Tammi Coyle used a pair of scissors to mark Block by Block's first completed block. Flood water damaged her home in the 1300 block of 8th Street NW -- but didn't destroy it.

"I spent 5 months, day and night, getting it back to live in," said Coyle.

As leaders of the organization Block by Block got together to mark the completion Tuesday morning, one could still hear sounds of power saws and hammers coming from all directions. Today's event brought out plenty of smiles -- but strong and desperate emotions from last year led to this moment as well.

"There was frustration," said Courtney Ball with the group Matthew 25, which has worked extensively with Block by Block. "Even anger. There was still a lot of hesitation for this group. Would it be another group that has to get told 'no' ten different ways?"

People picked up their lives - along with their tools. Along the way, a true partnership forged ahead, marking daily and weekly progress for this block. That partnership extends to the sidewalks as a welcome bi-product of all this struggle.

"It's an age old question for those of us in the faith community. Who is my neighbor?" Bishop Julius C. Trimble of United Methodist Church said after the ceremony.

"I talked to my neighbor more in the first 2 weeks after the flood than the 2 years before it," said Ball, who lives just a couple of blocks away.

"That is one of the benefits of Block by Block is, when I'm walking my dog, I get to see everyone working hard," said Coyle. "It makes me feel safe."

Block By Block organizers said initial project funding came from a $1 million gift from John and Dyan Smith, a $700,000 grant from the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation and $200,000 from the United Methodist Church along with skilled volunteer labor.