A few hundred volunteers went to 26 homes in the United Way of Eastern LaSalle County’s area today. The Labor of Love home repair and cleanup work for disabled and low income people had last year off because of the pandemic. Gail Dial appreciated the people cleaning the gutters and doing yard work at her south side Ottawa home where she and her son live.
In some cases, the work takes more than one day. Some work started earlier this week and some will continue next week. Rain could make some one-day jobs take longer. Ellie Rossiter, one of almost a dozen volunteers from First Federal Savings Bank, knew that the volunteers would get it done in any case.
James Patterson of Exelon Generation says it feels good to help people who can’t do things for themselves feel they are part of the community.
Before the volunteers went out to their projects Saturday morning, they met at the St. Columba School cafeteria. There were moments of remembrance for two longtime Labor of Love volunteers who died during the last year. Mike Pearson had been involved for 15 years and Bob Wilkie started with the effort 27 years ago.
Hundreds of people meet in the St. Columba School cafeteria before heading out to home cleanup and repair projects for Labor of Love.
Volunteers remembered Mike Pearson, a longtime Labor of Love volunteer who died during the last year.
Volunteers also remembered Bob Wilkie. He’d been involved with Labor of Love since 1994.
Concrete is being removed before a deck is built.
Before this kitchen gets a new floor, the old one must come out.
Gutters and windows get a cleaning at this Ottawa home.