Frederick County Middle School in Winchester has become a small city with 670 high school students and more than 1,200 volunteers coming together for WorkCamp 2024.
“I rate it 10 out of 10,” said Stephanie Allen of St. John Neumann Church in Reston, who was one of many attending for the first time. “It’s certainly better than I thought because going out and physically doing work and helping people makes me think I actually can do something to help, and maybe I can help in bringing people closer to God.”
Students start the day with Mass at 7 a.m., then grab a quick breakfast before heading out to 120 different worksites, helping to repair and build decks, roofs, wheelchair ramps and other needed work throughout greater Winchester.
“This is my fourth year,” said Izzie Rogstad of Corpus Christi Church in South Riding. “I just love the idea of doing God’s will by serving and making other people happy.”
The communal and prayer life of WorkCamp is based on Acts 2:42: “They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers.”
Students give up their phones the entire week, and this year, evening prayers were added as an official part of the program. “I’ve learned a lot about my faith,” said Anthony Callabresi of St. Luke Church in McLean. “I really enjoyed adoration; it’s a great thing. And to make new friends is just amazing. We have the greatest homeowner. She’s so happy to have us there working on her house.”
Bishop Michael F. Burbidge attended WorkCampfor two days, celebrating Mass in the packed gym June 26. “These young people have so many options of how to spend a week in the summer and they choose to spend it with God and serving others,” said Bishop Burbidge while visiting one of the worksites. “It’s exciting to see the joy that they’re experiencing because they’re finding joy in service. The world gives them a different message — that you find joy and happiness in doing what you want to do and whatever’s good for you. They’re seeing that as an empty promise. What they’re experiencing here is that joy comes in giving of themselves.”
Two crews of students are transforming one home inside and out, building a new deck, installing basement flooring, repairing drywall and replacing a window. “The students are just outstanding,” said Gerard Oswalt, one of 150 volunteer contractors. “What’s really impressed me is how they’ve been able to work as a team. They’ve been very respectful of the homeowner and everything we’ve asked them to do they’ve just jumped in and are very eager to learn.”
“We want to make sure that the homes are always warmer, safer and drier than when we came here,” said Kevin Bohli, executive director of the Office of Youth, Campus, and Young Adult Ministries. “We all make little sacrifices to be here and it’s through those sacrifices that we’re growing in holiness, growing closer to the Lord and embracing the sacrifice of the Lord.”
“I know that we’re supposed to be Christ’s hands and feet on earth, and there’s no better way to do that than humble service for others,” said Isabella Barnett of St. John the Evangelist Church in Warrenton. “I came here last year, and it was a blast. There was no way I was going to miss coming again.”
