Local News - June 2003

Teens turn carpenters for summer

Carolina Cross Connection

By CALEB HAWKINS, LTN Correspondent

The activity behind Margaret Woods’ house sounded like a construction crew. But there was no real crew, instead a group of kids were building a back porch.

“I used the power saw for the first time yesterday,” said Ashley Anne Moore, whose group was from Camp Loy White in Casar.

This was Ashley’s first summer with Carolina Cross Connection, a program that has been helping people for 15 years.

The CCC started out as a Methodist effort and mostly Methodist campgrounds are used.

But that has changed.

“It’s really a non-denominational program,” said Jordan Beam. Even though he has been participating in the CCC for five years, this is his first on the staff.

All but two of the six teenagers helping were from different churches. “I still don’t claim to know all of them,” joked Mathew Edward on his second day.

However, all six agreed that one of the best things about the CCC was meeting new people.

The lack of construction experience did not hinder the group. “You just learn from everyone else,” said Ashley Brunette.

What did give the group trouble was having two Ashleys and two Mathews.

“We would say ‘Hey, Ashley! No, the other Ashley,’ or the ‘Matt with two T’s,’” said Alisha Younts.

Alisha goes to the same church as Angela Kauffman, a fifth-year member who is college bound this fall.

“I had heard stories about it (the CCC),” she said. “The people who had done it would come back and share their experiences.”

Kauffman sees the CCC as being as valuable as any other summer program she could have participated in.

“Usually if I’m not doing this, I’m not doing anything,” she said. “I enjoy this more than going to the beach.”

She said that all the people she has helped are very grateful. Sometimes they made donations, cooked and even cried.

Stan Stallsmith, who was supervising the construction effort, was there for the kids. “It’s awesome,” he said. He only knew one of the kids previously.

“I’m here for that right there,” Edwards said, pointing to Woods.

Woods has wanted a porch ever since she moved into her house in 1995.

She wouldn’t have gotten the porch, though, if it weren’t for the CCC and its volunteers. She found out about it through Christian Ministries.

“I don’t draw that much to get something like this,” she said.

She was not only grateful but impressed with the group’s teamwork. There were no fights between any of the teenagers, although Woods told them, “If you get in a fight, I’ll be in the middle of it!”

To participate in the CCC does require tuition, which supplies meals and materials. Most churches have fund-raisers to cover the expense.

All the lumber used to build the porch was donated by Cleveland Lumber.

Besides building porches, some of the other services the CCC has provided are repairing floors, minor roofing, building steps and wheelchair ramps, yard work, and painting.

The Carolina Cross Connection goes on until the first of August. There are four camp weeks in all. Students have to be ninth- graders to join.

All of the projects for the summer have not been booked. To contact the CCC about potential projects, call the Lincolnton office at 704-539-9113.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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