Journal of the "Make a Difference Day" - Gazebo Experience

12 September 2004 .................................. Sunday I am called into the Bishop's Office where I meet with one of the High Councilmen. I am given a "Temporary Calling" to help with the upcoming "Make a Difference Day". It is going to happen on 23 October 2004. There will be a meeting next Sunday where I will learn something about what it is and what I am to do.

19 September 2004 ..................................... Sunday After church I attend a meeting for the "Make a Difference" Day, in the High Council Room. I finally get an idea of what I am supposed to do for this project. I learn that I will be working with Ned Mitchell, elder brother of Tom Mitchell. I am given the responsibility to "Build a Gazebo" for the "Abuse Shelter".

24 September 2004 ..................................... Friday I met with Sister Marilyn Cooper, at the Stake Center, at 4pm, then I followed in My Silverado as we went look at the Abuse Shelter house that we are going to fix up for "Make a Difference Day" on 23 October 2004. I now have a much better idea of what is needed for "Make a Difference Day". We decide that it would be a good idea to build two(2) Gazebos, on for each back Yard.

=================================== I called Doug Dawson and asked him to donate to "Make a Difference Day" the plans for a Square/Four Sided Gazebo. He agreed to do that. A few days later he said he had the plans done so I went to him home to get the plans. Doug felt that the Square/Four Sided Gazedo looked bad and he had already for me the plans for a better looking Hex/Six Sided Gazebo. I agreed with Doug and from that point forward it was a Hex/Six Sided Gazebo. I took the plans to Marilyn Cooper for approval and got it. I took the plans to the Abuse Shelter and Pat Griffin and got approval I made up a List of Materials needed. I took the plans to Home Depot - Del Kennet and got a temporary maybe commitment of a donation of the material to make a difference day. After several trips back to Home Depot and finally talking to the right person the "Commitment" turned out to be that they will knock $75.00 off the price of the materials if we buy the materials from Home Depot. I went to visit Taylor Payne and asked him to donate his time and labor to help build the Gazebos, he agreed to do that and I gave him a copy of the Plans. He suggested that I get Brian Perkins to be the contractor and/or job boss. I went to visit Brian and Maria Perkins. I asked them to donate their time and labor to the Make a Difference Day and build the gazebos and they agreed to do that. Brian wanted me to pursue getting the materials and I agreed to do that. ======================================== I worked with Foxworth Gailbraith and they would not donate the materials. Bishop Cozart helped me get the materials at Home Depot. Home Depot assured us that the materials will be delivered to the site on 22 October 2004 - Friday. ===================================

20 October 2004 ................................... Wednesday Ethington Construction pours the floors for the Gazebos. They show up, at the Shelter at about 6am. They bring with them, in addition to Larry Ethington, Danny Ethington, Derrick Ethington, a crew of about 5 people that are expert in concrete. They furnish 4 wheel barrows and I furnish 1 wheel barrow. They build the forms and prepare the ground for the Concrete. When the Cemex Contrete Truck arrives, The concrete has to be carried, via wheelbarrow, from the front yard to the back yard. They proceed to do that and I provide them the Brackets that they set into the concrete for attaching the Gazebo to. They finish the concrete and make it look really nice for the Against Abuse Shelter. In the beginning Cemex had told the Ethingtons that they, Cemex, would donate the concrete. At the end Cemex backed out but the Ethingtons stepped up to the line and paid for the Concrete themselves. Special thanks to Larry Ethington, Danny Ethington, Derrick Ethington.

21 October 2004 ............................................. Thursday Ethingtons come by and take the forms off from the new Gazebo Floors.

22 October 2004 ............................................... Friday about 5pm I drive by the Abuse Shelter and see that the materials have NOT been delivered. Next I go to Home Depot and they tell me that the delivery man could not find the abuse shelter so the materials are sitting out in back!! I told them that I have to have the materials NOW. Two Employees, Dave and Heather, used their own pickups and we loaded all the materials in our three pickups and took it over to the Abuse Shelter, very slowly. We unloaded their pickups in the parking lot at the Shelter. I kept the load in my Silverado and drove it home, to Paradise, very slowly.

23 October 2004 ................................................ Saturday Make a Difference Day I left Paradise at about 5amMST, and drove my loaded Pickup, very slowly, to the Abuse Shelter. When the crew arrives: Brian and Maria Perkins Brian Moody Taylor Payne Les Grover We worked until it was too dark to work.

25 October 2004 ......................................... Monday Marilee and Melissa went to Yuma today ............. I worked on "Make a Difference Day". Looks like I will be working "Make a Difference Day" until Thanksgiving Day.

29 October 2004 ................................................... Friday I went to the Shelter and visited with Alan Levine and Pat Griffin. I took some photos and put some of the Materials into the Malibu. As soon as the work is done I will have to haul off all of the leftover material.

03 November 2004 ..................................... Wednesday I go to Hogle's where I put the Paint, for the Gazebos, into the back of the Moody Van. Brian Moody is going to paint the Gazebos. I get a copy of the Casa Grande Dispatch and after a thorough search I do not find an article about "Make a Difference Day".

04 November 2004 ..................................... Thursday I hauled off all the left over lumber from the Abuse Shelter. Nothing left to do now but the painting.

27 November 2004 .......................................... Saturday Bryan Moody painted the Gazebos today.

30 November 2004 ......................................... Tuesday Today I took Photos of the Finished and Painted "Gazebos". They, the Photos, have now been posted to www.wendelleyring.com. So finally "Make a Difference Day", which I have renamed "Make a Difference Month", is done!! I had hoped to finish "Make a Difference Day" by "Thanksgiving Day" BUT it took longer than that!

First Edited: 22 November 2004 Last Edited: 01 December 2004 - by Wendell Haws Eyring Jr.