ANDERSON — Catholic teens gathered from around the country in Anderson to help do charity work this week.
The youths, ranging from ages 15 to 20, worked in teams to help residents, especially the elderly, fix up their homes.
Catholic HEART work camp, the organization that organizes the event, has paired with St. Mary’s Catholic Church here in Anderson to bring the charitable teens to the city.
“They are here to spend one week learning to serve others while expecting nothing in return,” said Laura Soverns, manager of the HEART work camp in Anderson. “They go mostly to the homes of the elderly who are unable to do the work themselves.”
The volunteers do work like painting, yard work and simple repairs. They are even building a wheel chair ramp at one home.
“We’re trying to make this place beautiful,” said Joe Buchanan, a youth volunteer from Central Illinois. “We’ve planted trees, put stones along the edges, planted flowers, and spread mulch.”
Buchanan and several other teens have been working at the Christian Center Rescue Mission on the corner of Seventh and Main streets. The group started work on Monday to renovate the courtyard located between the two buildings that make up the center.
“Just by the number of people who have stopped by to look at what we are doing, I think this is going to be a success,” Buchanan said.
The courtyard at the Center used to be a parking lot, but after renovations, the space is almost unrecognizable.
“The HEART work camp called us and asked if we needed any work done,” said Lindsey Marler, the volunteer coordinator for the Christian Center. “We asked for their help with the courtyard and they’ve done a great job. It’s going to be so much nicer than it was before.”
The work camp started in Anderson in 2005 after Soverns had taken her sons on several mission trips to other cities.
“Every place we went, we realized that there were places just like that in Anderson that could use help, so we decided to bring the charity home to Anderson,” Soverns said. “Charity really begins at home.”
The HEART program, which stands for Helping Everyone Attain Repairs Today, has students from all over the country participate. Volunteers sign up through their local parishes, and the program places them at a nearby city.
“All of my friends from my youth group are here, and it was a good thing to do,” said Molly Zimmer, a volunteer from Pittsburgh, Pa. “I definitely feel like the work we are doing is positive, and it’s benefiting the community.”
Since the program has come to Anderson, they have completed 283 projects in the city, and helped even more residents.
“It’s very encouraging to see these young people volunteering,” Soverns said. “They will be amazing, inspiring adults someday and hopefully they will pass that on.”
Contact Garrett Stack: 640-4878, garrett.stack@heraldbulletin.com
Catholic HEART work camp by the numbers:
Number of campers this year - 203
Number of churches represented by the campers this year - 10
Number of projects completed this year - 44
Number of teams doing work - 30
Projects completed so far since 2005 - 283
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Catholic youths help fix up Anderson
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