on the Bend Athletic Club and Bend's City Hall. She also built a casino with the Umatilla Tribe near Pendelton.
Working with Habitat for Humanity is a little bit different than her previous projects.
""There's a lot of camaraderie out here," she said. "People actually have a heart in this, which I think is wonderful."
Some of the volunteers are veterans, with lots of experience. Others have never swung a hammer on a major construction project.
Gibeau is eager to work with all of them.
"There's jobs here for everyone," she said.
Nail pounders are welcome, and there's always someone available to give guidance where needed. There's also plenty of room for folks to pitch in and do clean up work -- or even just to offer moral support.
During the last two weeks of March, Gibeau will welcome work crews from Sitka, Alaska, and from Stanford University in California. The crews will probably be doing work on the roof, by then, Gibeau said.
She expects the entire project to be done in June.
Those interested in volunteering may stop by the job site on Washington Street directly south of Sisters Subway. For information, call 549-1193.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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