By Emily Younker
eyounker@joplinglobe.com
Ruth Chandler sat at her dining-room table Saturday afternoon and described the book she’s writing.
It tells the story of a woman who falls in love with a Victorian house but doesn’t initially have the money to buy it. Only “with a lot of faith and a lot of help” is she able to eventually purchase it, Chandler said.
It’s a somewhat familiar storyline to Chandler, for at that very moment a group of volunteers outside was putting the final coat of pale yellow paint on her house.
Chandler, who lives on a limited income, said she would not have been able to pay for housework — at least “not unless I can finally publish this book,” she said. “It (the volunteer work) is great. It’s something I cannot do. I’m so grateful.”
Chandler’s house received its facelift from Hearts and Hammers, a not-for-profit service organization that held its seventh work day Saturday. About 200 people volunteered to fix up 25 homes in Joplin, Webb City and Carthage for the elderly, physically disabled and single-parent families.
Scott Clayton, Hearts and Hammers board president, said work included painting, floor replacement, window repair and one bathroom remodel.
Richard Jones, of Carterville, spent Saturday morning repainting Chandler’s house, on the 1800 block of Grand Avenue, with other members of his church, Central City Christian Church.
“I think it’s (for) a good cause, and I think everyone should do this,” Jones said as he added a final coat of paint to the front porch. “I figure that one of these days I might be in this position, and I’d want someone helping me.”
On the other side of the house, 9-year-old Alyssa Talley, with streaks of paint on her arm and a drop on her nose, was using a roller to paint the back wall.
She had spent the morning scraping away paint and then repainting, the latter being by far the better job, she said. She couldn’t decide which she enjoyed more: “Either helping her (Chandler) paint her house or painting.”
Missouri Southern State University student Molly French also volunteered her morning to paint Chandler’s house. She said Hearts and Hammers is a good way for people who perhaps don’t have construction or home-building skills to help their neighbors.
“I think it’s a great idea because there are a lot of people who want to help but don’t really know how,” French said. “It makes you feel good to help other people, and it’s a way to show God’s love to other people.”
At a house on the 3300 block of Connecticut Avenue, volunteers also focused primarily on repainting the exterior, said John Clayton, site supervisor and Scott Clayton’s father.
Goldie Edwards, the homeowner, said that without Hearts and Hammers, her house likely would have never been repainted and fixed up.
“I can’t get over it,” she said of the volunteers’ work. “I’m amazed. I never would have believed it.”
As of Saturday afternoon, Edwards hadn’t been outside to look at her newly remodeled home, but she planned to tour it Saturday evening with a friend who could support her as she walked.
“I’m going all the way around it,” she said.
Edwards’ house landed on the Hearts and Hammers list somewhat by accident, though Clayton would say it was meant to be. He said he was recently sent out by Bolivar Insulation, where he works, to a home on Connecticut Avenue for a window and siding quote.
“By mistake — and I just think it was God working — I pulled into Goldie’s driveway,” which was across the street, Clayton said.
Clayton said he ended up writing an order for gutter work on Edwards’ house.
“She told me about the issues she was having with the house,” Clayton said. “So I told her about Hearts and Hammers. I’d just as soon give God credit for this.”
In addition to painting, work on Edwards’ house included some roof repair, exterior trim work and the grinding up of two stumps in the backyard.
Jeff Grizzle, of Carl Junction, volunteered to replace some rotted siding on Edwards’ home.
“You do it as a job, and it’s nice to just do it for someone that needs it once in a while,” said Grizzle, who works in construction. “Surely you can pick one day out of the year to do something for somebody else.”
Before Clayton left Edwards’ home Saturday, he heard her fretting about living in such a big house by herself and wishing that she had sold it when she had the chance.
“My recommendation would be to stay here as long as you can,” Clayton told her.
“I will now,” she said.
180 homes
Scott Clayton said Hearts and Hammers has worked on about 180 homes since it began six years ago.
The work day received support from the Home Builders Association of Southwest Missouri and volunteers from local churches and fraternal organizations. Wells Fargo and US Bank also provided monetary support through grants, Clayton said.
