The junior high and senior high students worked as part of Group Mission Trips, a non-profit organization that coordinates nationwide mission trips. Participants came from all over the nation. The group arrived in Springfield on June 25 and worked on the projects through June 30.
Many homes had multiple projects. Work included painting 16 home exteriors; painting 24 interior rooms; repaired, washing and staining 11 decks; constructing three wheelchair ramps; and constructing or repairing seven porches.
They also removed wallpaper, tarred a mobile home roof, removed carpeting, washed windows and covered windows with plastic, and did major yard cleanup projects for multiple residents.
“This week with the kids and leaders has given me so much hope for my life going forward,” said resident Cynthia Harshaw. “As a senior citizen, seeing so much ugliness in the world, (this) lets me know we don’t have to worry so much about the next generation.”
Resident Misty Jones said she is thankful for the group and blessing her with a “new and sturdy ramp.” Her previous ramp was built from pallets, cement blocks, discarded deck portions and a disassembled bunk bed to get her dad home after his kidney transplant two years ago.
“I’ve always been told that anything is possible with God, a little bit of ‘junk,’ and a lot of determination” she said.
Fitzgerald said this mission was an “extraordinary community effort” that included individual donors, major sponsors, churches and friends helping neighbors complete applications, Habitat for Humanity, the Neighborhood Housing Partnership and United Senior Services to connect those in need with this mission, Springfield school and staff, and community members and businesses.
“The feedback from the campers, chaperones and staff was that Springfield was an excellent place to come and work,” she said.
Along with the home repairs, the teens brought in at least 16,000 donations for the Springfield Soup Kitchen, and also donated all unused building supplies to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, including 600 linear feet of various lumber sizes, over 50 gallons of paint, and many painting supplies and hardware.
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