these old stairs
moved generations
a thousand miles
up and down
but they’re quiet now
this old roof
shed a sea of rain
and a hill of snow
away from them
but they disappeared
so why am i still standing here?
take me down
a piece at a time
haul my doors away
that’s fine
grab the windows, too
and don’t forget the shelves
raze my chimney
save the bricks
these old fixtures
can be fixed
and i can live again
and you can live with yourselves
by not throwing me away
-Neil
It’s hard to believe the holiday season is here and winter is fast approaching. Here at Buffalo ReUse, we’re grateful for all that has occurred over this past year to help get us off and running. Last night I was chatting with one of our board members and reflecting on all that has happened since last November . . . it’s really quite remarkable.
Newsletter FIRST ISSUE! If you haven’t signed up for our mailing list on line, the time is now! We need your mailing address so you can receive a hard copy of the FIRST ISSUE of our newsletter. You’ll find info on past, present, and future projects, bios on our staff and volunteers, and so much more, but we need to know where you live, so please sign up today. A huge word of thanks to volunteers Dan Wangelin of [re]noun creative and Jessica Biegaj for all their amazing work on the newsletter. We hope you all enjoy it!
HOTCAKES on Northampton! As you may know we have a new store and new hours…298 Northampton Street, 3 blocks east of Main Street, just a stone’s throw from the ART space and Delta Sonic on Main Street. We’ll be there every Saturday for sure, from 10-4p.m. That’s a change as well, we are now open on SATURDAYS. If you need a door, tub, lumber or window any other day, give us a call…885-4131, we’ll do our best to accommodate. We welcome you to join us at the Warehouse, next Saturday, December 1st, from 9 – noon, for hotcakes and all the fixins’! We’d love to see you and you can get a tour of our new space.
Job Openings! Finally, we are accepting applications for two Buffalo ReUse positions. The Sales Coordinator would begin part-time, but evolve into a full-time position by Spring. Knowledge of building materials (commercial and residential) and a community minded attitude are a must and experience managing retail stores is a plus. The Assistant Project Manager position requires a depth of experience in construction management and crew management. The ideal candidate should be ready to serve a significant role as a deconstruction crewleader and have an interest in mentoring youth. Full job descriptions are available on our website – www.buffaloreuse.org.
Have a great holiday everyone…we are grateful for your continued involvement and interest.
—Michael Gainer
from: Joanna Gillespie
The greenhouse was donated to Urban Roots Community Garden Center by Dr. Robert & Mrs. Sheri Miller of Grand Island. Avid gardeners, the Millers have used this lean-to, curved eave style greenhouse year-round for several decades to grow tomatoes from seed, and to cultivate orchids, geraniums and other plants and vegetables. The donation includes custom-designed tables, as well as miscellaneous related supplies. An Urban Roots volunteer crew disassembled the at the Grand Island home, and Buffalo ReUse helped to relocate the structure to Buffalo until it can be reassembled on the Urban Roots lot in the spring of 2008.Buffalo ReUse is looking for individuals interested in designing greenhouses or cold frames from reused materials–like all those windows we have!!!p.s. check out Urban Roots for LIVE TREES this holiday season!!
We want to warm up your belly.
We want to fill up the new warehouse with many warm bellies.
We will greet you (neighbors, customers, volunteers and friends) with a warm welcome.
We will serve you a stack of golden, buttery pancakes.
We want to watch you cram pancakes into your smile.
We will hand you a napkin to wipe syrup off your face.
We will make you fresh hot coffee!
You will warm our hearts by just showing up!
Michael will be at the helm of our griddle wielding a spatula and a jug of maple syrup!
We’ll start at 9am and serve flapjacks and fixuns until noon.
Saturday, December 1st at 298 Northampton!
Did you know that Buffalo ReUse is a member of Buffalo First? Buffalo First is a local organization which networks Buffalo businesses.
During Buy
In honor of their Buy Buffalo Week campaign WE will have discounts of 10-25% on most of our store inventory this Saturday, 24 November from 10-4pm at 298 Northampton.
We will also be working of course–some of things on the list:
So, if you have an hour or afternoon to spare–or want to burn off some PIES and stuffing and mashed potatoes–come out from 10-4pm and we’ll help you!
Forget all other exercise regimens! I have discovered the ReUse workout. Lug around cast iron tubs and sinks and you’ll be sporting buns and abs of cast iron in no time.
Why volunteer for hard work and now cold weather? The stock answer should be that it makes my conscience feel good because I am giving back to the community . . .
That’s part of it. But I also love old houses and old house parts. It’s like an archeologist saving treasure from a threatened archeological site. ReUse’s mission also jives exactly with my own philosophies and beliefs that urban living is the correct and more ecologically way to live. Through ReUse I get to help reverse urban blight, rebuild communities, and save the environment.
I also find the work to be very satisfying. I love to work with my hands and share the skills I’ve learned renovating my old house. The results are tangible, immediate, and positive. I also can’t deny that working with all the manly tools and machines makes a guy’s inner caveman proud.
Lastly the people are enthusiastic, fun, and hard-working. This perhaps (I make no apologies for the syrupy line here) is the best reason to volunteer.
So I guess the moral is that there are lots of reasons to volunteer for ReUse.
—Ian MacDonald
I was out in the yard, listening to Michael give me some directions, when I happened to look beyond his shoulder and saw a crowd of young people come from around the corner! I whispered, “Michael, look behind you” (as though saying this out loud would make the mirage disappear?)
But actually, I was very excited to see so many eager faces. They came up and introduced their group and then Michael explained the mission and the PLAN for the day–yard work, warehouse detail, painting team and 2 salvage crews! A full day of tasks and we were so lucky to have Daemen College helping us out!
We have extended an invitation for them to contributing their own reflections on the day, so I’ll just include those as they come in . . .
boy oh boy oh boy oh boy. a birdie with a serious case of 5 o’clock shadow told me we have about 40 houses we’re about to salvage. ouuuh. Think about that for a little while. How many tubs are in your house? How many toilets, sinks, and medicine cabinets? How many doors? How many windows? How many hammocks? (none? yeah they don’t seem to be as popular up here as they are down South) Now, multiply that by 40 and isn’t it a lot? Why am I the only one salivating? Aside from the quantities–think of the treasure–that’s right–treasure–and what does treasure rhyme with? (measure? no! well, yes, but no) Synonym of glee? of bliss? of that feeling which overcomes you when you see a $20 bill on the pavement?!! PLEASURE!
Okay, so maybe I’m way too excited over the prospect of finding super cool objects, retro fixtures, and other unique surprises, but I can’t help myself. I’m actually smoldering with jealousy that I can’t go this Saturday–but YOU CAN!! AND YOU SHOULD–because it’s great fun! (pssst, there’s even going to be a gang going out on Sunday too).
If you want to go salvaging with MG and gang–meet up with us at 298 Northampton SATURDAY. We’ll be there 10-4pm and a couple crews will go out at different times. Wear sturdy shoes and layers. If you have a power drill or toolkit, bring it, but we’ll have some for you to borrow too.
Permalink Comments :: Community, Deconstruction, Salvage, Store, Volunteers!
Although this post is not exactly a story, it’s a collection of things that happened this past weekend at the warehouse. You can join the fun anytime by volunteering to help on Saturdays from 10:00-4:00 at 298 Northampton St volunteer {at} buffaloreuse(.)org.
Organize doors by number of panels with Peter
Join in singing any song that comes out of Kevin’s iPod or Michael’s mouth including the following: Dreamweaver by Gary Wright, One Week by The Barenaked Ladies, Have a Heart by Bonnie Raitt, Rubberband Man by TI or make up your own song, and words – high school cheerleader style. 
Try to figure out what was happening in this manly photo on the right…
Imitate The Count: “One. ONE Door processed, ah ah ahhh. Two. TWO doors processed….”
Hear Kevin’s rules to working in the warehouse: 1. Sweep any chance you get 2. To be continued
Eat homemade vegetarian chili and cornbread muffins for lunch
Scare Dan by sneaking up from behind the pallet racks
Get safety demonstrations when you’re cutting something wrong
Learn the proper screwing techniques: Go slow and use lots of pressure 
Realize the variety of fun to be had with this group because one day you can be shooting a video in a dress and heels, but another be sporting knee pads wielding power tools
Organize windows by type of glass with Suzanne
Spray gun some shelving with Ian
Learn how to use the nail gun to fix merchandise or denail some flooring with Amanda and Rod
Help label the merchandise with Brianna
Move four claw foot tubs, two counter sinks, a toilet, three pedestal sinks, and one large cabinet unit (among other items) – with Dan, Darren, Ian, Kevin, Michael, Suzanne, and the four wheeler
See Caesandra make art in a shirt she’s had since 11th grade
Purchase some trusses and studs
Swing dance with any of the guys who are brave enough to lift you in the air
We moved 2 truckloads of inventory last weekend; however, there’s still a lot more!
This weekend we are extending our sale & hours to Saturday from 10-4pm.
We will be open at both the 298 Northampton & 459 Ellicott locations SATURDAY ONLY! Then from 8-11am we’ll run the last early bird sale at Ellicott and beging moving the last of the inventory over to the new location.
This Saturday, Nov 10th, we’ll continue to prepare the 298 Northampton location for total occupation from 10-4pm.
We’ll be painting and arranging and loading heavy items like toilets, sinks, tubs, windows etc. onto some palette racks. We also have a few other types of shelving units to assemble, some sign boards to prime and paint arrows on, plus, some diseased trees to cut down–among other tasks.
It’s going to be a hectic weekend, but we look forward to seeing you!
| At The ReSOURCE |
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