North Raleigh UMC
Serving In Alaska
May 18, 2024
Staff: Mel Frecceiro (Trollman), Cyndi Lakey
We Arrived!
by Mel Frecceiro | May 19, 2024 6:27 AM
We made it safely to Alaska. Our first step was a souvenir shopping spree in downtown Anchorage before heading to Chugiak to settle into lodging. When we arrived at the church, we were greeted by Kay who will be our hostess this week.

Alaskan Dinner
by Mel Frecceiro | May 19, 2024 6:31 AM
Kay made our team a delicious homemade dinner of Caribou stew and sourdough bread. She said she wanted to give us a taste of Alaska! There were also numerous jellies as well as pie made from local Alaska berries. Yum!
After dinner, we had a team meeting, then went to Walmart before settling down for the night. We are looking forward to tomorrow's church service and a week of serving!

Sunday Morning
by Mel Frecceiro | May 20, 2024 3:53 AM
Several members of our team jumped on the stage for Sunday service. We were interviewed in front of the church, asked to share parts of our faith journeys and answer personal questions. It was a fun and unique way of engaging with our partner church, UMC of the Chugiak.

Afternoon Hike
by Mel Frecceiro | May 20, 2024 3:58 AM

Beans Cafe
by Mel Frecceiro | May 20, 2024 11:25 PM
Our team served with Beans Cafe this morning. They serve hundreds of free meals all around the city of Anchorage. They also cater and have a bakery. Several of us got to help in the food prep area.

Po-ta-toes
by Mel Frecceiro | May 20, 2024 11:26 PM

Chocolate Factory
by Mel Frecceiro | May 21, 2024 1:14 PM
Anna got a workout chopping large bars of chocolate into chunks for cookies in the Beans Cafe bakery.

Onion Master
by Mel Frecceiro | May 21, 2024 1:16 PM

A Generous Portion
by Mel Frecceiro | May 21, 2024 1:24 PM
The staff at Beans set us up very well for lunch! They wanted to treat us to spaghetti with sauce that our own team got to make. They also sent us home with a plethora of coffee cakes, cinnamon rolls, cookies, and artisan bread... Enough that we probably won't be able to eat at all by the time we head home! What a treat.
It's incredible what Beans is able to do for the community. We were happy to be a part of it for one day.

Beluga Point
by Mel Frecceiro | May 21, 2024 1:58 PM

Reflective Waters
by Mel Frecceiro | May 21, 2024 2:00 PM

Alaska Wildlife Conservation
by Mel Frecceiro | May 21, 2024 2:09 PM

Portage Lake
by Mel Frecceiro | May 21, 2024 2:18 PM
We made a stop at Portage Lake, where the waters are fed by the surrounding glaciers. We trekked down to the water to feel how icy cold it was. Some of us took a drink too.

Team Meetings
by Mel Frecceiro | May 21, 2024 2:25 PM

Work Project
by Mel Frecceiro | May 21, 2024 2:41 PM

The Parsonage
by Mel Frecceiro | May 22, 2024 2:27 AM
This is the parsonage. It is a beautiful log cabin home, but in great need of a metal roof. It reminded some of our team members of linkin' logs.

Clearing the Work Site
by Mel Frecceiro | May 22, 2024 2:30 AM

Many Hands...
by Mel Frecceiro | May 22, 2024 2:32 AM

Getting Ready
by Mel Frecceiro | May 22, 2024 2:37 AM

Blessing our Host Church
by Mel Frecceiro | May 22, 2024 2:42 AM

Trusses
by Mel Frecceiro | May 23, 2024 3:30 AM
We started off our Wednesday with a few of us helping to put the trusses on the parsonage roof. There will be plenty of work on the construction site for all of us once those are in place.

Inside and Out
by Mel Frecceiro | May 23, 2024 3:39 AM

Make it Green
by Mel Frecceiro | May 23, 2024 3:39 AM

No More Sag
by Mel Frecceiro | May 23, 2024 3:40 AM

Fix It Drew
by Mel Frecceiro | May 23, 2024 3:45 AM

Much Work to do
by Mel Frecceiro | May 23, 2024 3:46 AM

Thunderbird Falls
by Mel Frecceiro | May 23, 2024 3:48 AM

We Like to Move it
by Mel Frecceiro | May 24, 2024 1:54 AM
Our first order of business for the day: move the supplies to make room for more. We picked up boards and poles, sorting them into piles by size before additional boards were delivered.

Stack it High
by Mel Frecceiro | May 24, 2024 2:07 AM

Progress Meeting
by Mel Frecceiro | May 24, 2024 2:19 AM

Yard Work
by Mel Frecceiro | May 24, 2024 2:22 AM

Progress Shot
by Mel Frecceiro | May 24, 2024 2:25 AM

Measure Twice-
by Mel Frecceiro | May 24, 2024 2:47 AM

Jen's Turn
by Mel Frecceiro | May 24, 2024 2:50 AM

Working as a Team
by Mel Frecceiro | May 24, 2024 7:03 AM
There was plenty of work up on the roof as we worked together to nail particle board down.

Bird's-Eye View
by Mel Frecceiro | May 24, 2024 7:06 AM

And break!
by Mel Frecceiro | May 24, 2024 7:10 AM
At one point during our work day, a few of us went to a local Coffee Hut (aka, drive thru spot) and picked up drinks for the entire team, staff and workers. Nothing boosts morale like a delicious pause in the middle of the day.

Sand Dunes
by Mel Frecceiro | May 24, 2024 7:16 AM

Continue Your Impact
by Praying Pelican Missions | May 24, 2024 11:57 PM
Landscaping
by Mel Frecceiro | May 25, 2024 8:42 PM
A few of us worked in the weeds, lopping down the larger plants and pulling up the smaller ones.

Queen of the rock
by Mel Frecceiro | May 25, 2024 8:44 PM

Insulation
by Mel Frecceiro | May 25, 2024 8:47 PM

Making up for lost time
by Mel Frecceiro | May 25, 2024 10:23 PM

Saying goodbye
by Mel Frecceiro | May 25, 2024 10:55 PM
Pastor Steve, the other construction workers and k gathered up with us before we left the church. They wanted to thank our group for coming to serve. They talked about how much we got done, how appreciative and blown away they were by how hard we worked.

That's a wrap
by Mel Frecceiro | May 25, 2024 10:59 PM

Shopping and dinner
by Mel Frecceiro | May 25, 2024 11:01 PM

Thank you!
by Mel Frecceiro | May 25, 2024 11:05 PM
- A note from the staff
Thank you all so very much for loving on your partner church this past week. We loved getting to partner alongside of you. Thank you for all the laughs, the shenanigans, the prayers, the hard work, and for the way you loved everyone around you. You will truly be missed! We pray it's not the last time we get to spend time serving with your group this side of heaven. Blessings as you go. Know our thoughts and prayers go with you!
~your friends at PPM

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Comments
Sandi
May 22, 2024 5:47 PM
Sounds like a great way to see Gods hands at work. Beautiful untouched Nature and helping those in need. I hope u feel the spirit!
Michael cobaugh
May 21, 2024 11:08 PM
And meet your husband
Michael cobaugh
May 21, 2024 11:08 PM
Heads up I’m working tomorrow @ auntie Ann’s in the 5th ave mall 2pm to 7:30pm when can we hang out like we used to do we haven’t done that in years