Dawson Springs, KY – March 24-30, 2024

Five volunteers arrived on Sunday evening from Ohio, our smallest group this winter, but just the right size for finishing up our work here in Dawson Springs this week.

Three homes are completed and cleaned and waiting for dedication on Friday.  The Davis home still needs some trades to finish their work, but two volunteers were working there on Monday and Tuesday hanging doors, putting doorknobs on and doing some touch up painting.  The rest of the week appliances were installed, storm doors put in, and all the finishing touches done before home dedication on Friday.  The Pickering house was a flurry of activity as nine volunteers were busy painting walls, laying the flooring and building window boxes and casing.  That work also continued on Tuesday, along with door installation, and by Thursday afternoon flooring was done and doors were installed. On Wednesday four volunteers spent the day at Lisa’s installing appliances, hanging towel bars and cleaning to prepare that house for the dedication on Friday.  Even the cooks and office manager pitched in on Wednesday painting doors here at camp.

We had an enjoyable evening with homeowner Lisa, and Josh and Stacey joining us Wednesday for our meal together. Lisa and her husband will be very happy to move out of a camper and into their own home very soon!  She is so grateful for the work of the volunteers and the wonderful new home that they will enjoy.

Volunteers were also busy many evenings helping to pack up camp – tearing down bunks and loading trailers, cleaning up the tool trailer, and unhooking the kitchen and shower trailers.  On Friday everyone was busy at camp cleaning, packing up, washing vehicles, moving kitchen trailer, and numerous other jobs.

Stacey invited all of us to the Maundy Thursday meal and service at the Presbyterian church and we were grateful to spend that evening with them.  It was a wonderful time of fellowship with the folks there and a meaningful service.

Friday afternoon was an afternoon of much excitement and many tears as we attended four home dedications.  From 2:30 to 4:00 we dedicated homes for Evelyn, Alan, Lila and Lisa.  Each one expressed much gratitude for finally being able to move into a new home and expressed that without the help of Catholic Charities and MDS, among others, that a new home certainly would not have been possible.  It was indeed a wonderful afternoon!

Friday evening we said goodbye to four of our long term team, Steve and Gina, Hank and Joanne.  We have thoroughly enjoyed spending these weeks together and are so thankful for all their hard work and leadership this last month!  Thank you!  On Saturday Ron and Char and Stephanie left for their homes and we are so grateful to them also for Ron’s leadership and the Char and Stephanie’s delicious meals!  Thank you!  Mike and Linda finished closing up site and then headed home to Ohio.  We are grateful for these new friendships!

The team at Dawson Springs, KY