Appalachia 2009 - Epiphany visits Auxier, KY
Appalachia 2009
Answering the call to address the needs of our neighbors and friends in eastern Kentucky
Listening to God’s call to help those who are hungry, thirsty, or need shelter, a group from Epiphany traveled to Auxier, Kentucky in Floyd County to provide assistance.
Lending A Helping Hand To Those In Need.
On Sunday, July 5th a group or Epiphanites met on our campus and set out on a three and a half hour journey east. We traveled to Auxier, Kentucky to the Hand in Hand Ministries’ Auxier Learning Center where we would be housed for the next week. Our goal for the week was to provide labor for work needing to be done but to also get to know more about the Appalachia region and to build relationships with those in the area. While in the area we worked at ten different “job sites” and were fortunate to meet a number of different and wonderful people. From Sue and Lowell Robinson, our new grandparents, to Eva Hall and Everett and Granville Butcher, first cousins to Loretta Lynn and Crystal Gale, all had unique stories to share with us. Our work was accomplished not only through our physical labor but also our mere presence. Many hearts were touched and changed.
Our Group
This year’s trip to Appalachia included three separate teams with a combination of youth and adults. Our week long team included Natalie Pantalos, Katie Belt, Christian Ruckriegel, Steve McCormick and David Hileman. Katherine Cook, Emily Wilbar, Joan Coleman, Kara Coleman and Jenna Chapman joined us for the first half of the week. On Wednesday Melinda Hileman, Miranda Hileman, Rachel Roup, Emily Mundt, Gary Mundt, Chris Luken, Sandy Walt, Andrea Walt, Bob Overberg, Erin McHugh, Ema Reed, Erin McHugh, Alice Taylor, Ben Taylor and Evan Wright came to Auxier. number of different and wonderful people.
Our Skills And Talents Put To Work
Our teams were quite busy. In fact we completed so many projects that Keith Maynard, Hand in Hand Ministries Construction Manager dubbed the team the “Power Group”! One initial job site included completing roofs, repair rotted flooring, and finish installing HVAC into a recently closed in car port for a family in Inez, Kentucky. On another job, a group put a new room on a trailer to prevent significant leaking. Later in the week the bath room was given a makeover with the removal of the wall paper and a fresh coat of paint. Our youth learned new skills including hanging dry wall, mudding (contact Katie Belt, Mudder Extraordinaire, for any job inquiries), sanding of dry wall seams, painting, building wheel chair ramps, installing a “floating” floor, and silver sealing a tin roof. The trip was not all work and no play. We spent an evening at Jenny Wiley State Park with a picnic, swimming and kayaking. The natural beauty of the area was magnificent.
The Mountain Troubadours
On Thursday our group traveled from Auxier to Beauty, Kentucky, to listen to Father Ralph Beiting street preach. Father Beiting has been the Catholic presence in Appalachia for the past sixty (60) years. To the surprise of many, we were introduced as his “singing act”, the Mountain Troubadours. Hot dogs and root beer floats were enjoyed by all.
APPALACHIA TRIP 2010 will be June 20-26, 2010. Come join us next year. For information on next year’s trip contact David Hileman at 243-3105.
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