Complete strangers can do the nicest things for people they've never met.

"I've never met any of the people who are here and working out there," Barbara Gilbert, an 80-year-old Lakewood resident and wife of a deceased Air Force veteran, said.

"It's absolutely wonderful what they are doing in order to help me, a complete stranger to them."

Last Saturday, Rebuilding Together South Sound (RTSS) partnered with local businesses and hundreds of volunteers to provide free home repairs for 24 homeowners - many of them veterans - throughout the South Sound.

Its mission is to bring volunteers and communities together to improve the homes and lives of low-income homeowners.

Begun in 2001, RTSS's efforts revolve around two initiatives.

A volunteer agency, its focus is on Rebuilding Day, which takes place on the last weekend in April. 

The second is the Year Round program. It centers on home modification and emergency repairs.

"Through donated labor and materials, RTSS is able to expand every dollar raised into at least $4 worth of home repairs," Jim Newman of Rushforth Construction said.

"That's impressive."

In 2012, RTSS volunteers worked on 80 homes where they built or rebuilt 11 handicap access ramps, installed 15 grab bars in showers, repaired flooring in four homes, installed or repaired 15 roofs, completed electrical repairs in 10 homes and conducted heating and plumbing repairs in 27 homes.

In Gilbert's case, 11 volunteers from Columbia Bank showed up early Saturday morning to repair and paint a porch, install a new stove hood, patch the roof, and plant flowers.

"This is the most important day of the year for us," commented Denise Powell, a Columbia Bank employee.

"A healthy community is better for all of us."

On the other side of Lakewood, Ashley Rossman of the Boeing Employees Credit Union led a small army of volunteers in repairing the home of Don and Marlynn Nickle.

"We are very grateful for the work being done today," Nickle, a disabled Air Force veteran, said.

"And the work they do is great," he added.

Outside in the front yard, volunteers planted pyramidalis bushes to form a privacy barrier to the outside deck other volunteers were repairing.

Along with the landscaping, Rossman's crew had replaced the roof and fixed the furnace.

"There is a strong community component to what we do at BECU," commented Amy Ridley as she raked up grass clippings.

"You don't understand the difference you make until you give freely.  You get a good feeling, and I know I've made a difference in someone's life."

For information about volunteering time or materials, email info@rebuildingtogetherss.org or call (253) 238-0977.