Full Text:

"Kingdom Builders" Volunteer In And Around Newtown

(with cut)

BY JEFF WHITE

Poking a head into the high school's gymnasium this week afforded a view of a

floor buried under bed rolls, duffel bags, and pillows. A group of 190 church

youth volunteers from across the country called NHS home as they participated

in "Kingdom Builders Work Camp," a service program aimed at helping the

disadvantaged in the Newtown area.

"[Newtown] has really been gracious in opening up their school for us," said

`Kingdom' director Brian Bilodeau.

The work camp emerged from a ministry within Manchester Christian Church in

Manchester, New Hampshire. The church's youth group enlisted the aid of youth

groups across the country to form the camp. Volunteers from Florida, Illinois,

Maine, and New Hampshire crowded into several of the high school's gyms on

Sunday, making temporary beds on the hard wood floors.

Many local schools were contacted about hosting the work camp, but NHS showed

by far the most interest, according to Mr Bilodeau.

Those who benefited from this volunteer corp were mostly elderly and disabled

residents around the area, explained Mr Bilodeau. A large number of projects

in Danbury occupied a bulk of the camp volunteers, but there also were a few

assignments in Newtown that drew work groups.

"I like working here," said Marc Therrian, 13, of Litchfield, New Hampshire.

Marc participated in the program last year, and worked on a project on Maple

Wood Trail in Sandy Hook this past week. His group built new railings for a

staircase in the back yard of the resident's home. They also replaced sheet

rock and did some work on a porch.

There were typically five teenagers on each of the 27 different assignments

that the work camp took on, and each group of volunteers was accompanied by

one adult supervisor.

The volunteers earned the money for the projects themselves, according to Mr

Bilodeau. They raised $200 each to pay for materials used for the various

construction work they performed. Home Depot in Danbury supplied materials for

the camp at significant discounts, he said.

The work camp also got support from Marriott, which donated a chef to cook for

the teens while staying at the high school.

The openness of Newtown and the welcome given to the `Kingdom' camp throughout

the area have been important, explained Mr Bilodeau. "The support is

absolutely vital to the program and to getting the jobs done."