Female volunteers help construct worship center in Uniontown
Courtesy of Jehovah鈥檚 Witnesses
Courtesy of Jehovah鈥檚 Witnesses
Michela McNavish with the scissor lift she worked on during the renovation of the Jehovah鈥檚 Witness Kingdom Hall in Uniontown
Courtesy of Jehovah鈥檚 Witnesses
Courtesy of Jehovah鈥檚 Witnesses
The newly renovated kingdom hall for the Uniontown Jehovah鈥檚 Witnesses
Denise Cumpston of Mapletown is adept at working on drywall, which came in handy in the recent renovation of a new kingdom hall for Jehovah鈥檚 Witnesses in Uniontown.
Michela McNavish of Greensburg operated power equipment, such as a boom lift, and installed soffit and fascia, as well as other tasks.
A theme is emerging.
Female volunteers were instrumental in the construction of the place of worship at 267 McClellandtown Road.
In fact, 55% of nearly the 600 volunteers involved with the project were women. They came from as far away as West Virginia, Ohio and Georgia.
Jehovah鈥檚 Witness projects typically include large percentages of female volunteers, both skilled and unskilled.
鈥淚t catches people鈥檚 attention when they鈥檙e driving by a construction site and see many women working on a project,鈥� explained Aaron Purvis, national spokesperson for Jehovah鈥檚 Witnesses. They鈥檙e involved in the heavy part of their work up to their capability. They have a real attention to detail and they enjoy it.鈥�
The building in Uniontown was originally built in the early 1970s and a major renovation took place in 1993. However, the roof began to leak and other portions of the building were in disrepair and in need of replacement.
Work began June 7, and services resumed at the site Nov. 13 for the congregation of about 100.
Before each project begins, training is provided for the volunteers, and safety is stressed.
鈥淏efore a volunteer ever comes on site, they鈥檒l go through a very comprehensive program of safety because our goal is zero accidents,鈥� Purvis said. 鈥淲e鈥檒l train them according to their physical capabilities. They can take that skill with them to do other things in their life.鈥�
Cumpston said she typically is on the drywall finishing crew in such projects. She and her husband, Thomas, regularly work on drywall and other necessary components of modular homes that are sold.
She explained that in 2008, her husband was working on a sizable project in the Pittsburgh area that had him doing a lot of work on weekends.
鈥淭he man that was in charge of that project said you might as well bring your wife,鈥� she recalled. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 when I started getting trained. He started training me on the job so I could be more proficient at hanging and finishing drywall on the various projects for this organization.鈥�
McNavish was a part of the demolition and helped take out walls, spending on average of two or three days a week at the site.
鈥淭his is just something that I enjoy doing, learning new skills,鈥� she said. 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 have any skills, they鈥檒l train you. The more you go, the more skills you get. I did not have any skills before these projects.鈥�
Michael Cook of Uniontown, who has been part of the Uniontown Congregation of Jehovah鈥檚 Witnesses since 1965, is pleased with the outcome.
鈥淚 have feelings of appreciation and gratitude to be able to have a nice place that鈥檚 clean, comfortable and safe that we can just gather together and learn,鈥� Cook said. 鈥淚f you want to get the job done right, you鈥檝e got to call in the women. The women are good because they鈥檙e pretty detail-oriented and they鈥檙e good at following directions. That makes them good volunteers. The quality of the work is so impressive.鈥�
Those who volunteer said there was a sense of camaraderie on the projects.
鈥淧eople come from all over,鈥� McNavish said. 鈥淵ou get to meet new people that you work with closely. A lot of times, you become friends for life. You get to hear their stories. Everybody is just so happy on these projects.鈥�
There鈥檚 also a sense of satisfaction upon their completion.
鈥溾�滻t gives you a lot of satisfaction, knowing you鈥檙e spending your time in a way that benefits others,鈥� Cumpston said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e happy to do it. It鈥檚 just everyone cooperating together. There鈥檚 no feeling of competition. We鈥檙e just all working together to accomplish a common goal. You just leave energized. You鈥檙e tired because the work is hard, but you鈥檙e energized and looking forward to going back the next day.鈥�