Be safe, learn something new—and have fun!

Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) first-time Project Director Lowell Peachey, and his wife, first-time Office Manager Rita Peachey, shared why they liked leading the Summer Youth Program, a weeklong service experience for high school youth.

The Peacheys, from Hutchinson, Kan., served this past summer in Perry, Fla., where MDS has a history of helping disaster survivors get home after hurricanes, including Idalia (2023), Helene (2024), and Debby (2024).

Guiding young people through completing repairs ranging from replacing sliding doors to repairing sheetrock, from installing new ceiling panels to rebuilding sub-flooring, the Peacheys marked their fourth time serving with MDS.

“I had been a crew leader all the other times so I had some familiarity with it,” said Lowell.

“It was a big learning curve for me,” said Rita, who had previously served as an assistant cook, but she caught on quickly.

Will they serve as leadership volunteers again? “Definitely!” both said. In fact, they’ve already committed to leading the Summer Youth Program next year.

“I enjoy teaching young people skills and watching them perfect those skills,” said Lowell. “A year ago, we had a group of 18- and 19-year-old women who were hanging and finishing drywall. They’d never done that but they did a great job. Those kinds of things are really exciting.”

Each week, the Peacheys had a three-prong focus: safety—especially hydration—given the hot Florida temperatures, learning something new, and having fun with the work.

“Much of the week saw the volunteers working without A/C in sweltering conditions,” said Lowell. “A theme that was revisited during the week was the notion that we should be thankful for what we have and the example we have from our families and communities for how to live and serve.”