HIS CALLING John Lem
Volunteer’s lifelong carpentry skills help Clear Lake area rebuild
John Lem was on vacation in Colorado when Harvey struck. He and his wife, Sandra, decided to wait out the storm. Their house in Clear Lake did not flood, but Lem knew that the greater Houston area was in deep water. Experience with past floods in the city gave him an idea of what to expect.
As soon as they got back to Houston, he went to work, helping people repair their homes.
“Until you see it firsthand, it’s difficult to understand the magnitude,” he said. “I just had a calling. I had to do something.”
Ever since his return, he’s been spending about four days a week helping others rebuild. His main focus has been sheetrock — tearing it out and then putting up a fresh layer.
Lem works side-by-side with other members of Clear Lake United Methodist, including his main crew of Mike Crane, Joe Clem, David Clark, Bill Cooke, Art Stevenson, Charles Phillips and John Norris.
Construction is in the 78-yearold volunteer’s blood. He grew up around the business.
“My father was a carpenter, and his father was a carpenter,” Lem said. “My father had eight brothers, and they were carpenters.”
Once he retired from his career as an engineer at NASA in 2001, he jumped into his family’s profession of construction.
“That’s what I’ve been doing ever since,” he said.
Lem has used his skills for other worthy causes, working with Habitat for Humanity as a volunteer for more than 20 years.
He also volunteers with his church. With other members, he helped build temporary showers in New Orleans after Katrina; he did the same in Houston after Ike.
Most of the houses Lem is currently repairing were sent his way from Clear Lake United Methodist, which has played a big role in area relief efforts.
Jordie Chalupnik, a congregant for about 27 years, is another longtime volunteer. After Harvey, she became a relief dispatcher, taking calls from those in need or checking the church website for contsruction requests and offers to help.
About 250 people signed up to volunteer, Chalupnik said. Since Harvey, they have repaired more than 150 homes.
“It’s just a matter of helping your neighbor,” she said. “If we don’t give back in this world, what good have we done? I’m just fortunate to be able to do it.”
Lem also believes he is simply doing his duty, using his knowhow to make a dent in the work needed to be done post-Harvey. “I’m a worker bee,” he said. Even 10 months out, much work still needs to be done, Lem said.
“The trash is not piled up like it was outside, but it’s still awful,” he said. “We’re still doing sheetrock.
“It can be miserable work, but they need our help more than I need my free time.”