MANSFIELD: Youth groups aiming to repair 56 area homes

Columbus Baptist Church sponsors summer camp for volunteers

By Meg Walker, Special Writer
   MANSFIELD — More than 340 teens and chaperones from all over the country — and even a youth group of 40 members from Japan — will converge on Burlington County in July for a week of volunteerism and fellowship, thanks to the efforts of the Columbus Baptist Church.
   Youth Pastor Andrew Bermudez said, “Yes” when the international organization, Group Cares, asked his church to sponsor one of its weeklong work camps.
   ”Our church has to provide (for) about 60 to 80 volunteers from the beginning to the end of the process,” he said.
   One of those volunteers is Kathy Bassett, who lives across the street from the church in the Columbus section of Mansfield Township. Although she is actually a member of Broad Street United Methodist Church in Burlington, Ms. Bassett has volunteered to coordinate hospitality for the visitors because she and her family have attended Group Cares’ work camps for the past five years.
   ”It’s kind of neat that it’s in our own backyard this year,” Ms. Bassett said.
   Campers will build ramps, repair decks or steps, paint and do yard work for needy area residents — all for free.
   ”I’ve been on a lot of these trips, and it’s amazing how they get it all done,” Pastor Bermudez said. “It’s like ‘Extreme Home Makeover!’”
   Campers will be here from July 29 to Aug. 4.
   As the host, Columbus Baptist Church has taken on a lot of responsibility, Pastor Bermudez explained.
   ”We need to raise funds to buy supplies, about $19,000,” he said. “We are also responsible for a place for everyone to stay.”
   Pastor Bermudez said he was grateful to Tabernacle Baptist Church and St. Paul’s Church, both in Burlington City, who offered their buildings as a home for the visitors.
   Pastor Bermudez, who lives in Mt. Holly, has been working at the Columbus Baptist Church for 10 years, the last four as its youth pastor.
   ”Our youth group usually goes to different areas of the country and works on people’s homes,” he said.
   While he is a veteran of many of these work camps, Pastor Bermudez said, “I didn’t know what I signed up for until I went to the training,” which he attended at Group Cares headquarters. “I need so many people to help me. They are really good and diligent, and they are really doing their jobs above and beyond.”
   Part of his training was how to do a site survey. Pastor Bermudez and his team have spent many hours visiting all the local sites that have requested work, determining what needs to be done and what supplies will be needed. Pastor Bermudez explained there were 114 applications for assistance.
   Outreach was done through churches, Meals on Wheels and some state agencies for the elderly and others.
   With the campers who are coming, “it looks like we will be able to do about 56 houses,” of those 114, he said.
   ”Group Cares has been doing it for 30 years, and they have it down to a science,” he said. “They have kits for it — how to get permits, ramp plans, everything to hand to a building inspector.”
   After the work camp is over, Pastor Bermudez and a team will visit every site to make sure the work has been done satisfactorily and completely.
   One of the helpers at the camp will be Ms. Bassett’s daughter, Kaylin. The 21-year-old Gwynedd Mercy College student has been a camper every year since eighth grade. This year, after being interviewed and attending training, she will be working as a “red shirt,” helping to run the camping area.
   Campers arrive in their groups, but are split up during the day into different teams. This way, they get to meet and work with new people.
   Pastor Bermudez said, “We have to make it a good experience for both, residents and volunteers.”
   A way to ensure that, Ms. Bassett said, is to invite volunteers from area churches to visit the work teams. She’ll be coordinating visitors to the work sites who “bring Popsicles and show them the town cares.”
   Youth groups sign up at the Group Cares website and choose where they want to go. Pastor Bermudez said there are opportunities available all over the country, and these groups, including the campers from Japan, all chose to come to New Jersey.
   Ms. Bassett is coordinating a yard sale fundraiser Saturday, June 2, and Sunday, June 3, in her front yard across the street from the church.
   ”We are hoping people will drop things off on my porch all week, even the day of the sale,” she said. “We won’t put a price on anything; it will be donations only.”
   For more information visit www.groupcares.org.