Mike McBeath is unloading boxes of cabinets at a Mennonite Housing Self-Help Project house.
Phoenix man doesn't regret commitment to Greensburg
By Chandra Stauffer
Last Updated: June 21, 2009
Phoenix man doesn't regret commitment to Greensburg
In December 2008, Mike McBeath arrived in Greensburg from Phoenix to volunteer with Mennonite Housing. The amount of time a volunteer dedicates to the town can range from a day to a week to a month. That wasn't enough for McBeath. He signed up for a year.
He's reached the halfway point in his commitment and he's still just as sure now as he was then.
"I used to go to work because I had to every morning," said McBeath. "And now I get to get up and I get to go work and I get to do something that's worthwhile. It's a really different feeling."
He works about 40 hours a week organizing materials and volunteers for Mennonite Housing's Self-Help Housing project, which has homeowners work together to build homes for the entire group.
The third set of homes will be ready for the homeowners soon, and then McBeath will help on the fourth and final set of homes. That project is expected to finish in October or November.
Then McBeath's commitment to Greensburg will be met.
"I'll probably be sticking around a little bit longer after that," he said. "I kind of want to move out here. I don't know if that is going to happen or not. I haven't had much luck finding a job or anything yet."
His lack of job offers can't be attributed to a lack of dedication or hard work.
The construction superintendent for the Mennonite Housing project, Steve Carter, said McBeath is one of the best workers he has ever encountered.
"He's above and beyond whatever I would want for an employee," said Carter. "He gives 100 percent at all times."
Carter said that because of McBeath's dedication, homeowners were able to get into their homes quicker than they would have otherwise.
"He never once complained about anything," said Carter. "I've not heard him say the word no to anybody. You couldn't find a better person."
McBeath has impressed many.
He's received awards from Mennonite Housing and the Kansas Hero Association for his volunteer efforts. One foreman was so impressed he's thinking about having McBeath join him in Missouri to start a new cabinet shop.
"I'm looking forward to that," said McBeath. "I think that will be a really neat trade."
Even though he hasn't gotten his future plans entirely worked out, he knows one thing for sure.
"I'm not going back to Phoenix."
However, he does know that his future will always include volunteering.
"I'll definitely pass along the skills I've learned here to other people," McBeath said. "Make as much of a difference as I can."
He wants others to make a different, too.
"It's a really good feeling knowing that you're helping other people," he said. "There's nothing you get out of it other than the satisfaction of knowing that you've helped people. I think everybody needs to do it at some point."
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Elliott School of Communication