OOOPPPSSS! We did IT again!!

Submitted by FL Cares, Inc.

On Saturday, May 15, in Wacissa, Fla., at the early morning hour of 7 a.m., little traffic can be found on the scenic eastward drive down Tram Road (C.R. 259), but the sun is already up and the morning temps are always crisp and invigorating. FL Cares, Inc., a charitable non-profit, teamed up with Wacissa community members from Wacissa Pentecostal Holiness Church, to Boland Timber Company, to well, everyone on this build just called everyone family! It seems as though anyone in Jefferson County knows everyone. As one volunteer stated, "by marriage, blood, or just because we grew up together, that makes us close." Regardless of the six degrees of separation (google it if you are unfamiliar with the context), the group rallied to help the beloved elder Hampton family have a safer, easier, more functional means of access to their home. FL Cares, if you remember last week, built a set of half-steps for a Lamont resident; this week it was a wheelchair ramp.
The conductor remained the same, but the symphony players were more beefier in physique (the men), and there were women too, as any good man is only as good as the woman (women) explaining how it should be done. Eric Evans, project leader for all FL Cares Accessibility Builds, led the crew of over a dozen "family" volunteers, ranging from high school age to the more wiser and "mature" learned age of... well let's just say that somewhere born before World War II (by the way: the USA entered the war in 1941 for those who need a little history refresher). Today's build may not be as "infamous" as December 7, 1941, but it was incredibly powerful for the recipients, Mr. and Mrs. Charles and Lorene Hampton. You see Mr. Charles has worked all his life, but through an unfortunate accident back in the 1970s he lost a leg. Now as he plans to enjoy his life he needs a little help on some days getting out of the house, ergo the need for a ramp.
There's a nice circular symmetry to this story, as Mrs. Lorene Hampton began the process with a simple inquiry about building a ramp to a Mr. Frank Kolb (postal service) who made comments to Mrs. Connie Boland who reached out to one Angela Gray. Some know Mrs. Gray as the County Property Appraiser, others from her vast Rotarian Service with the Monticello Rotary Club. This simple inquiry set off a wildfire or activity that electronically moved at the speed of light, literally, as some of these communiques were done via the internet.
Every good tale always has a central character that rallies and motivates the masses. This would be Mrs. Connie Boland, who as you will now understand is the "angelic" presence of this story. There's a pattern forming here, and it seems JeffCo has a lot of Angels within its borders (also it pays to read the paper - reference 5/13/2021 article). Ms. Connie knows the Hampton's and from the socialness of the group, on Saturday, there is a connection that is very strong and as close as any familial bound can be. Mrs. Boland, the "cheerleader" with a golden halo, rallied the exceptionally skilled and hardworking entrepreneurial crew of volunteers. Honing her skills to perfection, the group all showed up at 7:30 a.m. being very eager to get started, thus keeping the project leader "running" to keep pace. This was no 1-2-3 waltz, this was Energized, Sugar Coated Pop Music, reminiscent of Brittney Spears hit - "Ooopppsss, I did it again," and though there was no pretzel bending gyrations common in today's music; the focus was laser targeted in its choreographed construction and tasked to precision.
It wasn't until the end of the day that the connection was made that all participants just took for granted. Boland! As in Boland Timber Company; as in everyone present has either worked for or been a part of the operation of the company. Uh duh! Wow! (lightbulb moment - click!) Here's a group who works literally in the industry; growing the timber, harvesting it, and getting it to the mills. Hard work every day with long, long hours. Yet the commitment to "family" was so strong that some had to be pulled off the jobsite to take a lunchbreak (provided by the Hampton's and grilled to perfection -- burgers and dogs. A most appropriate pre-summer kick off that officially is recognized on the last weekend in May. Hint: another history reference for some, as we prepare to remember the many sacrifices made for our country).
So, from this one act of kindness, on behalf of a cherished family (Hampton's), Mrs. Connie Boland took the reins and steered the long loaded train of resources to its desired destination. Ok, a metaphor that is trying to say, excellent job! Again, all good men should recognize that a good woman will only make us ALL stronger, better, and well... get the JOB DONE!
There's no telling if lumber harvested by Boland was used in the day's construction, but the efficiency of the volunteers and their willingness to lend a hand proved that "family" is central and key to any community's well-being. A man may think he can do anything he puts his mind to; and for most of this country's history that is very close to an absolute true statement. However, as most grandmothers and granny's know and have continuously taught to grandchildren throughout the generational timeline; when you want a job done by the numbers, step by step and to the satisfaction of ALL- get a woman involved!
Several members made donations to this project, the Boland Timber Company making a very generous share. Thank you to all the participants for the amazing sweat equity and for all the generous donations and thank you to the powers that be, for low humidity, clear skies and family connections that definitely bring a community together.
"You'll never really know how much this means to us, but we both are so eternally grateful for this [project]." Mrs. Hampton whispered as her joyous emotions swelled up within her.
A gentle reminder: The FL Cares Program seeks community minded groups and volunteers to help members of the community have better accessibility to their homes; building either accessible half-steps (having a riser height of 4-5 inches) or ramps for those using a wheelchair. The Access Program does repair work as well as installing handrails and grab bars when needed. The non-profit is seeking new projects but also has a list of projects in each county served (hovering around 75) - so, new groups are needed to handle the demand. If you can hold a cell phone you can swing a hammer and FL Cares NEEDS YOU! For more information please call (850) 347-1445 or email FL.Cares.Info@gmail. com.