A group of 70 volunteers from a Chicago suburb have returned to Greenwood this week to do good deeds.
“It’s really about the youth, our teenagers,” said Marty Walker, a core team member from Resurrection Catholic Church of Wayne, Ill. “They’re obviously hard-working. They come down here and just keep pluggin’ away.”
The 45 high school and college students, along with 25 adult volunteers, made the trek from Wayne in a caravan of 11 vehicles, arriving Saturday night for the weeklong mission trip.
The mission has two components: a Vacation Bible School, which is being conducted at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church through Thursday, and the construction team, which is painting seven houses of elderly and low-income residents as well as doing work at the Baptist Town Community Center.
Youth and adults from Greenwood’s two Catholic churches — Immaculate Heart and St. Francis of Assisi — are helping in both efforts.
The mission trips began in 2008, after members of Resurrection got in touch with the Rev. Greg Plata, pastor of the Greenwood churches. Plata had previously served as an associate pastor at Resurrection.
The first mission trip was intended to just spruce up St. Francis of Assisi School.
It has grown over the years, as have the number of volunteers who participate.
“Our max is 70. We could bring 90 if we wanted to,” said Walker, a 49-year-old tool and die machinist.
Plata estimates that more than 50 houses have been painted over the years of the mission.
The effort is more than just an exercise in hard work and a new coat of paint, though, Walker said.
“It’s intended to tie some of our youth together — from the African-American community and the Caucasian community — kind of bring them together. It allows them to rub elbows and get more comfortable with one another,” he said.
This year, as in years past, Sherwin-Williams has provided the paint and supplies for the teams.
Also to help raise money for the effort, a fish fry will be held at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday.
The Greenwood trip requires a dose of maturity from the youth volunteers.
“We only bring high school or older kids because this is serious — serious in a lot of different ways,” Walker said.
For Courtney Gura, a 19-year-old from Bartlett, Ill., and five-year veteran of the Greenwood mission, the trip is rewarding.
“I’m a very visual person. Construction is my favorite part about it. I love seeing us visually make a difference on someone’s house.
“Just doing something as simple as painting someone’s house can put a smile on their face,” she said.
The volunteers are a hard- working lot, said Gura, a sophomore at Illinois State University.
“Our group is awesome. I love the people that are here. I love lending others a helping hand,” she said.
Chris Gibadlo, 18, also of Bartlett, is a three-year veteran. He is joined this year by his twin brother, Dan.
“I do enjoy it a lot,” said Chris. “Coming down, I think it really makes a difference.”
Team leader Andrew Chervinko, 49, an investment banker from Chicago, said the lessons the youngsters learn from a week in Greenwood are invaluable and will last a lifetime.
“It shows them the grassroots of America and the Deep South. People that need a hand up, they’re out there,” he said.
“We kind of live a sheltered life. This is an eye-opener for them, a life experience.”
• Contact Bob Darden at 581-7239 or bdarden@gwcommonwealth.com.
