Men on a Mission

For the past two years, I have been volunteering with a group of guys that describe themselves as “Men on a Mission”. This is a ragtag group of men who have headed to Boston, MA, and other locations annually for the past dozen or so years to work on buildings owned or managed by non-profits that work with veterans, the homeless, and grief counseling for families of lost ones. And by work, I mean WORK. In many cases from demolition to completed projects in a single weekend.

This year we were tasked with three projects:

1.????? Tear down a decrepit wooden deck at a shelter and build a new one.

2.????? Install additional ceiling lighting and outdoor lighting at a thrift shoppe that donates 100% of all proceeds to veteran shelters.

3.????? Paint the interior of the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute which is used to provide grief counseling for families impacted by homicide, overdose, and suicide.

It was anticipated that these projects would take up most, if not all, of the weekend. But hard work and teamwork prevailed, and we completed all three projects in a single day. Rarely have I seen a group of people from different backgrounds, many of whom have never met before, gel as if they have been working together for years. Egos were all put aside and if mistakes were made, they were fixed, and the project moved on. Zero attitudes were ever displayed, just some good male bonding and maybe a little bit of light hazing, but like I said, male bonding.

The projects change from year to year. For instance, last year we spent an afternoon in Boston Commons handing out socks, shirts, jackets, and other clothing to the homeless in the area. Many donations of clothing were received from all over. One thing that doesn't change is the benefit concert featuring Dan's Garage Band and other local talent which is always a good time!?

If you would like more information about “Men on a Mission” or would like to donate to their future projects, you can contact Dan McKee through his Facebook Page, Mission Mafia (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083499700360).