Volunteers from across America lend a hand in Hamilton County
By STU CLAMPITT
news@readthereporter.com
CrossRoads Church at Westfield brought nearly 200 high school students and adult leaders from around the country to Hamilton County last week, June 18 to 24, to provide free home repairs for those in need. The Reporter spoke to CrossRoads Pastor Eric Lohe, a couple of the people who received home repairs, and some of the volunteers from across the country who came to help.
Lohe told The Reporter volunteers built wheelchair ramps, constructed decks, replaced mobile home skirting, or painted the interior and exterior of homes for free to senior citizens, veterans, and families in need in the northern Hamilton County area. The participants were church students and their adult leaders who lived in a Westfield school building for a week and went out each day in groups of six to serve.
This program is offered in partnership with Group Mission Trips, a youth mission organization based in Ft. Collins, Colo.
Craig Ekstedt, for whom volunteers replaced the skirting, painted the exterior and repaired the roof on his mobile home in Sheridan, told The Reporter he found out about this program from a flier.
“We filled it out and next thing you know they’re here,” Ekstedt said. “They even coated my roof! The girl named Lizzie – she had to go to a soccer thing I guess this weekend, but she was up there all day. She was my hero that day.”
Terry Whitesell of Sheridan stands in front of her home with family and volunteers on the last day of repair work. Her home was light grey with pink trim only a week ago. (Reporter photo by Stu Clampitt)
The Reporter found Delani, a young lady from Nebraska, finishing a new deck on a home in northern Hamilton County.
“The churches around my area were really just interested in helping people out around the United States,” Delani said. “I thought it would be a great idea to join them. I really love God and my relationship with Him, and I felt like it would really grow if I did this and helped other people.”
While this is Delani’s first time volunteering for this program, she told The Reporter she believes she will continue to give her time and labor in years to come.
“I’ve learned a lot about how to use these tools, but also I’ve grown in my relationship with God,” Delani said. “I’ve learned that He works in crazy ways. This just feels like a really big important thing.”
Elizabeth from Chicago told The Reporter she heard about this program from her sister, who was involved last year.
“My church was promoting it and offering if anyone wanted to join,” Elizabeth said. “Since I really love volunteering and helping out others, I jumped at the opportunity.”
Maddie from Missouri, who was working on the same project as Delani and Elizabeth, said she got involved when her boyfriend invited her to sign up.
“He had been signed up for about six months,” Maddie said. “And a spot opened up on the trip and I found out I was going about two weeks ago.”
Maddie, who said she is still seeing the young man who asked her to sign up for a volunteer program so far from home, told The Reporter she has always had a heart for service.
“I love this,” Maddie said. “I’ve always loved helping others out. Just helping the resident and getting to know her has been probably one of my favorites.”
When asked what lessons she is going to take back home to Missouri from this experience, Maddie said it was, “Learning that you don’t have to travel to help out anywhere. You can do it from your own hometown. So just whenever you see someone in need, just help them.”
Go to ForOurNeighbor.Life for more information on all the CrossRoads Church’s “For Our Neighbor” community outreach programs that include free pet food, free Zumba, athletic shoes for elementary students, free comedy events, their Wild, Wild Westfield Fall Fest, and Celebrate Recovery for people dealing with needs and issues.
Reporter photo by Stu Clampitt