VALDOSTA —
Monday marked the first day of the Southern Hospitality Group Workcamp, which means a number of disabled or elderly Valdosta residents will receive much-needed repairs to their homes.
The impending arrival of Tropical Storm Debby made work conditions a bit wet, but were no match for the abundance of ponchos and can-do attitudes.
Sunday afternoon, 155 young adults from all corners of the country ended up at the Valdosta Middle School gymnasium to start their mission.
Riley Allison is 16 and this is her sixth year with the program.
“It’s one of the greatest feelings you’ll ever experience; the happiness is overwhelming,” she said. “You kind of break the mold of what the older people expect teenagers to be like these days.”
Allison was busy scraping paint on 83-year-old Odessa Jordan’s house, whose residence hasn’t had a touch-up since her husband passed away in 1985.
When Jordan received word from City of Valdosta Housing Rehabilitation Coordinator Richard Joyner,
she couldn’t believe it.
“I’ve worked for everything I’ve ever had,” she explained. “I don’t believe anything is free, but I think these young folks are just great to give up their summers. They’re all such nice, Christian young people.”
Those 14-18 year-old volunteers have already adopted Jordan as one of their own. It’s evident by the tie-dye handkerchief she’s attached to her walking crutch.
She’s promised them some South Georgia sweets tomorrow.
The Southern Hospitality Group Workcamp was started in 1976 in response to the Great Flood of Colorado. It’s made annual summer visits to Valdosta since 2005 and has helped keep 238 homes from becoming substandard.
Right down the road from Jordan’s residence, another gaggle of volunteers were helping make repairs to Barbara Moore’s home. There was plenty of work to finish, but Moore’s grandson and volunteer Nina Pfaff of Florida were monkeying around with water bottles.
“You wouldn’t know it by the play that’s going on, but we’ve made some really good progress,” said group leader Scott Hickok, from Minnesota.
It’s Hickok’s tenth year with the volunteer program and he loves witnessing the many changes throughout each week.
“It’s very enriching; you can’t beat the feeling of doing the work and helping people,” he said. “The volunteers have a real ownership and love the fact they helped people and were a part of the process. There’s a transformation in the kids and the houses; they’ll be anxious to know where they’re going next year.”
Many of the volunteers expressed how much they enjoyed meeting new people from across the country. They compared last names, accents and cultural differences, but built friendships over the week over paint-stained clothing and blistered fingers.
For Camp Director Leesa Rawles, it’s all about rejuvenating her relationship with God.
“Just seeing the goodness, giving and humbleness is something I like to be around,” she said. “Sometimes I like to just sit back and watch and see what they give and watch how their leadership skills are developing.”
Rawles is from Myrtle Beach, S.C., and she said there’s plenty of need for this program in her hometown. She said the City of Valdosta has been “unbelievable,” and totally involved in the process.
Volunteers will continue the work on 17 homes in the City of Valdosta throughout the rest of the week. On Friday, June 29 at 7:30 p.m., they will be sent off with a celebration at the Valdosta Middle School. The public is invited to attend.
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