What a great thing these kids are doing for our Homeless here in Nashville! This story came out of Pensacola's newspaper - did anyone locally write or cover this story???
Camp explores homeless' plight
Group helps build Habitat homes
Angel McCurdy
amccurdy@pnj.com
Four days of working hard in the sun, sleeping on the floor, no change of clothes and not bathing once.
Sound good?
It does to nearly 60 youths from Texas, Tennessee and Pensacola who have gathered at Gateway Church of Christ on Brent Lane to participate in the Homeless Work Camp.
The effort allows students to do community service work with Habitat for Humanity while helping them understand what homeless men and women experience. The students sleep at the church campus, eat minimal meals and go without daily showers during the weeklong exercise.
"We want the kids to gain a better understanding of how blessed they are," said Eric Petty, youth minister at Gateway and director of the camp. "This is about helping those who can't help themselves."
Petty and Matt Atnip, a youth minister at Bammel Church of Christ in Houston, decided to make the program an annual camp. This is the project's first year locally, and organizers say it will alternate among partner churches in Nashville, Houston and Pensacola.
By week's end, the group will have built two homes and will come away from the experience more grateful for everything, big or small.
"When we showed up it was a slab. Now look at it, it's a home," said Cherie Jones, 17, a senior at Pensacola High School. "I do smell gross, but you get used to it and it's worth it."
The students have worked on Habitat houses on North Sixth Street and East Mallory Street.
Some are finding positives in doing without conveniences they have grown accustomed to.
"My favorite part is not showering," said Taylor Flowers, 14, of Houston. "It feels good to get dirty and not worry about your appearance."
What a great thing these kids are doing for our Homeless here in Nashville! This story came out of Pensacola's newspaper - did anyone locally write or cover this story???
Camp explores homeless' plight
Group helps build Habitat homes
Angel McCurdy
amccurdy@pnj.com
Four days of working hard in the sun, sleeping on the floor, no change of clothes and not bathing once.
Sound good?
It does to nearly 60 youths from Texas, Tennessee and Pensacola who have gathered at Gateway Church of Christ on Brent Lane to participate in the Homeless Work Camp.
The effort allows students to do community service work with Habitat for Humanity while helping them understand what homeless men and women experience. The students sleep at the church campus, eat minimal meals and go without daily showers during the weeklong exercise.
"We want the kids to gain a better understanding of how blessed they are," said Eric Petty, youth minister at Gateway and director of the camp. "This is about helping those who can't help themselves."
Petty and Matt Atnip, a youth minister at Bammel Church of Christ in Houston, decided to make the program an annual camp. This is the project's first year locally, and organizers say it will alternate among partner churches in Nashville, Houston and Pensacola.
By week's end, the group will have built two homes and will come away from the experience more grateful for everything, big or small.
"When we showed up it was a slab. Now look at it, it's a home," said Cherie Jones, 17, a senior at Pensacola High School. "I do smell gross, but you get used to it and it's worth it."
The students have worked on Habitat houses on North Sixth Street and East Mallory Street.
Some are finding positives in doing without conveniences they have grown accustomed to.
"My favorite part is not showering," said Taylor Flowers, 14, of Houston. "It feels good to get dirty and not worry about your appearance."
