Catholic Heart Work Camp: Youth group from Boone goes to work
By KATIE LEFEBVRE
Globe staff reporter
Posted August 1, 2002

BOONE - Service was something that the youth group from Sacred Heart Parish decided to do to get a taste of how others live.

Seven students and three adults went to Nashville, Tenn. to the Catholic Heart Work Camp along with 250 other youth from across the country. The students and chaperones from Ogden and Boone included Kathy Bergman, Julie Bovenmeyer, Jacob Kessel, Katherine Lawler, Brandon and Mike McDougall, Katie Moses, Shannon Neubauer, Tim Tarnow and Rose Tobin.

The group found out about the service camp from a flyer that Pat Rinker, the former diocesan youth minister, sent out. The parish is trying to get a youth group started and the camp is geared toward high school students.

"We thought that this would be fun for the group and a way to get our feet wet," said Julie Bovenmeyer, DRE at Sacred Heart.

The youth group was in Tennessee from June 30 until July 6. They traveled in a 15-passenger van, which Julie added was "approved by the parents."

They stayed at Father Ryan High School, and each youth group was assigned a classroom. They slept on the floor in sleeping bags.

The first day each person was put into a group for the week. There were about 35 groups of six to seven people in a group. There was a leader, recorder and prayer person in each group.

She commented that the week was a hot one, with a heat index of 100 degrees or above everyday.

As a group they performed many different kinds of service. Chipping the paint off houses and then painting them was one of the outside jobs. The group helped at a daycare not only by playing with the children but by fixing it up too. Another accomplishment was the building of a gazebo.

"Their eyes were open as to how some people live," said Julie who was one of the adults on the trip. "They did whatever was asked of them."

Each day opened with breakfast and then a time when someone would share their faith with the group. Being at a different work-site everyday was the next part of the daily routine.

"When they got back they ran straight to the showers," said Julie. "They didn't want to have to wait in line after being outside all day."

After working there was a Mass before dinner that was optional for those who wanted to attend. There were about 30 to 40 students who attended Mass. The low numbers was due to the fact that they didn't arrive back to the school in time.

In the evening there was a program that included music, and the prayer person from each group shared where they saw God that day. A staff member would witness this and then there would be more music.

One person on staff shot a video of the week and a portion of it was shown in the evenings. The whole video is going to be sent to the group so that they can remember what they accomplished that week.

Besides work, the group had one day off that week. On the Fourth of July, the group from Boone went to a family fun center. After being outside in the heat all week Julie noted, they needed a day inside. There they were able to bowl, play laser tag and have fun. That evening they watched fireworks.

"The students were very positive," said Julie. "They worked hard and had fun. It is a worthwhile camp and others should go and get a taste for it."