The teens from our church participated in a project to help
out folks do home repairs... part of a Group Work Camps
Foundation team They did work in Lapwai, ID, where our
senior pastor's dad started a church some 50 years ago.
While there, they were in the local news...
Lapwai
News Story from KLEWtv
(mpg, ~17mb)
Here's the news story from KLEWtv's
Website:
Original Article: http://www.klewtv.com/news/8585867.html
LAPWAI - It's Extreme Home Makeover: Lapwai Edition. A
group of good Samaritans is traveling the United States,
cleaning up towns in need.
Their most recent stop is Lapwai, where about 200 teens from
all over the U.S. are spending a week significantly changing
23 homes.
"We're painting houses, which is a big deal,” said Jeff
Thompson, work camp director. “We're also building porches
and wheelchair ramps for folks, so they can have access to
their homes."
The organization behind the effort is the Group Work Camps
Foundation, based out of Loveland, Colorado. They take in
motivated Christian teenagers and put them to work.
"They pay a fee to come and serve, and that covers all the
food and lodging and all the materials and supplies that are
purchased for the sites,” said Thompson.
The Work Camp has a partnership with the Lapwai Tribal
Housing Office. The Tribe found homes to fix up for the
elderly, disabled or people with low income.
"The housing came to us, and asked if we would like our
house painted,” said Oliver G. Mason, a Lapwai resident. “I
said, 'Well, yeah, that would be awesome.'"
Mason said it's the first time his home has been touched up
since he bought it brand new 28 years ago. He said that's
not even the most impressive part of their work.
"They've brought this back form being a dingy gray, they've
lightened it up,” said Mason. “They've lightened up our
neighborhood. It's like I said with their names, I don't
remember the name of their group, I can't remember, but it
should be 'Painted Smiles'. They are just beautiful kids.
It's been a long time since I've seen kids with that
attitude."
"The number one purpose of why we do this is to help
teenagers grow in their relationship with God, and to have
them come and serve in the community and learn that service
is important,” said Thompson. “Hopefully, they'll take it
back with them to their community."
Thompson said, this week alone, they will log 6,800
volunteer hours of work and save residents more than $10,000
in renovation expenses.
