Community Relations Office
February 23rd, 2005 -- Crews of young people from the Ground Zero Youth Ministry put on their work clothes and gloves to do home repair projects for low-income families and senior citizens in need. On the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 12 and 13, the latest group of Project R.A.K.E. volunteers went to over 30 locations in southern Chester County from Parkesburg to Kennett Square to Avondale and Kirkwood.
Ground Zero is based out of the Ground Zero Youth Ministry with a new branch founded last fall at Union Church in Kirkwood. In addition to sponsoring some mission trips outside the area, the youth group focuses on encouraging young people to make a difference in the lives of people in their own community. To help the young people see the needs around them, and serve the community, Project R.A.K.E. was formed.
Project R.A.K.E. stands for Random Acts of Kindness Everywhere. The nondenominational effort is designed to give students a chance to be used by God to spread his love to those in need. Clients are referred by local organizations that work with low-income families and the elderly without regard to religious affiliation.
Project R.A.K.E. has been going on since 2002, without losing any of the volunteers’ enthusiasm. The program finds people in need of home repairs who are unable to pay for the work, and then organizes teams of teen volunteers and adult supervisors to provide free labor. With the help of materials donated by local businesses and individuals, the junior and senior high school students contribute 16 hours of community service over the weekend to families in need right in their own backyard.
Home repairs in this round of work included adding handrails to stairs, strengthening entrance steps and landings, replacing a water heater, patching drywall, painting, fixing a leaky roof vent and repairing leaky toilets.
Some of the projects are bigger than others. In West Grove, the volunteers replaced a water damaged bathroom floor for an 82-year-old heart attack survivor who now has a hard time getting around. They also replaced a bathroom floor for an 81-year-old woman in Nottingham.
In Lower Oxford Township, the teens worked outside in the mud and cold constructing a 30-foot long wheelchair ramp for senior citizens, Wallace and Pauline Oliphant.
The Oliphants moved to the area from New York nine years ago, but Pauline has recently been in nursing care for Parkinson Disease and arthritis. The wheelchair ramp will let Wallace bring her home, plus it will make it easier for him to get in and out of the house as well.
Project R.A.K.E. was not the first place Oliphant went for help, but it was the first to respond with workers. A social worker at first recommended another person to do the job, but they did not know when they would be able to get to the project.
Project R.A.K.E. was able to come out first and get the job done.
“You don’t look a gift horse in the mouth,” Oliphant said.
Not only does Oliphant appreciate the help he has been given, he has an appreciation for what the community service projects can do for the youngsters.
“It’s wonderful for them to start them off in life learning responsibility,” he said. “It’s to help someone else. That’s what it’s all about.”
Ken Loux who was supervising the volunteers on the project, has been a part of Project R.A.K.E. before. Loux makes sure that the young people do the work and do it well, whether or not they have any previous experience with building.
“We show them how to do it and make sure it is done properly,” he said. “We show them there’s more to life that sitting on the couch watching television. These are all great kids, and it builds character.”
Though the volunteers work hard, there are strict guidelines they must follow including limited time on the job and observing all safety precautions.
“There’s a timetable as to how long the teens work. The teens’ safety comes first,” Loux said.
Even though he is now out of high school, Corey Brown keeps coming back to help with Project R.A.K.E. and has worked with Loux before.
“We were involved in one of the first projects. We did a replacement of a whole kitchen floor,” Brown said.
Jessica Hesling, who attends the Concept School, was taking part in Project R.A.K.E. for the first time.
“It’s fun. I just love helping other people,” she said. “Anything I can do to serve God and get closer to Him.”
New volunteers and repeat workers take part in the mission for different reasons, but they all enjoy the benefits earned from helping others.
“It’s really rewarding to think how they are going to be able to use (the ramp) in the future,” said Sara Brower of Oxford.
“You help people, meet new people and get out of the house,” added Christopher Young from Solanco High School.
“It’s a good way to get together and meet other Christians,” said Lauren Bachman of Oxford Area High School.
The fact that the repairs involve hard work did not lessen the joy of the day. In fact, that was one of the attractions for Brian Stevens of Avon Grove High School.
“Working with my hands is one of the things I love to do. If I can get closer to God and share His love with others while I'm doing it, that’s awesome,” he said.
For more information on project R.A.K.E., call (610) 869-7332 or visit the web site at www.projectrake.com.
