St. Edmond's students do service in Kentucky

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
August 21, 2003

FORT DODGE - Twelve students and four adults with determination to serve went to Smith, Ky. from July 12 to 18.

Students from St. Edmond's in Fort Dodge traveled to Kentucky via car accompanied by Jane Hogan, Theresa Doyle, a religion teacher at St. Ed's and two other adults from Fort Dodge. This is Hogan's seventh trip, but people from St. Edmond's have been going for about 10 years.

The students from St. Edmond's that went on the trip include Michelle Thilges, Stevie Kesterson, Kara Thompson, Shanna Seltz, Kory Kutz, Becky Ronconi, Aaron Helgevold, Katey Hancock, Clare Doyle, Tim Hancock, Gina Delucca and Jake Crimmins.

Each year a group goes to the same place in Kentucky and spends a week staying in a house and doing service in the surrounding community. The house was built to accommodate people that come to do service. The family that owns the house lines up the different service opportunities for the group depending on the needs in the area.

"We do our own cooking and our own laundry," said Hogan. "It is called Martin's Fork Interface Center. It is an Appalachian outreach center."

The group did several different things for people while they were in Kentucky. They unloaded a semi-truck full of supplies sent from a Catholic church in New York. Once a year the church in New York sends a truck full of clothes, furniture and other things people need.

"They go very gun-hoe and ready to work," said Hogan. "They go with very generous hearts of really wanting to give of their time and their service and really work. I hope that they receive fulfillment in the work that they do. That they are really making a difference in the lives of the people that we work for."

Another service the group provided was putting in a new linoleum floor in a house for an elderly woman.

"It helped me respect what I have and opened my eyes to what is really out in the world to see that everybody has to go through something," said Seltz, a senior at St. Edmond's. "These people were strong no matter what they were going through. They had faith and respect for each other and other people."

One of the days, the students and adults split into two groups and did service at different places. Part of the group did work on a home's front porch.

"I got a better understanding of what we have and what others don't and an appreciation for it," said Thilges, a soon to be senior at St. Ed's. "Someone asks you to do something and when you get it done they have a smile on their face."

Another day they painted inside a trailer - a bedroom and ceilings throughout the trailer.

"I think it's a very eye-opening experience," said Hogan. "It's a whole different culture down there. They get to know the people a little bit with conversation and by spending time with them. They develop a connection with them. Which is what it's all about, giving service and being accepting of those that are less fortunate and trying to reach out and show we care."

The group did yardwork for another couple and repair work in their house such as fixing a couple of doors. The family that they did this for prepared a meal for the group, which is something that they had never experienced before, noted Hogan. The family fixed them barbecue chicken on the grill and fried green tomatoes.

"There were little kids running around and there was glass and rusted toys all over the ground," said Seltz. "They were in really bad conditions, and they were still happy."

Besides doing service, the group spent time by a lake near the house they stayed in while they were in Kentucky. They went there several times when they were done with their work for the day as kind of a fun activity. The students were able to swim in the lake.

"We all pulled together and worked hard to get things done that were asked of us," said Thilges. "I remember it all and it was all worth it."

The group spent one day visiting people that they had helped in the past that they have kept in contact with to see how they are doing.

"It's different every year," said Hogan. "Different challenges you face each year you go down there. You come back just hoping that it was a good experience for them and that they did grow in their faith."