Troy Johnson (left) and Chuck Hutchinson of the Cement Masons Plasterers and Shophands Local 633, work in the basement of the Ames-Florida-Stork Historical House in Rockford.

Ninety volunteers from church groups, labor unions, and the general community gave up their morning Saturday recently to go outside in the cold rainy weather and lend a hand to neighbors in need around the county.

The project, Neighbors Strengthening Wright Communities, included minor home maintenance for elderly and disabled Faith in Action care recipients at 18 homes around Wright County (including one in Rockford).

"We were floored by the amount of people who showed up on a rainy Saturday morning," exclaimed Allison Moser, one of the organizers for the event. "We joked at one of our planning meetings that we needed to pray for good weather, it would appear that the lord decided to bless us with people who really cared about helping out their neighbors instead."

Volunteers arrived in Buffalo early Saturday, were split into teams, and sent off to help their Wright County neighbors. Skilled union Carpenters, Cement Masons, Laborers and Teamsters were dispatched to some of the more difficult projects.

In Rockford, two Neighbors Strengthening Wright Communities satellite projects were also going on; the first was a community cleanup organized by Rockford Area Historical Society Director Rebecca Mavencamp.

The second was part of an ongoing project between the Wright County Labor Council and the Rockford Area Historical Society. Saturday's work included some preservation on the foundation of the Ames-Florida-Stork historical house completed by Cement Masons Local 633. The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 82 is also involved in the preservation work at the Stork house.

"It went great," Exclaimed Mavencamp, "It was fun to see Tom Reger, the Apprentice Coordinator for Cement Masons Local 633 and his guys go to work, we couldn't have gotten this done without skilled volunteers like the cement masons."

Neighbors Strengthening Wright Communities began as a partnership project between the Wright County Labor Council and Faith in Action of Wright County. As the planning process began, the project grew to include several other community organizations including Love INC Big Woods, Working Partnerships, Rockford Area Historical Society and Love INC Heartland. Even Wright County Commissioner Rose Thelen and Buffalo Mayor Fred Naatkgaboren got involved helping guide the group as to how to get resources and work with local officials.

"It was truly a collaborative effort," said Grant Bendix, Organizer with the Wright County Labor Council. "Groups from all across the spectrum came to the table and worked together to do what we could for these communities."

The project ended at around noon, with a picnic hosted by the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 653.

The group of organizations involved in the project hopes to grow the event and include other organizations and individuals next year.