Barn Raising

There has been a litteral barn raising at my homestead and it reminds me of the Amish community near my hometown. My grandparents would take Jon and I there when we were kids. The Amish gave my grandfather a loan to start his business. They are amazing hard working people that cooperatively support one another and view the whole of the community as providing strength for the individual.

That's exactly what I needed in my life. My home project list was as never ending as the rain that prevented me from painting my house all year. We scraped, sanded, power washed but to no avail there wasn't 14 dry days in a row needed for the paint to take. Until the past two weeks, and with a business trip looming, the Butterfield family, my friends Adam, Brandon, and the  neighborhood kids worked 16 hour days knowing the paint on that house is the one thing keeping my refinance from helping to get my grandmother's title off my property as collateral, so that if necessary she can go to a nursing home. (PS. I love my grandmother as much or more than any human being on this planet.)

The house is painted. The estimator comes today. I depart for my business trip in the morning.

Before and after pictures coming when the trim is complete, until then here is a picture from when we started the painting project in February. We had to sand the whole house and replace rotten wood. I've learned so much, including how to run several types of saws, an angle grinder, belt sander, power washer and paint sprayer. I could go Amish or into the labor field if credit unions don't work out. (wink)

Saving Ohio

This blog is written as a tool for you to use to help Ohio. Please copy, paste and repost on your blog and into emails to your friends and family to help save a historic village and jobs in Ohio.

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My name is Jamie and I love Ohio, my grandma and a little historic village named Zoar. Grandma Jeanne raised me to build community by volunteering. We even made apple butter and spun wool together in the village garden. Right now she and everyone else back home is trapped, flooded in their homes.

Please help me to raise $250,000 to save Zoar's historic buildings. It is a beautiful place that looks like a Norman Rockwell painting. Unfortunately the walls are cracking and the flooded buildings are caving.

http://www. timesreporter. com/opinion/x1670185857

Beyond the first greenhouse in Ohio, amazing architecture and the history of co-ops (like REI and credit unions) in Zoar, these buildings have significant impact on Ohio tourism. Ohio needs every job and the HOPE of future jobs. Tourism funds jobs that can’t be outsourced to another country, continent or planet.

When I visited villages in Africa, I saw first hand jobs created, when tourism brings outside dollars in and how it empowers communities. If you have even one friend living in Ohio, please send $1 to help this town.

Even though I’m a single mom, I am sending $100 to the Zoar Society. Please join me. For every $100 that is sent, I’ll work hard to find $100 to match it.

Here's how you can you help now:

1.) For matching funds, email me your pledge: jamiejchase@mac.com

2.) Mail your check to:

Zoar Village
198 Main Street
P.O. Box 404
Zoar, OH 44697

3.) Please also send an email to Ohio Senator Ron Amstutz at
SD22@mailr.sen.state.oh.us

Ask him to join you in saving Zoar and to sponsor legislation that creates jobs by funding tourism promotions and historic preservation. Funding this is a strategic investment being made by and producing returns by states from West Virginia to Nevada and even in Mali, West Africa. Ohio, get jiggy with it! These buildings of the past, also represent your future.

Thank you already for helping me to repay the lessons that my grandmother taught me, not only do we build our communities, but together we keep them strong.

With Hometown Love,

Jamie Chase (Graef)
www.jamiechase.blogspot.com