Young volunteers say thanks by sharing blessings

The five young men did in two minutes what Erazmo Guerra couldn’t have done in years, possibly ever.

They removed a stove and a massive armoire from his South McAllen home.

“I don’t know how it got in there,” Guerra said afterwards, sitting in front of his small house at 820 S. 17 1/2 St. The lifters spent a few minutes twisting and angling the furniture. The person-sized doorframe almost blocked them from leaving. In his house, a stove and armoire dominated the interior.

Guerra knows, however, that he is eternally thankful for the help the young men gave him. Guerra said he has health problems and he suffers from violent seizures. Operating scars jut across his midsection from several surgeries, and even though he is younger than 50, he struggles to do intensive physical work. His chances of moving heavy furniture are as good as his odds of moving mountains.

“Gracias, gracias,” Guerra said as the boys hefted the items onto the back of a trailer truck.

It was five days before Thanksgiving, the unofficial start of the holiday season. Good will and cheer approached rapidly. That wasn’t what motivated the young men to wake up early, arrive at Guerra’s small home before 9 a.m. and haul massive furniture to the curb.

In fact, it could have been any weekend. These guys volunteer each Saturday. They are active members at The Family Church in McAllen, and they participate in the volunteer program Random Acts of Kindness.

Gerry Scarim, the church’s outreach coordinator, oversees the effort. It’s not exactly a program, he says – it’s a campaign to encourage a culture and lifestyle of helping. The idea and motivation comes from Jesus’ teachings in the Bible, but Scarim says the group does not factor religious beliefs into the volunteering. They simply aim to help.

Members of the church have passed out sodas on hot summer days. They’ve fed the needy. They’ve visited nursing homes, giving make overs to the ladies and playing bingo with the gents.

“It’s going outside the norm to share the love of God with people, and that’s what it’s all about,” said Scarim. “Now the city of McAllen is calling us and saying, ‘We’re doing a big cleanup project. Can you guys help us?’”

Keep McAllen Beautiful and City Commissioner John Ingram organized Saturday’s cleanup, dubbed Project Clean Neighborhood. They targeted La Paloma, an area located just south of Downtown McAllen near the Creative Incubator. Many residents there suffer disabilities similar to Guerra’s. For different reasons, they are unable to care for their property.

And while Keep McAllen Beautiful and Commissioner Ingram organized the event, they could not have done it without help from the youth volunteers, said Chris Lash, executive director for the beautification group.

And they’re happy to help.

After the heavy lifting for Guerra, the guys headed across the street. Ingram helped them every step of the way, and so did Lash. They began hauling busted bricks and ply wood out of another home’s backyard. Matt Pandocchi, 13, and Joseph Torres, 13, pulled boards and branches from under a pile of dry leaves. The boys passed them to Ronnie Longoria, 21, who handed them to 18-year-old Johan Vazquez. Vazquez threw the garbage into a trailer.

When they finished, the back yard looked like a different place. The corners looked spotless and the alley clear. A tidy lawn replaced the clusters of decaying garbage. And another thankful resident shook their hands.

Longoria, the elder of the group, said the group does this work to honor Christian teachings.

“Words are nothing without actions,” he said.

Keep McAllen Beautiful always needs volunteers. The group’s next project, Paint McAllen Beautiful, will start in January. Organizers have launched a search for painters and residents who need homes painted. People with disabilities and extenuating circumstances are eligible to have their homes painted. Contact Keep McAllen Beautiful at 688-3241.

Zack Quaintance covers features and entertainment for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4447.