Helping Hands: Student workcamp provide home repairs for Davidson County residents

In the sweltering July heat, a group of out-of-state students spent a week in Davidson County painting, scraping, hammering and sawing to better the community.

The Group Work Camp included around 90 students and team leaders who came from all over the country to provide home repairs to elderly, veterans and disabled individuals over a week’s time span. Many of them volunteered through their churches or youth groups.

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This year the campers represented four churches in three states, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. While they were here, work crews made up of one adult leader and several students, are assigned to a specific property in Lexington or Thomasville. Over the week, the teens help the homeowner with projects or repairs.

The workcamp is a mission trip for high school and college students through the non-profit mission ministry of Group Cares. It is sponsored locally by Home Solutions of Davidson County which provides supplies for the workers through funding from the United Way. This is the 11th year Home Solutions has sponsored the workcamp which holds the program every other year.

During the week from July 24 through 30, the volunteers provided home repairs for 12 homes. Residents were referred for the home repair workcamp by Home Solutions of Davidson County.

“It really ended up a variety of repairs. They did some paintwork where they scraped, calked and repainted the outside of houses. There were a few porches and stairs replaced, and ramps, things that were fall risk for the residents,” said Toby Prince, director of Home Solutions of Davidson County.

Prince said the workcamp provided much needed repair for residents who may not be eligible for other programs which have strict guidelines. Or provided work that is not allowed, such as painting.

“Many of these families were people who didn’t qualify for our urgent repair program for one reason or another. We had one lady who exceeded our income capacity by $13, and we were able to have her apply for the workcamp,” said Prince.

Besides providing repairs, the group also donated over 300 non-perishable food items which were donated locally to the Pastor’s Pantry and Community in Schools in Thomasville.

While they were here, the group stayed at Lexington Middle School.

Prince said he is also appreciative of many churches, businesses and individuals who donated their food, as well as their time for the campers, including Journey Church; Red’s Donuts; the Candy Factory; Lexington Barbecue; Conrad Hinkle and Leonard-Craver Realty.

He said that even though the workcamp primary goal is to provide home repair, the ripple effect of these deeds radiates throughout the community.

“This camp has a huge benefit for our community because it allows families to stay safely in their home. These are people who don’t have the means to do home repairs and also may not have qualified to receive other assistance. It is so much more than just home repairs, these kids build relationships with these homeowners,” said Prince.

General news reporter Sharon Myers can be reached at sharon.myers@the-dispatch.com. Follow her on Twitter @LexDispatchSM.

This article originally appeared on The Dispatch: Student workcamp provides home repairs for Davidson County residents