By Courtney L. Anderson
SHARON — When Cameron Howell got laid off, he knew he had to find a way to take care of his wife and baby daughter.
So when Howell, 20, of Sharon, heard about building trades training offered through West Central Job Partnership, Keystone SMILES and Mercer County Housing Authority, he decided to give it a shot.
“It was nothing like I thought it would be,” said Howell, who worked full-time for two years before losing his job. He said construction “feels like a natural thing” and he plans to continue in the field.
Howell and 10 other Shenango Valley young people got on-the-job training helping to provide someone a new home in Farrell through an $83,000 federal stimulus package grant secured by West Central Job Partnership.
The team gutted and rebuilt the Wallis Avenue house which was originally supposed to be demolished when Centennial Place was built, Keystone SMILES Community Service Coordinator Libby Hansford said.
They added on 10 feet to the back and dug down an additional three feet to complete a full basement. The two-bedroom home will have a “very contemporary design” with a galley-style kitchen, laundry room and front and back porches.
The trainees, who are 18 to 25, learned about everything from carpentry, concrete and electrical work to plumbing, painting and roofing.
“From A to Z,” they got an introduction to the construction trade, Hansford said.
Hansford noted the many positive exchanges between the youth and other people in the community regarding the work. Their compliments and encouragement are a “powerful reflection” of the program and the people involved, he said.
The pay is less and hours fewer in the program than his old job, Howell said, but he likes the chance to learn a variety of new skills.
That’s one reason Byron Moss, 21, of Sharon, said he enjoyed it, too.
“It feels good knowing you’re doing something for a good cause,” Moss said, adding that the fulfillment he gets from helping others kept him at it.
At first, Moss said he didn’t want to do construction work but thought he’d at least learn to be more comfortable with tools. The next thing he knew, he was mixing mortar and waterproofing a foundation.
Moss said he wants a career where he works more with people, but he’ll definitely use his new skills to help his family save money.
Howell said he learned about patience and persistence and now feels obligated to share what he knows with others, something he said helps him learn, as well.
And he’s met “tons of really good people” through the program, Howell said.
The program is the sort of thing that Moss said should continue, especially in the current economic downturn.
“I think it’s a wonderful thing for young people to get involved in,” said crew leader Jasper McIntyre, who said they learn skills and build character.
“And it keeps kids out of trouble,” said Antonio Brooks, 20, of Farrell.
“We’re really appreciative of the work everyone has done,” said L. DeWitt Boosel, Mercer County Housing Authority executive director.
The renovation won’t be complete until the end of November but they’ve “made tremendous progress,” he said.
“These guys did great,” Hansford said of the crew, which included some female volunteers.
The authority plans to lease the home to a low-income family with the goal of them buying it, Boosel said.
At an end-of-the-season gathering Wednesday at the house, the authority gave each trainee a tool bag.
“It’s something you can take with you and hopefully you’ll carry some of the things that you’ve learned with you in the future — whatever that might hold,” Boosel told the group.
Two crews worked to complete three projects for the authority, including gutting and renovating the Farrell house, improvements at McDowell Manor and building a garden at Fornelli Manor, both in Sharon.
“I had a lot of fun and made a lot of friends,” said crew leader Terry Mayfield, who stressed that you should never stop learning.
The partnership for the program also included Pennsylvania CareerLink of Mercer County and AmeriCorps, which provided volunteers. Some tools and materials were donated by Lowe’s in Hermitage, Fred Burns Construction, Rays Lumber and Apel Electric, all in Knox, Pa.
