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Mending homes, hearts
By TIM JAMISON, Courier Staff Writer
WATERLOO --- A small army of teens filled James Smith's yard Friday morning armed with paint brushes, ladders and power tools.
Smith watched as the youth volunteers painted his fence bright white, stained his deck brown and replaced rotten siding on the back of his garage. More volunteers inside the house at Glenwood Street and Linden Avenue were painting walls in six rooms. All of them were quick with a greeting for "Mr. James" as they walked past.
"They're great kids," Smith said. "Easy to get along with."
After a 40-year career as an electrician with Iowa Public Service Co. ended with a broken back, Smith is no longer able to keep up such heavy maintenance on the place he's called home for the past five decades.
He was one of about 50 Waterloo property owners to have their homes repaired through the From the Heart: Waterloo Home Enhancement project. More than 350 teens and another 50 adult supervisors from across the country spent the past week volunteering their time and labor to the service program before departing Saturday.
Stephanie Starr, 17, of Valley City, N.D., was one of the volunteers organized through the nonprofit Group Workcamps Inc. of Loveland, Colo. The teens were part of church youth groups who paid their own way to participate in the mission work.
"This was the highlight of my summer," Starr said. "It's amazing to be here and share God's word and help people who can't do the work themselves."
Starr said the event also allows her to meet people from other parts of the country and form bonds with the residents she helps.
Thirteen-year-old Andrew Stratton, of DeKalb, Ill., was participating in his second Group Workcamps trip.
"This is what I look forward to every year," Stratton said. "The worship is great. It's been amazing. And we've had the best two residents ever."
Both Starr and Stratton had previously helped to repair Lucy Scullark's home.
"She made us her gumbo and that was so delicious," Starr said. "I've never had Iowa gumbo before."
Ward 4 City Councilman Quentin Hart said it's great to see the connections between the older residents and the young volunteers.
"The kids form an incredible relationship with the residents in such a short time," Hart said. "It's repairing homes and repairing hearts."
Hart first organized the From the Heart program last summer and got help from local volunteers and foundations to keep it going this year.
"I think we'll end up doing 50 residences this year, which is almost double from last year," Hart said. "It's been an all-around great week for the Cedar Valley."
Noting the needs in the community are greater than can be accomplished with the volunteer program alone, Hart said he's already planning to hold another Group Workcamps event next year. Applications for that event will probably be taken in early 2009, and the camp will include more skilled labor to tackle more complex home repairs.
Materials for this year's event were provided, in part, with grants from the Community Foundation of Waterloo-Cedar Falls, the Guernsey Foundation and the Black Hawk County Gaming Association. No city funds were involved, although the city has provided some technical support along the way.
Waterloo Community Schools allowed the visitors to sleep at Central Intermediate School and area churches provided treats at work sites.
Mike Appel, of Livonia, Mich., was part of a crew working to paint a large home at 355 Almond St. Friday. The volunteers were sporting white T-shirts proclaiming the event's theme: Love Out Loud.
"I like helping the residents and seeing the looks on their faces," said Appel, 17, who was participating in his fifth Group Workcamps event.
"Sometimes you don't even have to finish the repairs," Appel said. "The residents are just so happy to have someone to talk to."
Contact Tim Jamison at (319) 291-1577 or tim.jamison@wcfcourier.com.
Smith watched as the youth volunteers painted his fence bright white, stained his deck brown and replaced rotten siding on the back of his garage. More volunteers inside the house at Glenwood Street and Linden Avenue were painting walls in six rooms. All of them were quick with a greeting for "Mr. James" as they walked past.
"They're great kids," Smith said. "Easy to get along with."
After a 40-year career as an electrician with Iowa Public Service Co. ended with a broken back, Smith is no longer able to keep up such heavy maintenance on the place he's called home for the past five decades.
He was one of about 50 Waterloo property owners to have their homes repaired through the From the Heart: Waterloo Home Enhancement project. More than 350 teens and another 50 adult supervisors from across the country spent the past week volunteering their time and labor to the service program before departing Saturday.
Stephanie Starr, 17, of Valley City, N.D., was one of the volunteers organized through the nonprofit Group Workcamps Inc. of Loveland, Colo. The teens were part of church youth groups who paid their own way to participate in the mission work.
"This was the highlight of my summer," Starr said. "It's amazing to be here and share God's word and help people who can't do the work themselves."
Starr said the event also allows her to meet people from other parts of the country and form bonds with the residents she helps.
Thirteen-year-old Andrew Stratton, of DeKalb, Ill., was participating in his second Group Workcamps trip.
"This is what I look forward to every year," Stratton said. "The worship is great. It's been amazing. And we've had the best two residents ever."
Both Starr and Stratton had previously helped to repair Lucy Scullark's home.
"She made us her gumbo and that was so delicious," Starr said. "I've never had Iowa gumbo before."
Ward 4 City Councilman Quentin Hart said it's great to see the connections between the older residents and the young volunteers.
"The kids form an incredible relationship with the residents in such a short time," Hart said. "It's repairing homes and repairing hearts."
Hart first organized the From the Heart program last summer and got help from local volunteers and foundations to keep it going this year.
"I think we'll end up doing 50 residences this year, which is almost double from last year," Hart said. "It's been an all-around great week for the Cedar Valley."
Noting the needs in the community are greater than can be accomplished with the volunteer program alone, Hart said he's already planning to hold another Group Workcamps event next year. Applications for that event will probably be taken in early 2009, and the camp will include more skilled labor to tackle more complex home repairs.
Materials for this year's event were provided, in part, with grants from the Community Foundation of Waterloo-Cedar Falls, the Guernsey Foundation and the Black Hawk County Gaming Association. No city funds were involved, although the city has provided some technical support along the way.
Waterloo Community Schools allowed the visitors to sleep at Central Intermediate School and area churches provided treats at work sites.
Mike Appel, of Livonia, Mich., was part of a crew working to paint a large home at 355 Almond St. Friday. The volunteers were sporting white T-shirts proclaiming the event's theme: Love Out Loud.
"I like helping the residents and seeing the looks on their faces," said Appel, 17, who was participating in his fifth Group Workcamps event.
"Sometimes you don't even have to finish the repairs," Appel said. "The residents are just so happy to have someone to talk to."
Contact Tim Jamison at (319) 291-1577 or tim.jamison@wcfcourier.com.
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Brian B wrote on Jul 27, 2008 6:43 PM: