Jan 8, 2016 2 min read

Teenagers from around the country and Canada will visit Canonsburg in July to paint houses and make other home repairs as part of Chartiers Creek Workcamp.

The nondenominational workcamp is co-sponsored by Canonsburg United Presbyterian Church.

Workcamp coordinator Gary Lucas said youth from 13 to 19 years old will repair homes for elderly, disabled or low-income homeowners.

Lucas said the group is accepting applications for homes in need of repair.

The teens will work on home improvement projects including porch and deck repair, interior and exterior painting, wheelchair ramp repair and construction, step repair and mobile home roof work.

Lucas said the Canonsburg UP Church youth group has attended several workcamps over the past 20 years, and this will be the third one held in the Canonsburg area.

Crews made up of five youths, a site coach and an adult chaperone will work at sites each day. Crews will work on up to 75 homes in the Canon-McMillan, Chartiers-Houston and Washington areas, Lucas said.

All repairs will be made at no cost to homeowners. Homes must be within a 20-minute drive of Canon-McMillan High School, which will house the teens.

Each person pays $429 plus travel expenses to attend the camp, which includes housing and meals.

Lucas said many of the groups hold fundraisers to raise the money for youth group members to attend.

“This is a wonderful program for the homeowners and for the kids,” Lucas said. “The homeowners are invited to a Friday night program, and they talk about how good the kids made them feel. Some kids are still getting Christmas cards 10 to 15 years later. My daughter still keeps in touch with a person from Minnesota she was on a crew with.”

In the evenings, the youngsters will take part in discussion groups and devotions.

“The kids are willing and able to get to work; we just need homes to repair,” Lucas said.

The workcamp will run from July 10 to 16. Deadline for application is March 16.

For an application for home repair, visit facebook.com/CCWC16 or canonsburgup.org/docs/CCWC_Application.Letter.pdf. For questions, call 724-745-0801 or email chartierscreekwc2016@comcast.net.