Volunteer Spotlight

The Waters Family
Long time supporters Jim, Jan and Devon Waters joined us for two weeks on the Roundstone Family Home Project, marking the fifth Red Feather build with a Waters family representative. Jim arrived first, driving from Georgia with a truck full of tools and tents and dove right in with his excellent woodworking skills and easygoing, positive energy. A cabinetmaker by trade, Jim's help was indispensable when it came time to install cabinets and build shelves. Jan and Devin flew in a few days later and moved right into the Waters' tent compound. From helping in the kitchen, to staining trim, to building stone patios, to discovering creative new painting details, Jan was willing to pitch in wherever help was needed. Her warmth and kindness added immensely to the volunteer community. Devon skillfully tackled sanding, painting; trim installation, tool trailer organizing, and much more. Most famously she spent days on the "snail detail," meticulously circling the house sealing any air gaps that had been overlooked. We feel very fortunate for the time we share with the Waters family. Thank you.

Tim Fox
Attention to detail and a tireless work effort distinguish Tim Fox, who is both a skilled carpenter and a cherished volunteer. Traveling from northern California for his second Red Feather build, Tim’s construction experience made him an indispensable team leader throughout the entire Northern Cheyenne project, while his affinity for English muffins at breakfast made him the expert at negotiating our temperamental toasters. We would also be amiss without sharing our humble thanks to Tim for allowing us to use his high-tech, mobile sound system during our evening activities. Above all, we would like to thank Tim for continuing to share his time and knowledge.

Mike and Sandy Koness
They arrived with dust a-blazin' behind a truck and trailer filled with tools and timbers and left us with many memories, lessons, and smiles. Mike and Sandy Koness of Centennial Timber Frames in Kalispell, MT again demonstrated their generosity and conscience with the donation of the materials, expertise, and labor for the Roundstone's timber-framed carport and porches. This is the second project in which the Konesses have taken time from their busy summer schedule to contribute to our work. The entire staff fully appreciates the friendships that we share with the Konesses and look forward to future collaborations.

Cindy Owings
Joining us for her third time, Cindy has become the highly-esteemed queen of our kitchen crews. Keeping the kitchen organized and horse-free is not an easy task, but Cindy rose to the challenge and helped elevate the Red Feather dining experience from “camp vittles” to "refined gourmet." Renowned throughout camp for her proficiency at hiding last night’s leftovers in today’s lunch, Cindy thrilled vegetarians and surprised a few meat eaters with her tasty vegetarian meatloaf. Cindy, we deeply appreciate your energy in the kitchen and we hope to taste more of your cooking on future Red Feather builds!

The Watson Family
Many mornings of the Roundstone build, the first sound heard (besides horses nibbling on tents) was the boisterous and joyful laughter of Terry Watson. Terry traveled to the project from Missouri with his wife Gina and daughter Katie. The Watsons volunteered on the Turtle Mountain build in 2005, and they returned for the first three weeks of this year's Roundstone Family Home project. You could find some member of the Watson trio in all areas of the home site - from the kitchen, to the roof, to days spent working the stucco mixer. At least one staff member, whose laundry was about to walk to town on its own, appreciated their generosity when going into Lame Deer to do laundry. Passionate about American Indian history, Terry could always be counted on for a lively conversation on a variety of issues at meal times and we will never forget his brilliance during the lip sync extravaganza. Red Feather thanks the Watsons for their generous service.

Clarence Rowell
One of the many important roles on any Red Feather build is tool trailer duty. With the demands of sifting through our well-stocked tool cache to retrieve fasteners, saws, adhesives, bits, and every other necessary tool and material for our volunteers, tool trailer duty can leave even the most well-adjusted volunteer's head spinning. Luckily for Red Feather, we have Clarence "Tool Man" Rowell. Clarence selflessly has offered his services as a dedicated tool trailer supervisor. His knowledge of our trailer, his attention to cleanliness and ordeliness, and patience with everyone's multiple requests have greatly helped Red Feather's abilities to execute timely and organized projects. Thanks, Clarence!

Vanessa D'Amelio
As a Red Feather rookie, Vanessa quickly adapted to life on the build. Whether sharing her expertise on interior finishes, or fearlessly tackling attic insulation Vanessa’s many contributions were always accompanied by her warm smile. Thank you, Vanessa, for working so hard and enjoying every minute of it.

Lisa Smith
It was an emotional departure for many when Lisa pulled away from breakfast on the last morning of the build. A diligent and meticulous worker, Lisa was crucial in helping to detail the interior of the Roundstones' new home. We all learned a great deal about generosity from Lisa and appreciated her inquisitiveness and positive attitude.

Russ Smith
Russ joined a Red Feather project for the second time this summer. With a strong back and a positive attitude, Russ helped set the tone for an incredible group of volunteers early in the project. Russ personifies the attitude of his fellow Myers Park United Methodist Church volunteers, who demonstrate a sensitivity to the cultural differences that exist in Red Feather's work and demonstrate their values through action rather than words.

Janice Brady
Are there any better ways to be greeted at a Red Feather breakfast than with Janice's smile and kindness? Janice has been an invaluable member of Red Feather's efforts during the past several years. In addition to lending her culinary expertise to our kitchen on two builds, Janice has been a huge factor in coordinating financial and volunteer support through Myers Park United Methodist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.