Community Corner

Stow Residents Joining Volunteers Across the U.S. to Repair Local Homes

Volunteers will paint, build wheelchair ramps and repair and replaces porches in more than 50 homes in Parma.

PARMA — More than 400 teenagers and adults from across the country will be in Parma this week to help others in need, including eight youths and five adults from St Stephen Lutheran -ELCA Stow.

From Monday, June 24 through Friday, June 28, elderly, handicapped and lower income residents in Parma, Parma Heights, Brook Park and Cleveland's Old Brooklyn neighborhood will receive free home repairs, according to our partners at WEWS News Channel 5.

Volunteers will paint, build wheelchair ramps and repair and replace porches and porch steps at more than 50 houses. 

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The Workcamp is part of Group Cares, a non-profit, interdenominational Christian volunteer home repair organization headquartered in Colorado and is sponsored locally by North Coast Mission Connection.

The following Stow residents are involved:

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Maddie Dunn, Alli Staats, Maddie Dyer, Wendy Dyer, Ashley Staats, Susan Bentz, Spender Daddario, Dylan Carlson, Gary Reynolds, Carter Pierce, Dave Daugherty and Adam Daugherty.

Volunteers paid more than $400 each to cover travel expenses, meals, programming and partial materials costs.

Hundreds of volunteers received a rock 'n' roll welcome when they arrived at Parma Senior High School Sunday to check-in.

The high school will be their home this week as volunteers will sleep in sleeping bags in empty classrooms and eat meals in the cafeteria. There will also be programs in the evening for entertainment.

For cousins Jillian McCardell and Shannon Ryan, of Michigan, this is their third time taking part in a Workcamp.

"You feel like you've done something for someone else," said Jillian. "It gives you a warm, fuzzy feeling that you've done something good for someone."


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