Miles down a meandering dirt road in western Shenandoah County, the old farmhouse appears. A blue tarp covering the back part of the roof and a dumpster in the driveway indicates a large project at hand.
The eight teens attending WorkCamp are undaunted by the driving rain. Wearing ponchos and safety glasses, the crew is transforming the home, installing new kitchen windows and making major repairs to the metal roof and the facia that was rotting away.
“This is super meaningful because it’s such a concrete and immediate way of helping someone,” said Diana Wlaschin, a parishioner of St. Bernadette Church in Springfield who just graduated from homeschool. “A roof is such an important thing for a house and this will help keep them dry in their home.”
The massive WorkCamp effort involves 787 teen participants from 44 parishes with projects at 106 homes in the counties of Frederick, Page, Rockingham, Shenandoah and Warren, and the city of Harrisonburg June 20-26.
“I really have a passion for serving others,” said Gabriella Koch, a recent graduate of Sherando High School in Winchester who attends Sacred Heart of Jesus Church. “I know that sounds cliché, but I like the effort and hard work that you need to do WorkCamp and the satisfaction that comes from it.”
WorkCampers were eager to talk about the spiritual impact of getting their hands dirty. “Everyone is trying to grow closer to Christ,” said Conor Rondeau, a rising junior at West Springfield High School and a parishioner of Holy Spirit Church in Annandale. “This work is what Christ tells us to do.”
“I live in Arlington and I know that I’m extremely privileged,” said Sophie Schooley, a rising senior at Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School in Washington who attends St. Agnes Church in Arlington. “Nothing fulfills me more than having the privilege of going out and helping others who aren’t as fortunate as me.”
Homeowner Renee Bidales said that her deteriorating roof and windows were a source of tremendous stress. “We asked our insurance to cover it, but they wouldn’t because they said it was too old,” she said. “The roofing was so bad and I was worried about the broken window falling on one of the kids. I feel so blessed that we were able to get some help.”
In New Market, Father Edouard B. Guilloux, parochial vicar of St. Stephen the Martyr Church in Middleburg and a handyman, led a crew installing a sliding door at an old home. “Our resident here is an elderly woman who lost her husband recently so it’s a very clear case where somebody needs that helping hand,” he said. “We want her to be able to live out these years of her old age in dignity, having a roof, windows and doors that don’t leak with a safe exit if there were to be a fire or something.”
For Philip Lynch, a rising sophomore at Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School in Potomac Shores, who attends St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Lake Ridge, his first experience at WorkCamp was even better than he expected. “Father has been helping us learn to use different tools,” he said. “Learning how to install things in someone’s home is a way for us to help someone and give glory to God. I’m just so proud of what we’re doing.”
The rain-soaked morning gave way to afternoon sunshine as the crews returned to WorkCamp headquarters at Stonewall Jackson High School in Quicksburg. After enjoying outdoor games and a hamburger cookout, they packed into the gymnasium for praise and worship songs before Bishop Michael F. Burbidge invited them to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
Bishop Burbidge urged students to request from Jesus anything that their heart desired, especially the things that might be weighing them down. He then slowly processed up and down the aisles of the gym as the students knelt in complete silence.
“It was beautiful to see so many Catholic teens, all in one room, adoring Jesus and seeing the wonder and amazement on everyone’s faces,” Anneliesa Czerewko, a student at Bishop O’Connell High School and parishioner of St. Agnes Church in Arlington. “We were all in the presence of Jesus Christ.”
