Hard work has happy payoff for volunteers; Rebuilding Together Worcester.

Byline: Vivian Ho

WORCESTER - The foundation of the greenhouse turned out strong and exactly like the blueprint, but the workers who assembled it Saturday all shared a secret: None of them had ever built a foundation.

The majority of the workers were there as volunteers for Rebuilding Together Worcester and Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Co.'s day of community service. Local employees of the banking company, which operates Beneficial and HFC branches across North America, joined RTW to work on four projects around the city. The effort was part of a nationwide program in which employees of the banking company work with nearly 100 Rebuilding Together affiliates, logging about 30,000 volunteer hours.

"HSBC likes their employees to spend at least one day a year doing community service, and we know where there are projects to do," said Rebuilding Together Worcester President Kevin Kearney. "This is the second year we've done projects with HSBC."

Rebuilding Together Worcester rehabilitates low-income homes, shelters and community centers throughout Worcester.

In all, three Rebuilding Together Worcester volunteers worked with 13 banking company employees landscaping, staining, sanding and building at Friendly House Shelter on Elm Street, Dismas House Almost Home on Briar Lane and the homes of two low-income senior citizens.

Although the volunteers lacked experience, Mr. Kearney said, the projects turned out all right.

"Most of us are unskilled; none of us are professionals," he said. "Although we only can do limited things, it usually has a big payoff. The people we help are very appreciative."

The greenhouse foundation was built at the Dismas House project site. The greenhouse will be open to groups throughout the city to grow flowers and plants.

"A lot of effort and teamwork" led to a completed product, said David McMahon, Dismas House co-executive director, who worked on the foundation alongside the bank company's volunteers.

"We love working with groups like this," he said. "It was our first project working with Rebuilding Together Worcester. It was great to have these folks who have never seen Dismas House get their hands dirty and help get the business going."

In making the foundation, the group had to measure and dig a ditch, pull out rocks, lay sand and fit together heavy cinder blocks, volunteer Claudia Copestake said.

"We're quite dirty right now," she said. "If we knew what we were doing, it would have been really quick, but it was good fun working with those guys, trying to work out what goes where."

Although the project looked "easier on paper," the group stayed motivated knowing all the hard work would end up benefiting people from 26 communities, said Jenny Chamorro, Dismas House program coordinator

"Something really positive is going to come out of it," she said.