Removing pipes, installing new walls and putting in a new door. It's all in an effort to restore this building next to the Lowville Food Pantry to get it back up to code, which was donated to the pantry.
The Thousand Islands Habitat for Humanity brought out around 30 volunteers Saturday to help with the first phase of the work..
Brian Drappo, director of Thousand Islands Habitat said, "In working here, you get to understand the detail of what they do. How many people they serve, the type of programs they offer.
Joining Habitat were ten combat engineers from Fort Drum, engineering in a different way for this project.
"Hopefully we can accomplish everything they need to so there's minimal work left," Ariel Soto, Fort Drum combat engineer leader said.
With the help of the $25,000 grant awarded to the pantry, the volunteers can help transform this building into more storage space and in addition, give a new home for the Christmas Sharing program that helps families in need have a special holiday.
The Habitat staff said they plan to be done with their work in just one day and money from the $25,000 grant will also be used with any other work that the building needs.
"They've gotten more done in a little bit of time, said food pantry director Dan Taylor. "We thought it would take longer, they've just been working and getting it done."
Taylor said after the work from Habitat and the soldiers, the grant money will also go toward furnishing the rest of the building.
"I'm just thankful that so many people believe in what we do and want to help us," Taylor said.
This is just one of several phases of the project, which wouldn't be possible without the volunteers that stepped up for the cause. \
That $25,000 grant was won through the online State Farm Neighborhood Assist Program. State Farm hosted a free luncheon Saturday at the Lowville American Legion to celebrate the win and thank the volunteers.
"For little old Lowville, Lewis County to get head to head with major cities in the country and to win, it's like JCC beating North Carolina, a big deal," Tom Spaulding, owner of the State Farm business in Lowville said.
The pantry is one of 40 recipients out of 2,000 applicants across the country.
