Great Kids Doing Good Work Adds Up to Amazing Results and Relationships

A young man, a member of a volunteer crew that worked on a house belonging to a Racine couple who didn't really speak any English, wondered sometimes if he was really connecting to the family.

But on Friday, the last day of work, the young man said the wife came outside and handed out hand-made necklaces and bracelets to each member of the crew.

"These are works of art," he said, holding up his wrist, around which the bracelet was wrapped. "And it showed me that we were definitely connecting."

Almost 500 teenagers from across the country gave their time and talent last week to help 64 local families improve their homes and, by extension, their neighborhoods.

The Workcamps program is a series of camps held around the country that introduce the power and mission of giving to teenagers. Supported and sponsored by Racine Neighborhood Watch to bring the kids to the greater Racine area, this is the 14th consecutive year Workcamps has come to Racine.

"That is very unusual," said Dan Mekemson, president of the Neighborhood Watch board. "Usually communities will get a Workcamps group every three or four years, but we get them every year. We're very lucky."

The group used Case High School as their base of operations; sleeping, eating, showering and holding pep rallies there every night as a way to recognize and reward the work being done. But the gatherings - which culminated in the most rousing rally of all Friday night - also allowed the kids to give witness to what they called "God Sightings."

Staff volunteer Jori Tarjan said the credit for Workcamps' long relationship with Racine rests solely with Neighborhood Watch's Executive Director, Charlie French.

"Neighborhood Watch and Charlie do such a great job of organizing and supporting our service mission that it's easy to come here," she said. "Not that the work is easy, but the work done on the ground before we arrive and then while we're here is really a blessing."

By the numbers, here's how this year's group looked:

• 473 high school students who pay $450 each to be part of a Workcamp mission;
• Were from 10 different states;
• Represented 25 different churches of several denominations;
• Supervised by 30 adult leaders;
• Donated 1,738 pounds of food to the Racine County Food Bank;
• Fully completed 55 of 64 projects; and
• Put in 14,190 man-hours of labor.

Mekemson said the Workcamps program and Neighborhood Watch is the perfect partnership because the primary goal is the same: safe neighborhoods starting with beautification.

"The best way to start a transformation is by cleaning up," he said. "Residents say they don't want crime and Neighborhood Watch is about preventing crime. After the Workcamps crew comes in, it's amazing to watch neighbors taking more time to keep up the work that was done."

Families are chosen by an application process through the city. Once a neighborhood is chosen, and Mekemson said this list of homeowners can number 200 or more, the list is whittled down to the 60 or so neediest; typically lower income, seniors and people who are disabled.

Hettie Doss' house got some much-needed TLC from a Workcamps crew.

She attended the final rally to show her appreciation for the work done at her home. The crew there, led by Youth Minister Tammy MacFarlane, repaired and painted trim, painted her garage door and removed and replaced bad wood around windows and doors.

"It was a glorious week full of joy," she said. "I give thanks to God for this group of friendly and caring people. We really connected because I have love for Jesus and these young people have that love, too."

Calling Doss an "awesome lady," MacFarlane said she feels blessed to have been able to serve her.

"It is just awesome to be the hands and feet of Jesus serving others," she added. "Hettie is a youth minister, too, so we had a connection that way. She shared in our daily devotions, cared for the crew and was so appreciative that we were there."

Despite his knowledge and annual participation, Mekemson was clearly moved at the group's final rally.

"It's amazing to see the power and value of giving with these kids," he said. "There is no way we could afford what they provide our community. They are really remarkable young people."