(Norco, LA) - More than 20 Motiva Norco Refining volunteers rolled up their sleeves and picked up hammers and paint brushes to make a difference in the lives of two St. Charles residents.
It was all part of the St. Charles Council on Aging and St. Charles United Way's Safe Harbor Program to repair and/or renovate the homes of low-income elderly people in the parish.
In keeping with Motiva Norco Refining's commitment to make a difference in the community, we decided to sponsor a team and chose the home of Roosevelt and Beulah Davis of East Lawson Street in New Sarpy. One reason we selected
the Davis’ was because we knew they had been waiting a long time to get the repairs done on their home. In fact, it's been three years since they placed their names on the list of homes to be worked on as part of the Safe Harbor Program and we believed their time had come.
In three weeks, we were able to assemble a team of volunteers, install scaffolding and gather the items needed to get the repairs to the exterior of the Davis' home completed in just one day.
The Motiva team began working during the early morning hours of June 16th. At 6:00 a.m., the team of volunteers began ripping out the old, rotted facier and soffet boards on the home. By 7:00 a.m., the group split up into two teams. The first group continued to work on repairing and/or replacing the old boards, while the second group began removing trash and debris from the Davis' backyard. Once the trash
and debris had been removed, the group began replacing old siding and priming the new wood for painting.
By 2:30 p.m., the Motiva team was ready to put the final touches on the home, which included stabilizing the wheelchair ramp, fixing the broken balcony and giving the home a fresh coat of paint.
"Motiva is truly dedicated to adding value and making a difference in our community. It's really great to know that in one day, we were able to make visible changes the lives of two people in a way they won't soon forget and that gives me a warm feeling inside," said Motiva spokesperson Kimberly Windon.
The St. Charles Council on Aging also recognized the hard work volunteers put into the project. In a letter sent to Motiva, they had this to say, "On behalf of St. Charles Council on Aging and Mr. and Mrs. Douglas, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to the group of volunteers from
your company for their dedication and hard work! Your 'team' truly helped make a real difference."
In addition to the work done by the Motiva volunteers, the Davis' will be getting a new roof on their home.
For more information on the Safe Harbor Program, contact Monica Blilie at the St. Charles Council on Aging at (504) 783-6683.
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