Cleanup Help Available

Posted on March 14, 2010 | 10 Comments

Members of the Staples High School boys soccer team are available to help homeowners with cleanup — 1st come 1st served, $15/hour.  Contact dwoog@optonline.net.

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10 responses to “Cleanup Help Available”

  1. Anonymous | March 14, 2010 at 7:52 pm |

    Shouldn’t they be doing this for free? Those families are suffering. Not to compare our situation to that of Haiti, Chile, or Turkey, but we’re not charging them for our help. Just tacky.

    • Dan Woog | March 14, 2010 at 8:05 pm |

      Good question, Anonymous. Three different people called earlier today and asked if I knew any kids available to help clean up — all 3 said they would pay “anything the kids wanted.”

      I thought about offering their services for free. Then I thought about their own needs — helping pay for college, helping pay for clothes, helping pay for whatever else teenagers pay for. They don’t have lots of opportunity to work hard for money. They’ve got a day off from school tomorrow (and possibly beyond). And they will work hard.

      FYI, over 2 dozen of them volunteered their services — free — at this weekend’s indoor soccer tournament. A number of them have volunteered to run mentoring sessions — free — for younger players throughout the month of March. They’ve offered themselves up as a prize at the ABC House auction each year for the past few; the highest bidder gets their services, for whatever they wish. They understand the importance of community service, and do plenty of it — willingly, and well. (A number of them do service elsewhere, too — through organizations like B3, and their churches and synagogues.)

      If it sounds tacky, I apologize. I’m just trying to help people who need it, and help some hard-working teenagers at the same time.

      PS: I don’t see tree removal services, lawn guys or companies with dumpsters offering their services for free.

      PPS: A couple of weeks ago, a resident asked me to provide 2 players to help her clean out a condo. She asked me what was fair; I said $15 an hour. She was so impressed with their work, she gave them each nearly double that.

  2. anony | March 14, 2010 at 8:05 pm |

    Hmm. The guy that cuts my grass will do this for $12 an hour. If you’re ederly I’ll come help you for free and I ‘m 50 yrs olds and not a state champion. 1st come, leave it.

  3. wliepolt | March 14, 2010 at 9:54 pm |

    If any of the boys runs into a problem that needs a portable sump pump (it requires electric power) gave a call, and I’ll loan it for the day.

    If your boys run across a situation where someone can’t pay the $15 an hour, I’ll make up the difference between what they can pay and the $15.

    Thankful not to have any significant damage (one exterior light).

  4. Prefer anonymity | March 15, 2010 at 7:12 am |

    $15 is a bit pricey, and sorry, Dan, opportunistic. I don’t need any help, but I can get adult help for $10-12 if and when I need it, and it’s local, too.

  5. Mary | March 15, 2010 at 10:51 am |

    Thanks for the explanation, Dan. I, too, wondered why they wouldn’t do it for free but changed my mind after reading your thoughts. It’s a win-win for the homeowners and the kids. And, let’s face it, most people can afford it and the kids are earning a few bucks.

  6. Laz | March 15, 2010 at 12:43 pm |

    Interesting contrasting views. Keep in mind that in most cases the cost of clean-up is covered by the homeowner’s insurance. And that the people who need this help are not the poor and homeless. They’re people with downed trees and wet baasements that need to get to work tomorrow and there aren’t enough workers available to get it all done.

    As noted here and elsewhere, the youth of Westport are very involved in many charitable activities.

  7. Adam Stolpen | March 15, 2010 at 8:55 pm |

    Dan..I have to let you know what a great job these kids are doing!

    Thanks for helping me connect with your soccer kids to help with my clean up!!

    Professional landscapers have disappeared suddenly, are overwhelmed or are taking advantage of this awful situation. A friend in Greenwich told me that her tree man asked $250 per hour to clear her property. Told her that he had to send at least 4 men on each job and there was a one hour minimum even to just look at a job.

    but your guys phoned me, came to my house, cleared HUGE branches in the pouring rain for nearly 2 hours and then told me I had paid them too much.

    Only in Westport would these kids arrive in new SUVs, but work their tails off becuase it was the right thing to do.

    There is no way I could have managed to clear my place without their help. They really stepped up to the plate.

    THANK YOU AND THANKS TO THE GREAT GUYS OF THE SOCCER TEAM WHO SHOWED WHAT REAL HELP IS ABOUT.