NDW Seabees Rebuild Together in Washington

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Jesse Awalt | Randy Stump, engineer aide constructionman, assigned to Construction Batallion Maintenance Unit 202 Detachment Washington, cuts plywood during a community service project in Washington's northeast eighth ward. CBMU 202 used supplies purchased by local representatives from the national-non-profit group Rebuilding Together to make approximately $2,900.00 worth of improvements to a low-income family's home.  

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES

04.22.2010

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jesse Awalt 

Naval District Washington

WASHINGTON - U.S. Navy Seabees took their construction and maintenance expertise to northeast Washington's eighth ward last weekend to improve one resident's quality of life.

The Sailors, from Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 202 – Detachment Washington, used supplies purchased by local representatives from the national-non-profit group Rebuilding Together to make approximately $2,900.00 worth of improvements to the home of Renee Phifer, according to Naval District Washington community service coordinator Olivia Hunter.

Rebuilding Together, a long-time community service partner according to Hunter, identified and selected Phifer's home for the project. The group helps to make home repairs for low income families and individuals, the elderly, disabled and other underprivileged people in the Washington area.

Two youth volunteers from Covenant House, the largest privately funded, nonprofit childcare agency in the United States, were also on site to learn carpentry skills from the Seabees.

Phifer heard about the help offered by the Rebuilding Together from a friend and applied for assistance. Laura Zabel, associate director of Rebuilding Together for Washington, says that this is one of the most common ways people learn about the services her organization provides.

"She heard from word of mouth through one of her friends or neighbors, and that's a great way to learn about us," said Zabel. "Once the neighbors see us working, and see all the great work that the Seabees are doing, they want us in their homes. They realize that, 'Ok, I'm really a great fit for your program; help me out.' A lot of people just don't know about us, but we've been in the city for 27 years now."

Zabel said Rebuilding Together does projects like this year round, totaling about 100 projects annually. Phifer inherited her home from her now deceased mother. For the last two years, she has been living with her godmother for all but a couple days per week. The reason: the condition of her home.

The electrical system in her home was operating on a 60-amp electrical panel for power. This meant Phifer, an unemployed t-shirt maker, had a choice to make when she turned on her sometimes-functional air-conditioning unit: whether she wanted cool air, or full use of electrical-wall outlets.

"Right now, when she runs the A/C unit, she cannot plug in anything without interruption [of electric current]," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Sean Barezi, engineering aide, CBMU-202 volunteer project coordinator for D.C., Virginia and Maryland. "We are giving her a 100 amp panel. She will now be able to hook up everything she has in her house without any interruption."

In addition to increasing her electric power, Seabees did several other home upgrades and repairs, including numerous exposed electrical wires behind the walls of the home – a serious fire hazard according to them.

"For this particular job we have a door we have to replace, a stove, two new sinks, and a hole to patch from a leak in the ceiling in her bedroom as well as other drywall sections to patch," said Barezi. The Seabees said that the stove in Phifer's kitchen was hardly operable when they tested it, and they replaced it with a brand new gas stove. "The other appliances that were here, were here from when my mom bought the property," said Phifer. "They were already old and beat up. I had sort of just given up," she said.

The Seabees said that sentiment was exactly why they were there. Their work on homes like Phifer's can have a lasting impact on the community and helps foster a positive image of Seabees in the eyes of local residents.

"We want to show people that we don't just stay on base doing military work," said Barezi. "We can actually come here and share our skills. We can do something to help people out."

Anatolie Mumteamu, constructionman apprentice and a Seabee with CBMU 202 has only been in the Navy for a few months, and in the United States since 2007 when he immigrated here from Moldova. Mumteamu, said he didn't know the owner of the home he had volunteered his Saturday to help, but that it didn't make a difference to him.

"There are so many people, who actually need help and they cannot afford to pay for it," said Mumteamu. "I think it helps them a lot [when we do these projects]. This is what makes strong communities; this is what makes the United States prosper."

• Date Taken: 04.22.2010
• Date Posted: 04.22.2010 07:37
• Story ID: 48505
• Location: WASHINGTON, DC, US