Please share your Quick Build Experiences here...

jeanniebeanz

Many of us have shared in these projects, and honestly, some of my best and worst memories of the 'friends' were had at these crazy events. Will you please share some of your experiences at Quick Builds?

Thanks!

J

AlmostAtheist

Best thing to ever come out of a QuickBuild was meeting Gina. She and I met at the quick build for Waverly, Ohio's hall.

Dave

LittleToe

I was involved in dozens (I literally lost count after 30 or so) mainly in the East of England, but also in other parts of Britain. I was at the third one in England and the first one in Scotland.

A high point to me was singing the whole of "Bohemian Rhapsody" (Queen) in the middle of the night, with a bunch of wall-tilers. We got asked by their department head if we knew the Kingdom songs as well, and promptly burst into "A Paradise" (song 4), complete with an improvised head-banging section, once he'd left - LOL.

tweety

I was apart of only two quick builds, it was ok!

But my ex-husband and his family was asked to go to Nicaragua in the 80's to build some building. Since my ex was inactive at the time, his father (who was the service overseer elder) fudged his service time so that he was excepted to go for the special assignment. oops that was a secret and I wasn't suppose to tell that elders lie to protect their sons.

Dee

doinmypart

I don't have single experience per se, but I liked the quick builds for the work experience I gained.

I worked on the Heating & Air crew for 10+ years, gained valuable experience hanging duct work and installing systems.

For 6 of those years I did double-duty by working on the Cabinet crew, most of this work was done prior to the actual build. Again I gained valuable experience learning to operate equipment in a cabinet shop and was able to build cabinets, posts, railings, moldings, etc.

I hated when brothers would pull out a guitar and people would sing Kingdom melodies, or when we had to do the WT lesson on site. I hated working through the night shooting nail guns, hammering, and otherwise disturbing the neighbors.

Dismembered

I helped build the Pawling or Pauling NY KH. It was a couple miles down the road from Patterson Complex. Anyway we get to the Elders home who was putting about 5 of us up for the weekend. We get to chatting about the new project. We had traveled about 100 miles to get there, and one of the things he says about the project was " I cannot understand why they continue to build these Kingdom Halls, we don't have the money to pay for them. The reason we have to have these Kingdom Halls built is because of the increase, and all the new move ins at the Patterson Project." He said he wished it would stop.

PS We didn't stay another night, his place was despicable

Dismembered

"They": believe they're gliding down the highway,

when in fact they're slip-sliding away".

catchthis

Only two experiences come to mind....

1. Back when I was working a construction trade, my co-worker and I were volunteered by our JW boss to do one of the processes after the drywall was completed. My co-worker wasn't a dub but I was. I, of course, was more than happy to contribute my time and experience for free seeing that it was for a quick build. We did our normal jobs during the first part of the day and then hit the KH in the afternoon. Now get this - my boss wasn't going to pay my co-worker for his time on the quick build. Back then, even I could see this was wrong. After much arguing going back and forth, my boss finally agreed to pay my co-worker for his time. Duh.

2. At another congregation, our old hall was a doublesided trailer that we outgrew. During the new quickbuild, I helped out on the rock work that was added to the lower part of the building. This project was spearheaded by the PO since that was his trade. Anyways, I'm spreading the cement on the wall and puting the slate rocks into place, working right next to the PO. I was doing a very nice, clean looking job whereas the PO was slopping the rocks up quickly and leaving extra concrete oozing out. I was using my fingers to smooth out the concrete between the rocks - it looked really good. After about 30 minutes or so, the PO turns to me and says, and I will always remember this: "It looks like you're a perfectionist when you work. I hate perfectionists." I think my jaw might have opened in shock when he said that. I couldn't believe someone in his position would even say such a thing. I just pursed my lips together and calmly said, "Fine." I put down my trowel and walked away, rinsed off, and went to my car and left. Even a few years later until I moved away we never really 'clicked' with each other.

iiz2cool

Even a few years later until I moved away we never really 'clicked' with each other.

That's understandable. Why would you want to "click" with someone who doesn't take any pride in what he does? Out of all the JWs I worked with over the years, I can only remember one who took pride in his work. Like me, he was a perfectionist. And we were both counselled for being unbalanced about our secular work. We both enjoyed it too much. I wonder if shody workmanship is part of being a JW.

Walter

tijkmo

i was in charge of cooking breakfast on scottish builds....we would cook sausage egg bacon and potato scone...and put one or all in a roll...our breakfasts were reknown...the rest of the day we would provide hot and cold drinks cakes chocolate etc all through the day and then we would serve a cooked snack at t-time.(cooked lunch-seated with real cutlery and china plates- was another department)

at one quickbuild the rbc (regional building commitee) department (they were in a caravan right next to our buffet) sent a message to someone who sent a message to someone else....and eventually to me....i was told that i was not to put so much food in the rolls and only to let each worker have 1 roll...i asked what the reason for this was..and the bro telling me said that the rbc had noticed that some brothers were getting food and then rejoining the queue and getting more and this was to stop...so i said these are builders they are working for nothing they are sleeping on someones floor they are arriving at 6 o/c in the morning and you want me to tell them they can only have 1 roll...besides what is to stop them from joining the queue several times till they're not hungry...the bro telling me was apologetic cos he saw that it was unreasonable (+it was his hall) but told me orders were orders

so i got the signs department to make a sign (they were more than happy to oblige) and erected it for t-time....STARTING TOMORROW AT BREAKFAST ONLY 1 ROLL PER WORKER..THIS IS PER INSTRUCTION OF RBC..ALL ENQUIERIES TO BE MADE TO CARAVAN AT RIGHT

when t-time came and workers started to show their discontent one of the rbc came and said to me...take down the sign..i said why..he said cos it doesnt put us in a very good light..i said i know..you didnt expect me to take the blame did you....you made the stupid rule you explain it to the bros...i'll take down the sign when you retract the rule...he went away and someone even higher up on rbc told me to give the bros as much as they wanted for breakfast....which i was more than happy to do

little toe..what scottish ones were u at...paisley irvine greenock girvan stranrear kelso coatbridge dingwall ayr hamilton elgin

JustMeNonJDub

1. Building the Hall at my old congregation in Taos, NM. Lot's of fun. The first stuccoed, and solar-powered Quick-Build constructed.

3. Worst one was Tierras Cong. in Albuquerque. It rained all weekend, and I was on the roofing team.

Please share your Quick Build Experiences here...

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