GAZETTE-MAIL METRO PUTNAM
Aughust 12, 2009
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BY Shelby Young GAZETTE-MAIL METRO PUTNAM Aughust 12, 2009 |
Students from eight states gathered in Hurricane recently to work on houses that have roofing, carpentry, painting or flooring and drywall work projects for the teens to tackle during the two weeklong camps.
Reach Workcamps, out of Galeton, Colo., brought several hundred middle and high school students to work on lower-income homes.
The nonprofit Christian camp encourages serving those in need and building relationships with "neighbors" in communities around the country, according to Heather Moulton, Director of Participants for the Reach Camps.
The workcamp was a life-changing experience for teenagers, according to Bob Yocum from Lancaster, Pa., the adult leader from a youth group at St. John's Center UCC there. Reach requires each youth group to bring one adult leader for every five youths.
The teenagers in the program no longer look on the needy with a casual glance.
Reach students were organized into teams and departed their home away from home at Hurricane High School each morning to hammer, measure, paint, hang drywall, repair roofing and caulk windows.
Brandon Wissinger from Pennsylvania had his first experience with a manual post-hole digger.
Students from the same church group do not work together at the workcamp.
Samantha Piersol of Lancaster, Pa., got the chance to help build a porch and wheelchair ramp as part of a team of teens from several states.
Others had first-hand encounters with caulk guns and power tools.
But, more importantly, according to Yocum, the teenagers learn valuable relationship skills - meeting new people, giving and receiving encouragement, making lasting friendships.
"We have a lot of fun and have a chance to worship," said Reach camper Austin Crosbie.
The experience is popular with these teens, some who have attended the camps for several years.
Campers pay $399 to travel to West Virginia, which covered their accommodations and materials for their work site.
The City of Hurricane helped cover other supply costs. Local businesses and churches also contributed money or materials to the goal.
In addition, the youth group from Forrest Burdette United Methodist Church also signed up for the first week of camp to work in their hometown.
They have participated in other Reach workcamps in various states over the years.
There's another connection between Forrest Burdette and Reach. Former Reach Director of Workcamps Craig Burden served as youth minister at Forrest Burdette before joining the program.
All worksites needed to be occupied residential homes.
Work sites were chosen from specific criteria, including:
- Either the home was in obvious need of repairs or the resident physically could not complete needed repairs
- Structural conditions and environmental conditions had to be safe for the workcampers
- Worksites were within 30 minutes driving distance from the host school.
- Religion and/or faith were not requirements for worksite selection.
"It's a life-changing experience," said one Reach veteran, adding that as campers participate in activities that build community and self-esteem, it encourages their own spiritual growth and helps them to understand their own role in combating poverty.