A long-standing organization on Whidbey Island that truly revolves around helping our community: Hearts & Hammers is a respected Island organization. Since 1994, they have been putting in the work: physically, emotionally, and mentally. Hearts & Hammers is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping folks stay in their homes when they are not able to make necessary repairs themselves. The annual all-volunteer Work Day is the first Saturday of May when about 350 volunteers will help rehab approximately 30 homes on South Whidbey Island.

I attended their annual spaghetti dinner fundraiser prior to seeing a show at WICA and signed up for the work day event along with my hubby. As a youth I’ve watched some of my peers and families partake in the epic work day but I have never inquired about volunteering. So as a newly transplanted islander, I thought what better way to do another first: volunteer for Workday 2025!

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Saturday May 3^rd, 7:45AM: the morning of work day…

A crowd of approximately 300 volunteers congregated at the South Whidbey High School commons, my old cafeteria, for some breakfast bites and coffee while we prepared for our laborious day. After the necessary housekeeping and safety precautions, work teams split off to their destinations at various Island residencies.

Our task involved tackling a multi-acre property that needed yard maintenance and structural upkeep of the house. No project is one and the same: Hearts & Hammers tackles a range of properties. You can apply to have your home a part of work day anytime by applying here. If there is a more pressing matter regarding your home you can also apply for the Home Emergency Action Repair Team (HEART) to assist you alternatively.

As I walked up to the job site I could hear the sound power tools, hammers, and even a tractor – sounds of volunteered supplies and equipment, mind you. I loved the chatter of our team mixed in with the sounds of all this machinery in motion. We had quite a large project. There were tons of blackberry bushes to tame, foundation touch-ups, roof repairs, weeding, and tree trimming. Richard Epstein, a seasoned Board Member and my team captain said this was one of the largest projects he’s worked on throughout his tenure.

This year is a special one for me. I’ve had a lot of firsts with the island community, but working with Hearts & Hammers was especially a treat. I worked alongside my best friend since preschool, who is a seasoned volunteer and a savvy handy-woman, as well as my hubby who has versatile DIY skills. The rest of the team I was surrounded with come from all walks of life. We were especially were lucky to have someone experienced in concrete mixing since we had to reinforce some crucial pieces of the house.

We wrapped up the day in the afternoon around 3pm, sweaty, and hungry… ready for our post-work day feeding.

For years, kitchen volunteers have taken the task to feeding 300 people after Workday. This year the SWHS cooks were given the opportunity to curate a menu of delicious Mediterranean style dishes. Alongside a staff of kitchen volunteers, the chefs fed 300+ volunteers that evening in a buffet style lineup. For dessert, local bakeries including Jupiter Coffee, Coffee at Dawn, and Flower House Café donated boxes of cookies!

Many of the Board Members rose to express their gratitude and experience with the non-profit over the years. Offering support through physical effort, emotional care, and mental dedication is truly what this organization is all about. This year, it’s with a heavy heart to say that Hearts & Hammers and the greater South Whidbey Island community lost a notable individual. Jim Scullin, Board Member, volunteer, and WICA theater star passed away on April 24. The group dining together all shared a moment of silence for Scullin followed by a song led by the Langley United Methodist Church Choir.

As I reflect on my first Hearts & Hammers Workday, I am filled with a deep sense of gratitude and admiration for this incredible organization. I’m already looking forward to next year’s work day and finessing my modest construction skills.