By Sherry Mohan

Associate Editor, PJ News

PORT JERVIS – They arrived June 28 at Port Jervis High School in cars and vans decorated with “Honk if you love Jesus” and “Port Jervis or Bust!” painted colorfully on their vehicles. License plates showed that the groups had traveled from such locations as Dubuque, Iowa; Sheboygan, Wisconsin and Newtown, Connecticut, among many others. The youth totaled over 300 from ages 14-18 from both Catholic and Protestant churches of  many denominations, and all of them had a single purpose: to put their faith into action be helping people less fortunate than themselves. To spend a week working alongside teens they’d never met, at the homes of virtual strangers, doing jobs most of us would hardly expect our own teenagers to volunteer to do. And to cap it all, these teens had to pony up $409 each for the privilege. This unlikely scenario is what happens when Group Workcamps comes to town.

Group Workcamps is a Colorado-based organization (www.groupworkcamps.com) founded in 1977 that organizes hundreds of short-term mission trips in the United States and abroad focused on home repair and community service. Under the leadership of First Presbyterian Church of Port Jervis Pastor Steve Houston and Port Jervis Community Development Agency Director Kathleen Hendrickson, the organization first came to Port Jervis in 2007. The program, which received generous funding from the PJCDA, was a resounding success and plans were quickly set in motion to organize another visit in 2009.

This year, the 300 youth and 100 adult leaders and crew chiefs made up approximately 50 work crews that were housed at Port Jervis High School during the week of June 28-July 4. Dozens of city homes and churches were approved for repair, painting, weatherization and the construction of porches, railings and wheelchair ramps.

Every morning the work crews arrived at their assigned houses, got busy and put in hours of hard work, breaking at noontime for lunch and a time of devotions that typically included their residents, if they were at home. This year’s theme was “Reveal” and the teens’ daily prayers included these words: “Lord, reveal yourself through me.”

“God-Sightings”

Each evening after showers and supper, the teens gathered at the high school for activities and sharing of their day’s events. One particular focus was on “God-Sightings” – instances throughout the day where the teens felt the presence of God especially strongly.

In 2007, a crew of teens visited this writer’s home to help with much-needed porch repairs. My husband was terminally ill at the time and has since passed away. I’ve never forgotten those wonderful kids. They left me with a 12” stone dug from my yard that they’d cleaned and then all signed with a felt-tip pen. It still sits in my garden to remind me of their loving kindness.

While I was photographing this year’s Friday night closing rally in the PJHS gym, I climbed to the top of the bleachers to get a good shot, and sat down next to some kids when I was done. “Mrs. Mohan? Is that you!?” I turned and in an instant was hugging Vanessa, one of the kids from our 2007 group. Now, at age 18, she had come back to Port Jervis to help another family. Out of 500 or more people, I’d randomly sat down next to the one teenager in that whole gymnasium who had helped us out two years before. That’s what I call a God-Sighting.

Preliminary applications available for 2011

Pastor Steve Houston has announced that preliminary applications are already being taken for the 2011 Group Workcamps program, entitled “Tri-States Camp.” Application forms and more information are available at the PJCDA office, 17-19 Sussex St., Port Jervis, or by calling Director Kathy Hendrickson at 856-4024.

Youth line up at the registration table outside Port Jervis High School.

A young volunteer.

Port Jervis resident Nancy Brewster is shown here with her crew who spent the week painting her house.

Frank Salvati, upper left, with his double crew in the kitchen of his 1896 house on Sullivan Avenue. Frank relate how he’d observed the Workcamp crews in his neighborhood two years ago and, having come upon a financial wall that would prevent him from painting his house anytime soon, decided to apply this year. “I didn’t even think I’d qualify, until I got the news,” he said. “I couldn’t believe it – I’ve never won anything in my life!”

Anna Siegel, shown seated on her front porch, had two energetic crews of Group Workcamp youth hard at work inside and outside her house. Here, crew members are shown enjoying the view of East Main Street from the porch roof.

Anna Siegel, at left, and her Group Workcamp volunteers took a few minutes for a group photo. Often, the youth give a small gift of remembrance to their resident. This group decided that a framed photo of them all together would be best, relating that Siegel especially enjoyed family photos on her walls.

Mac, 15, from Trinity Church in Newtown, Conn., painted the eaves of the Grace Episcopal Church parsonage. This was his second summer with Group Workcamps.

The Perrucci house in West End got a new back deck. “We had to cut the old lumber into three-foot pieces. It was the only way the town would take them away,” said David Holmes of East Congregational Church of East Hartford, Conn. (David is in the gray t-shirt and khaki shorts at right in this photo).

Colorfully decorated van in the Port Jervis High School parking lot.

The Gessner family and their crew just prior to the start of the Friday night rally.

At the Friday night closing rally, each crew invited their residents to join them in celebration of their week together.

The visiting teens also collected and brought along over 1,800 cans of food to help feed the hungry. It was all donated to, and gratefully received by, the Helping Hands Food Pantry at Drew United Methodist Church.

Music and spirited singing was a part of each evening’s activities at the high school.

A big smile from Vanessa Pini, 18, who worked in Port Jervis during both the 2007 and 2009 workcamps.

Councilman-at-large Dick Roberts, at microphone, spoke during the Friday rally. Also speaking were Pastor Steve Houston, Mayor Gary Lopriore and PJCDA Director Kathleen Hendrickson.

Some of the scores of residents who attended the rally with their crews.

Youth joined together to sing at the closing rally.

Residents had a time of sharing with their crews at rally’s end. Here, Nancy Brewster spends time with her crew reflecting on their week together.