When Vietnam War veteran John Popelka learned that his studio apartment would be remodeled, he couldn’t help becoming overwhelmed with joy.
Popelka lives at Share Village Las Vegas, a crisis intervention center for homeless residents, many of whom are veterans. His deteriorated cabinets and sink were being replaced Saturday through a volunteer project by Carpenters Local 1977.
“It was a long time coming. It makes it a little more liveable,” he said.
Popelka’s apartment was one of 10 units updated by Carpenters Local 1977, a branch of the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters. The group has done free upgrades at Share Village, formerly known as Veterans Village, on at least four previous occasions.
Share Village has a small maintenance crew, but mainly relies on labor from volunteer groups. The building was constructed in 1979 and in constant need of repairs, said Arnold Stalk, the village’s founder.
“If it weren’t for the carpenters union, we couldn’t keep our units refreshed and usable,” Stalk said.
About 35 carpenters worked for four hours using materials bought on discount or donated by Home Depot, Lowe’s and True Value.
“You’ll see a 65-75 year old in a wheelchair with one leg and he tears up, because now, he’s got a nice new medicine cabinet or vanity, a new kitchen sink that’s not leaking, things that maybe you and I take for granted every day,” said Tim Carlton, a representative for the union.
For Carlton, helping veterans is personal — he served in the 1980s. Carlton also runs the union’s apprentice program for veterans, where they recruit former service members for a career in carpentry.
Popelka, 65, is disabled and unable to work. He arrived in Las Vegas a few years ago from Oregon with no money.
“When I got off the bus, all I had was a duffel bag. I wasn’t sure if I was going to live on the street or not,” he said.
An old kitchen sink is shown next to a new kitchen countertop at the SHARE Village Las Vegas 2, an affordable housing complex for veterans, families and those with special needs, near downtown Las Vegas Saturday, March 27, 2021. Thirty-five carpenters from Carpenters Union Local 1977 rehabbed kitchens and bathrooms in 10 units as part of their annual volunteer work at the complex.
He uses a small Social Security check to pay $650 monthly to live at the village, which covers his unit, utilities, meals and other services. But when something isn’t working in his unit, he’s left waiting for assistance of volunteers.
It’s the same narrative for the village’s other residents. About 300 people live at the complex, including roughly 180 veterans.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Lynda Wells, a 71-year-old tenant repeated to a construction worker fixing a gap in her door frame that had been there for two years.