Who’s that girl? & Who’s that guy?
The first person to email ssc@uucharlottesville.org
with the correct answer wins a free ice cream sundae!
What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make. ~ Jane Goodall
About nine years ago, the youth of our church were asked, “How would you like to spend a week in Appalachia to do carpentry work helping to repair the homes of strangers? You will pay your own way. You will work long hours, in hot humid weather, you will sleep on floors, share bathrooms, and eat cafeteria-type food.”
Fortunately, for our youth, our congregation, and many Appalachian families, those youth answered, “yes!” And, a tradition was born. Over the years, participating UUCville youth have learned how to properly use power tools, pound nails, measure twice and cut once when working with lumber. They have learned how to paint, cut in edges, use rollers, clean brushes. And that paint on clothing is permanent. For nine trips, they have made homes warmer, safer, and drier. They learned that living together in close rustic quarters increases patience, expands tolerance, builds community, and creates memories. This year nineteen young people and ten adult advisors experienced this life-changing service project trip.
Along with the commitment of time and living with purpose, there is also a financial commitment for the participants. The registration for each individual is $350, a cost mainly borne by the families of participants. The registration buys building supplies for the improvement project and supports housing and meals provided through the nonprofit Appalachia Service Project http://asphome.org. Additional fundraising activities like selling coupon books and lunches (who can forget those yummy tacos!) supports registration for families with stretched budgets, extra food, snacks, gas, and the all-important ice cream. Thanks to all who supported this year’s Appalachia Service Project Trip!
Pam McIntire, a past adult advisor says it best…. “We sleep on the floor in a school or community center, we eat cafeteria food (and not enough of it!), and work very hard in the heat of each day. And we love it! I used to wonder what could be so powerful that youth would be willing to do this once, let alone love it and want to go back again and again. This is the opportunity to do real and substantial good in the world. As the ASP saying goes to make someone’s home “warmer, safer, and drier.” But not only to help in a physical way but to build relationships with others that are based on loving-kindness and concrete caring. One of the mothers of a family we helped said, “I didn’t know anyone could care about us.”
“We put in a retaining wall to stop the mud from a mountain washing away a home, we have put in several floors so children do not fall through the holes or cut their feet on the splinters, put up insulation and siding to stop the winter wind blowing through, fixed plumbing leaks, and supported the foundation of a home to stop it leaking and falling over. It is horrifying to see the conditions people have been living in and so clear our work is important. But perhaps the most important thing we have done is care for others.”
Beth Jaeger-Landis shared the following regarding the 2023 trip “The youth have had an incredible week working together with ASP making homes warmer, safer, and drier in Southwest VA.”
We will be sharing more pictures and stories from the 2023 trip in the upcoming weeks.
For more information on the Appalachia Service Project contact Rev. Leia at Leia@uucharlottesville.org
Read other stories brought to you by the Stewardship Steering Committee