LONG HILL In July, after a two-year pandemic hiatus, 24 teens and adult volunteers departed from St. Vincent de Paul Parish for a one-week service project in Appalachia. Their destination: Terra Alta, West Virginia. Their mission: to serve those in need.
Over the next week, this intrepid group replaced and repaired roofs, rebuilt stairs, power-washed and painted houses, built a portico, and brought joy to the families they assisted. It wasn’t all work. The group spent their downtime in rustic Camp Galilee, nestled among the West Virginia hills, enjoying the fields and lakefront, playing volleyball and cornhole, and getting to know each other through late-night water balloon fights. Accompanying the teens were adult volunteers — some first-time participants and others veterans of past trips — who ran their job sites, prepared meals, drove cars, led reflections, and provided guidance.
The group returned tired but happy and brimming over with stories of new friends, long car rides, and humming John Denver tunes about country roads. The trip marks the 20th year since St. Vincent de Paul Parish youth first ventured to West Virginia to participate in the Diocese of Preston County’s Summer Home Repair Program.
Paul Delaney said the opportunity to learn new skills in a fun environment makes the trip so special. Returning for his 10th year, Delaney is a New Jersey contractor who travels to West Virginia ahead of the trip to scout job sites that the teens will work on over their week-long trip. He looks for jobs that require the right mix of skill levels for the group, so the teens who do the work will learn something new while making a difference in the Appalachian community.
“Whether they’re repairing leaky roofs, building a wheelchair ramp, or even performing simple repairs for someone that can’t do it for themselves, it’s the teens that are doing the work,” explained Paul, “and the kids see what they’re capable of and always find a way to have fun.”
Marie Baeyens thinks the beauty of West Virginia makes the trip so special. Baeyens attended the trip for the first time this year, along with two of her children, but has heard stories about Terra Alta from her older children who participated in the trip before her. Baeyens recalls, “the beautiful rolling hills covered in morning mist added to the peaceful experience.”
Baeyens’ daughter, Emma Baeyens, who attends Rutgers University and made her second trip to Terra Alta, added, “We had the perfect balance between work day and downtime.” She added: “the main goal of the trip was to help better the lives of those who live in West Virginia by showing up and engaging with them while repairing their homes. But work was not the only thing we did, there was plenty of time for a variety of fun activities, including kayaking on the lake, playing cards, and other board games, going to a local amusement park, and, of course, having a water balloon fight. Old friendships were rekindled. New ones were made.”
Chris Fernandes, who attended past trips as both a teen and an adult leader, thinks the camaraderie makes the trip so memorable. “It’s hard to explain why someone would take a week’s vacation to fix a stranger’s roof in West Virginia,” observed Fernandes. “But it’s always fun to meet new people over long car rides while working together and unwinding at camp.” He said he looks forward to returning next year.
Father A. Richard Carton, the pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish, thinks it’s the opportunity to put into practice Jesus’s call to genuine service to the least of our brothers and sisters that makes the trip so special. “Our volunteers attend for many different personal reasons; the trip is open to all faith backgrounds,” explained Father Carton. “But the reason they get so much out of the trip is because Jesus’s words are true: when we give generously, God won’t be outdone in His generosity to us.”
After a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the annual mission trip had a successful return due to the participation of the teens and adult volunteers and the support of the whole community. “It truly is a community project, from those who use their vacation to attend to those who donate their time, talents, and treasure,” added Father Carton. “We are truly grateful to all those who made this year’s trip possible.”
Plans are already underway for next year’s trip, which is scheduled for July 30 to August 5, 2023. All those interested may contact St. Vincent de Paul Parish for more information.