“Spirit Letter Editor’s
We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It’s easy to say, “It’s not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.” Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes.”
--Fred Rogers
Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) exists because of heroes. Ordinary people who have seen a need and chosen to respond make our work in Appalachia possible. What began 50 years ago as one man’s heroic endeavor to improve the lives of those he encountered in Eastern Kentucky has evolved and blossomed into a grand network of individuals, churches, and partner organizations who share the responsibility of making this region just a little better, one person at a time.
This issue of The Mountain Spirit is dedicated to the celebration of heroes. Heroes like St. Luke’s Catholic Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, whose members have invested their time, talents, and resources in our mission (pg. 6). Heroes like Carol, who first encountered CAP as a participant of our respite program and now volunteers five days a week alongside her friend Brenda in our Family Advocacy program (pg. 17). Heroes like Kirby Grein, Glenn Brumbaugh, Teleia Stringfellow, and Becky Paxton, who are long-term CAP volunteers devoting themselves to the often thankless work of assisting our program staff in the day-to-day operation of their programs (pg. 14). Heroes like Bob Hutchison, who has supported Christian Appalachian Project through his charitable giving, leadership, and hands-on work ethic for more than 20 years (pg. 28).
We all have the capacity to do something heroic. It is my hope that the stories contained in this issue will inspire and encourage us to find ways, however small, to make a difference in our communities and our world, particularly Appalachia. This region needs heroes—long and short-term volunteers, partner churches and service organizations, and compassionate donors. In a sense, we have all been “Called to the Mountains” because there is great need here. May we be the kind of people who hear that calling and respond. May we all be heroes.
Peace be with you,
Clay Lester Editor-in-Chief & Creative Director
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
& CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Clay Lester
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Susie Hillard Bullock, Felicia Carter, Kathleen Leavell, Clay Lester, Alyssa Miles, Sr. Robbie Pentecost, Ben Self
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Erica Chambers, Jenni Leppanen, Clay Lester, Barry Powers, Rayann White
CONTACT US
By phone: 859.269.0635
Toll-free: 866.270.4227
Email: capinfo@chrisapp.org
Website: www.christianapp.org
Mail:
Christian Appalachian Project P.O. Box 55911 Lexington, KY 40555
SUBSCRIPTIONS
The Mountain Spirit is published twice a year. The suggested donation is $20.00. Subscription requests and other correspondence should be sent to :
The Mountain Spirit
Christian Appalachian Project P.O. Box 55911 Lexington, KY 40555
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
The Christian Appalachian Project is an interdenominational, non-profit Christian organization committed to serving people in need in Appalachia by providing physical, spiritual, and emotional support through a wide variety of programs and services.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
I. To promote the dignity and self worth of individuals by promoting self help.
II. To practice and encourage good stewardship of and accountability for all of the resources entrusted to us.
III. To foster individual growth among staff, volunteers, donors, and program participants.
IV. To live out and promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ through all of our actions.
V. To foster open, honest, and effective communication both inside and outside the organization.
VI. To involve the Appalachian people at all social and economic levels in developing solutions to poverty.
Copyright, 2014, the Christian Appalachian Project, Inc. All rights reserved. The Christian Appalachian Project is a non-profit Christian service organization operating throughout Appalachia. The Christian Appalachian Project is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and is qualified to receive tax deductible contributions.
Financial and other information about Christian Appalachian Project, Inc.’s (CAP) Financial and other information about Christian Appalachian Project, Inc.’s (CAP) purpose, programs and activities can be obtained by contacting Guy Adams at 6550 South KY Rt. 321, P.O. Box 459, Hagerhill, KY 41222, 1-859-269-0635, or for residents of the following states, as stated below. Florida: SC No. CH98 A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE, WITHIN THE STATE, 1-800-HELP-FLA. Maryland: For the cost of postage and copying, from the Secretary of State. Michigan: MICS No. 9993. Mississippi: The official registration and financial information of Christian Appalachian Project, Inc. may be obtained from the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office by calling 1-888236-6167. New Jersey: INFORMATION FILED WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CONCERNING THIS CHARITABLE SOLICITATION AND THE PERCENTAGE OF CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED BY THE CHARITY DURING THE LAST REPORTING PERIOD THAT WERE DEDICATED TO THE CHARITABLE PURPOSE MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY BY CALLING (973) 504-6215 AND IS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/charfrm.htm. New York: Upon request, from the Attorney General Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271. North Carolina: Financial information about this organization and a copy of its license are available from the State Solicitation Licensing Branch a t 1-888-830-4989 (within N orth C arolina) o r ( 919) 8 072214 (outside of N orth C arolina). Pennsylvania: The official registration and financial information of Christian Appalachian Project, Inc. may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Virginia: From the State Office of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23218. Washington: From the Secretary of State at 1-800-332-4483. West Virginia: West Virginia residents may obtain a summary of the registration and financial documents from the Secretary of State, State Capitol, Charleston, WV 25305. CONTRIBUTIONS ARE DEDUCTIBLE FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAW. REGISTRATION IN A STATE DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION OF CHRISTIAN APPALACHIAN PROJECT, INC. BY THE STATE. Funds received in excess of what is needed to support this ministry will be distributed to other CAP missions. From time to time CAP rents or exchanges its list of supporters with other trusted organizations to benefit CAP’s programs and activities. If you do not wish to participate in CAP’s list rental or exchange activities, or if you wish to modify the frequency of future communications from CAP, please write to us or give us a call at 1-866-270-4227.
GROWING PAINSfaith
Planting Seeds & Deepening Faith n Houses of Worship in Appalachia n Growing Pains n
Planting Seeds Deepening Faith
By Sr. Robbie Pentecost
A
s scripture reminds us, “There is an appointed time for everything...a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). Awaiting signs of spring’s arrival can be a practice in patience. There is a giddiness of sorts as we scour the seed books or uncover our seeds saved from the prior year. We await with great anticipation the first taste of a homegrown tomato or the burst of sweetness from a harvested strawberry. But wait we must -- for winter to turn to spring, and spring to turn to summer. It is through the planting of seeds and the waiting that we learn to trust in the growth that is often invisible.
Sowing
seeds of possibility is what happens at St. Luke’s Catholic Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
So too with our faith! Sowing seeds of possibility is what happens at St. Luke’s Catholic Church in Charlotte, North Carolina. There is a lot of work involved in bringing forth a full harvest. The seeds must be watered and cared for. So too in growing and deepening our faith. It was through a faith formation series at St. Luke’s that Big Steve (Steven Uzzell) and Little Steve (Steve Daly) first learned about Christian Appalachian Project (CAP). The two had helped organize a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, but they realized that a domestic opportunity might draw people who were unable to go on a foreign mission trip. As Little Steve explains, service continues to be at the forefront for St. Luke’s faith community. Whether it’s
helping provide meals at the local homeless shelter or spending time with those in prison. “God uses the people we serve to transform us. When we focus on others we get out of ourselves for a while where God can work.”
Little Steve acknowledges that his greatest joy is being used by God. St. Luke’s members believe that building bridges and breaking down barriers is at the root of their call as Christians. There is even an Agape group that helps with the funding for those providing the service.
Mary McGarvey, a member of St. Luke’s Catholic Church and a current long-term volunteer with the Christian Appalachian Project observes that “there is a special spirit at St. Luke. There is a strong connection between faith and service.”
Always ready for a new adventure, Big Steve and Little
Steve took a journey to Eastern Kentucky to see first-hand what was happening so close to home. Not long after returning to Charlotte, Little Steve invited CAP’s Christian Partner program to send a representative to speak to the parishioners at St. Luke’s. As further confirmation of St. Luke’s commitment to service, after one of the masses, a gentlemen in a wheelchair began inquiring about whether Christian Appalachian Project would accept someone as a volunteer who was handicapped. “Of course,” she replied. This gentleman, Joe Vandenburg, eventually became a longterm volunteer with CAP.
There is a special spirit at St. Luke. There is a strong connection between faith and service.
Soon Little Steve and Big Steve ventured once again to CAP with a group from St. Luke on a mission trip, serving for a week doing home repair. They have now made this trip faithfully each of the past four years. Among those in the group were Jim and Debbie Lawrence who moved to Eastern Kentucky in August to serve as long-term volunteers with CAP’s elderly housing and elderly services in Floyd and Johnson counties. Then in January, Mary McGarvey arrived as a long-term volunteer working in CAP’s Child Development Center in McCreary county. Mary visited Jim and Debbie after they arrived in Eastern
Kentucky and immediately fell in love with the region and the people.
It is well known among parishoners at St. Luke’s that Little Steve and Big Steve are motivated by a spirit of service. In addition to the growing number of people from the parish who have partnered with CAP, Little Steve has arranged for the Christian Partner program to send additional representatives to speak to other parishes and is working to link CAP with other Charlotte churches. The planting of seeds continues.
“God uses the people we serve to transform us.”
Recently, two former long-term volunteers, Sara and Ross Peters (they met at CAP and later married), moved to Charlotte. Living in the vicinity of St. Luke’s, they soon decided to visit the church. Sarah shares that, “the first Mass we attended after moving here also happened to be a day they were sending a group off to Kentucky to work with Christian Appalachian Project. Ross and I took that as a sign that we had found our Church.”
St. Luke’s is nurturing seeds of faith that are being harvested in Appalachia! n
HOUSES of WORSHIP in APPALACHIA
The church house is an enduring and ubiquitous emblem of Appalachian faith, community, and culture. These historic buildings, almost all of which are still in use, serve as reminders of the deeply rooted and widespread role spirituality has played and continues to play in the Appalachian experience. As we did in our previous issue, The Mountain Spirit takes you down twisting and turning roads, over hills and through valleys for glimpses of some of these iconic landmarks.
GROWING PAINS
By Kathleen Leavell
One of the most exciting and desirable things we all want to happen to us and our world is growth. Growth calls to mind images of breaking through boundaries--becoming something more, becoming something stronger. Flowers emerging from seeds and rising past the earth, chicks breaking through eggs, the miracle of childbirth; from the outside, these images are beautiful.
But from the inside, they may look very different. The images may be of pain, fear and even trauma.
And yet our mission calls us to grow.
We ask this of those we serve. Even though we can’t truly understand how hard it is for them to let go of the ideas, understandings, and habits that have defined the world all their lives, we ask them to step out of their comfort zone and
change. When they do, sometimes they move forward and great things happen. Sometimes it takes a good deal more. But always, they grow. They move a little further away from that which held them back and are a little stronger and more prepared for the next try. We don’t get to see everyone cross the finish line, but we get to see them step closer to it.
The same is true for us. Our mission calls us to constantly look at what we do, how we do it, and how it is working. Sometimes this means letting go of ‘the way we always did things’ to see if something new will serve people better.
We don’t get to see everyone cross the finish line, but we get to see them grow closer to it.
That’s often uncomfortable and sometimes downright painful, but it makes us a little stronger, a little more prepared for the next try, and we grow.
We all encourage each other along the way, but in the end, it is the individual who must decide to change, to let go and to step forward.
Somewhere out there, beyond the limits of our comfort zone, and just past the walls of our opinions lies God’s plan for us. May God grant us all the grace and courage to embrace it and become who we were created to be. n
The Spirit of the Season n Called to the Mountains: 50 Years of Volunteerism n A Servant’s Story n Summer Reflectionsn
SPIRIT OF THE SEASON
By Felicia Carter
The Christmas season is a time for peace, joy, and celebration. However, for some families in Appalachia struggling to keep food on the table, clothes on the backs of their children, and utility and rent bills paid, the Christmas season can become a very stressful time. Money to purchase even modest gifts or prepare a family holiday meal is a luxury not afforded to many in Eastern Kentucky who are already forced to make difficult decisions regarding their basic needs.
The Christmas Basket Program provides Christmas gifts, such as clothing, toiletries, toys, games, and books. This program was established by Reverend Beiting in 1967 for families who were struggling to pay bills. He wanted to make sure that the families could have a Christmas and have money for other necessities as well. The program has been operating successfully ever since, connecting generous donors across the United States and Canada to hundreds of families in Appalachia each year. The generous spirit of these donors allows participants to provide Christmas gifts for their families.
Just as is true in any program, changes must occur in order for the program to progress. Many changes have been implemented with the Christmas Basket program as well, making the process of giving and receiving a
bit more seamless.
“The biggest change, which I’m really excited about, is the new referral process,” Jenny King noted, “The participants are referred either from school, church,
or another agency, or from within CAP.” In the past, there was a sign placed outside and families could walk in at their convenience. The staff realized that this was not the most equitable or efficient practice because there were some families who were not aware of the program. With the new referral system, the
Family Advocacy program is able to more strategically match the needs of families with the generosity of donors. When the families come to collect their gifts, they are encouraged to bring a canned food item, or to donate an hour of their time to help. This type of reciprocity allows families the opportunity to express their gratitude and to experience the joy of giving. The families are also encouraged to write a thank-you letter to their sponsor. They are always more than happy to do so. As one participant stated, “I wish we could invite every sponsor to our house for dinner. This would not be possible without their love and kindness.
program have been giving for over 20 years, and it has become a holiday tradition for many families.
This year in the Cumberland Valley region, the program was expanded to include a Christmas store. This new distribution model allows participants to shop for whatever they may need, making it possible for them to choose their own presents for children and spouses. Shopping in the Christmas Store can be a very empowering experience for participants who have traditionally not had to the chance to select personal gifts for family members. This may seem like a minor change, but it further reinforces the notion that families have the power to make their own choices. The selection of gifts, from racks of new clothing to toys and appliances, is provided by donors from all over the United States.
The Christian Appalachia Project Christmas Basket program continues to work hard to ensure that struggling families in Eastern Kentucky get to experience the spirit of the season. n
Be Part of the Story!
Support Christian Appalachian Project with a donation of $20 or more and receive a complimentary subscription to The Mountain Spirit. Not only will you be enriched with stories of faith, service, and compassion in every issue, but your gift also will help to support all of CAP’s programs. For more information about donating to Christian Appalachian Project, call 1.866.270.4227.
By Alyssa Miles
When Reverend Ralph Beiting founded Christian Appalachian Project in 1964, it was of the highest priority to him that the organization be inclusive of all denominations of believers, not just his fellow Catholics, and that it seek to serve all people in need regardless of religious affiliation. He felt that Christ alone should be the rock on which he built this ministry of hope in Appalachian Kentucky, the place he now called home. At a time when Appalachia also found itself unexpectedly in the national spotlight, Beiting wanted to make sure that the organization not be politicized, exploitative, or in any way disparaging of the people he sought to help.
Like so many that have followed in his footsteps, Rev. Beiting felt that he had been called to the mountains simply to help minister to the needs of the people there in his midst, and he wanted this new organization to reflect the purity and simplicity of that calling. As he explained:
“I didn’t want it to be a study group. I didn’t want it to be a political group. I didn’t want it to be some kind of domineering group…It’s going to be a project. It’s going to be work. It’s going to be that you’re going to have to go out and wade those creeks and climb those hills and get your feet wet and your hands dirty. You’re going to work.”
For 50 years now, Christian Appalachian Project has relied on that vision to attract to kinds of people and resources needed to make a real difference. Even while
Christian Appalachian Project was still in its infancy as an organization, Rev. Beiting realized that—with the limitations imposed by available funding—his dedicated group of core staff members could only achieve so much. They had to find ways to stretch limited resources at their disposal as far as possible, and the obvious solution was and remains the same: enlisting the help of volunteers of any age that share a compassion for those in need in Appalachia, and seek to live out their faith through hard work and acts of kindness.
Today, Christian Appalachian Project hosts more than 1,000 short-term and long-term volunteers from around the country every year, all of them eager to participate in the work that Rev. Beiting started more than 50 years ago. With so many participants, it is no wonder that volunteers are so often referred to as the backbone of the organization.
But with countless other options for volunteer work throughout this country and so many nonprofits competing for help, one does have to wonder: how is Christian Appalachian Project able to attract so many volunteers? With all the worthy causes out there, what is it that draws them to come to Eastern Kentucky? And what is it about their experiences here that keeps many of them coming back again and again?
Common Threads
When a new employee or volunteer comes to work at Christian Appalachian Project, like many offices, there is an orientation process. One aspect of this process is that the leaders of the organization share about each department. When Kathleen Leavell, Volunteer Director and 40-year CAP veteran, stands to share her story, she discusses her own feelings of anticipation when she was first starting out as a young volunteer for CAP more than 40 years ago. “I came to the mountains from New England hoping to do good and change lives”, explains Kathleen. “What happened was that my own life was changed.” Serving as a volunteer stirred something in her heart, and led her to dedicate the rest of her career to serving people in need in Appalachia.
Kathleen’s experience echoes that of Rev. Beiting himself, who was sent to Eastern Kentucky as a young priest right out of seminary. “By the end of [my first] summer, I found I had fallen in love,” said Beiting. “I had fallen in love with the people, with the mountains, and with the challenge.”
The common threads of passion for the place and people, and a sense of calling to make a difference in the lives of those in need in Appalachia have tied together the volunteer community and the staff with the organization from the beginning.
Current Christian Appalachian Project long-term volunteers often talk of having similar motivations. Kirby Grein, a long-term volunteer with Christian Appalachian Project’s Family Advocacy program, described her motivation to serve as “a desire to learn more about poverty in the region and be able to help the cause in a tangible way.” Glenn Brumbaugh, a recent seminary graduate who
volunteers with the Elderly program, was looking for a way to “make a difference in the lives of those struggling under economic or social hardship and oppression.” Becky Paxton, a volunteer with Eagle Child and Family Development Center, felt a calling to Christian Appalachian Project after exploring many volunteer opportunities. Teleia Stringfellow, a volunteer with the Elderly Housing program, has always felt what she describes as a “burning desire to serve.”
Volunteers not only share many motivations and passions, but also often note the “rewarding challenges” of working in the field. Living in community, in particular, is a topic brought up by many of the volunteers as a great challenge that also yields great rewards. Inevitably, living in the same house as people of many differing ages, cultures, and personalities is going to be at the very least an adventure. Teleia Stringfellow highlights the importance of vulnerability in surviving and thriving within a volunteer community. While she appreciated how the community helped uplift her in her spiritual journey, she also says that it has pushed her to be vulnerable with her peers in a new and challenging way.
“I volunteer because of a desire to learn more about poverty in the region and to be able to help the cause in a tangible way.”
While Becky Paxton anticipated living in community would likewise stretch her as a person, she commented that she was pleasantly surprised by the support she received from both the community in which she lived and her work community. In her eyes, everyone she works with has truly become like family, with all people’s viewpoints and experiences being respected and valued.
One challenge Kirby Grein has faced in her tenure as a long-term volunteer with the Family Advocacy Program is that the assistance one person can provide feels so small in comparison with the larger problem of poverty facing Appalachia. She described the struggle to balance her desire to make a lasting change and recognizing immediate challenges participants face. Many volunteers similarly feel a sense of being overwhelmed by the scope of the problems in the region, but agree that they must learn to rely on each other in the work they do and to put the highest priority on investing in individual program participants and in the empowerment of those participants as a means to combat the larger problems.
As Glenn Brumbaugh, volunteer with the Elderly Services program, explains, “I think one of the greatest challenges will be in keeping a focus on empowerment with my participants, as I will be tempted to struggle to meet their needs instead of helping them to find ways of addressing their concerns in a self-sufficient manner.”
One way Christian Appalachian Project is working to empower participants throughout Appalachia, specifically in Eastern Kentucky, is through youth-oriented programming. Becky Paxton, a volunteer with the Eagle Child and Family Development Center, shares that while she has experienced volunteering with many different organizations, what she loves most about her position with Christian Appalachian Project has been experiencing the impact she has had on individual children. She proudly recalls one instance with a child at the Center who had presented many behavioral challenges early on. Now, after working with him a great deal, that same child will sit on her lap and call her his teacher. Not just a teacher, his teacher
“In my experience, I have found that giving myself in service to others has been very rewarding, as well as a very personal blessing.”
The volunteer experience is not only about changing communities, but is ripe with personal growth. As with Kathleen Leavell, the Christian Appalachian Project volunteer experience has led many of the volunteers through their own journey of personal transformation. Like the best of relationships, the one that exists between Christian Appalachian Project, its participants, and its volunteers is mutually beneficial.
Many volunteers feel that their professional lives have been positively affected. Glenn Brumbaugh’s primary role in
the Elderly program has been to fulfill the needs of elderly participants by visiting with them and giving them that basic human contact that they crave. He smiled as he shared that he has become an honorary grandson to many participants. But not only has he impacted lives and met needs—he has also been able to deepen his skills in pastoral care, which will help him in pastoral roles for the rest of his career.
Kirby Grein says that her experience has given her confirmation on her career direction, as she plans on working in the human service field. She believes that her tenure has taught her to really listen to each person’s story and empathize with them, a trait that will help her through her life as she works to connect with and uplift those in need.
Almost unanimously, volunteers agree that what is perhaps the most important outcome of their long-term volunteer service terms are the relationships they have built. In keeping with the legacy of love forged 50 years ago, volunteers with Christian Appalachian Project continue day after day to pour themselves into their relationships with not only participants, but with each other and with God. Every volunteer seems to echo the sentiment that they have been drawn to the spiritual aspect of the organization, and have grown as a result of the support given while living in community.
“In my experience, I have found that giving myself in service to others has been very rewarding, as well as a very personal blessing,” says Becky Paxton. “It has helped me continue to grow as a person and in my relationship with God. I also believe that I am making new friendships that will last a lifetime.” n
By Clay Lester
Carol is reluctant to tell her story.
Having heard her story on various occasions from multiple Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) staff, I know it is powerful and inspiring--the kind of story that begs to be told and told again. Perhaps she is hesitant to recount the events that led to her current role as a volunteer in CAP’s Family Advocacy program because her’s isn’t the kind of grandiose tale that traditionally elicits broad attention. This is true; Carol’s story is a small story, intimate and personal. It is as much a story of simple, unassuming friendship as it is an account of remarkable compassion and humanity. As Carol contemplates the significance of her journey and the choices she has made along the way, her best friend, Brenda, offers reprieve to the silence with her own retelling of Carol’s history with CAP.
“I started at CAP August 29, 1994. I met Carol a year later,” says Brenda, who manages the Family Advocacy program in the Sandy Valley Region. She continues, “Our respite care started at Carol’s home in 1993, and before that time she never left her house. Even after the respite care started, she didn’t want to stay out of the house the full six hours. That was because the most precious thing in Carol’s life was at home—her son Michael.”
Michael, who is paralyzed, requires around-the-clock attention. Now 54, he was injured in a car accident shortly after his 19th birthday, at which point Carol made a promise to God that her life would be dedicated to
supporting and providing care for Michael if he survived. With no family in the area, Carol was left to tend to her son alone. In the life of a full-time caregiver, even a quick trip to the store for groceries becomes a nerve-racking odyssey requiring much planning and preparation. Carol needed help.
Somewhat serendipitously, Carol’s mother in Ohio made
“They just came in and relieved me. It was my only way out.”
her aware of Christian Appalachian Project, an organization to which she had donated and whose respite services seemed like a Godsend. In spite of the services they were providing throughout her community, Carol was unfamiliar with CAP until she contacted them in the hopes that they may be able to offer some assistance.
“They just came in and relieved me,” Carol remembers. “I could go get groceries or medicine and make doctors appointments or trips to the bank. It was just my only way out.”
It was during this period of respite care that Carol met Brenda Crum, a relatively new CAP employee assigned to sit with Michael. Brenda soon became the primary respite
caregiver for Carol, providing comfort and support to her and her son for almost 6 years. Eventually Carol was able to secure the aid of brain injury specialists to care for Michael five days a week, which allowed her the opportunity to return the favor to Brenda (and CAP).
“After I was diagnosed with cancer and spent a year in treatment, I realized that I was just weak. I knew that if I just stayed in that house I was only going to get worse,” Carol admits. “And I thought that after all CAP had done for me, it was time to pay it forward.” With specialists now available to care for Michael, Carol decided to start volunteering alongside Brenda in CAP’s Family Advocacy program. It should be noted that the service provided by the brain injury specialists is not without its own cost, which Carol pays every month.
Each morning, after the specialist arrives at her home, Carol goes straight to the Family Advocacy office to work with Brenda, often until four or five o’clock in the afternoon. Brenda encourages Carol to use some of her time for personal pleasures, such as reading, but Carol is quick to respond, “I didn’t come here to read, I came here to work.” And there is plenty of work to be done.
Brenda and Carol spend much of their time unloading and organizing donated goods, which often arrive in a tractor trailer. Their warehouse is immaculately kept--walls of clothing give way to walls of dishes, followed by walls of bedding, appliances, toys, and the like. They take great care with these household items, because they know that as soon as they are stacked on shelves a family suffering from a burnout, or some equally devastating situation, will likely need them. One doubts whether an army of laborers could equal the precision, passion, or work ethic of these two women. “Before I started volunteering here, Brenda was alone. There’s no way she could do all this on her own… and she’s a workaholic, just like me,” chuckles Carol.
When a trailer of Christmas gifts arrived last year, Carol and Brenda went to work. “It was hard, but we did it. That truck was probably 90 percent full, with boxes from floor
to ceiling. We took our little roller carts, boxes stacked as high as we could get them, and Carol would push the cart while I stood in the truck and passed the boxes out to her,” explains Brenda.
“And how many families did we serve?” asks Carol proudly. “It was over 700 families that we helped with that load.”
Still surprised that anyone would ever want to hear her story, much less that anyone would find her actions
“After all CAP had done for me, it was time to pay it forward.”
--Carol, CAP volunteer and former participant
extraordinary, Carol quietly allows Brenda to speak on her behalf. “She pays someone to go to her home and care for her son just so she can come here to volunteer. I’ve never met anyone like her, and I doubt I ever will. She loves to work. We just love each other, and we love CAP, and we love to help people.”
The story of Carol is perhaps best told by others, after all. What began as a tale of a mother’s love for her son eventually became part of Brenda’s story, which soon became a part of CAP’s story, and is now a story intertwined with the stories of thousands of families and individuals whose lives have been affected by Carol.
“I just want to help, I don’t know what to tell you,” Carol explains. “I want to help Brenda, help people—just give back. I do what needs to be done. I don’t feel I’m doing anything that someone else wouldn’t do if they had the chance or opportunity.”
This is precisely why Carol’s story needs to be told. n
Summer Reflections
By Felicia Carter
Six-year-old Conner* arrived at Camp Shawnee in tattered clothes and clutching an old, worn-out suitcase. Camp manager Pat Griffith immediately took notice. “He was very protective of his suitcase,” she recalled. She soon found out why. “It was empty,” Griffith said. “All he had for a week at camp was the clothes and shoes he was wearing.”
Griffith told Conner she needed his help with something. She took him to the storage room where extra clothes are kept and asked him to help her pick out clothes for a little boy who just happened to be the same size. She held up shirts, shorts, and jeans and asked Conner to choose the ones he thought the other little boy would like. When they had gathered everything into a pile, Pat turned to Conner and asked if he’d like to put the clothes in his suitcase.
As Conner nodded yes, his face broke into a big grin. “His eyes said everything,” Pat recalled.
Rev. Ralph Beiting helped hundreds of people in need in Eastern Kentucky, beginning in the early 1950s, but the faces of children touched his heart most deeply. Seeking to provide them a temporary escape from poverty and the hardships it brings, he recruited volunteers to build a camp.
The forerunner of Christian Appalachian Project, Cliffview Lodge at Lake Herrington near Lancaster, Ky. attracted 55 children to its first session.
Campers told parents and friends how much fun they
were having, and Christian Appalachian Project gradually expanded the physical plant from one building to five to allow more children to participate.
In 1968, Rev. Beiting made the strategic decision to buy a tract of land near McKee, Ky. that looked like an ideal location for another camp. After building a lake and dormitory, Christian Appalachian Project welcomed the first group of children to Camp Andrew Jackson in 1969.
Rev. Beiting started the second camp, a former Boy Scout camp, further east in Martin, Kentucky. The Boy
Scouts closed the 300-acre camp in 1985, and two years later, Christian Appalachian Project signed a lease with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “Rev. Beiting and a group of volunteers worked hard to get the grounds ready for campers,” said Barry Powers, Camp Shawnee coordinator. “They finished the building just in time for their six-week season.”
While the natural setting of Camp Shawnee and Camp Andrew Jackson make them the perfect location for outdoor fun and adventure, it’s the counselors who
distinguish Christian Appalachian Project summer camps from others. “They travel from all over the nation and world, at their own expense, to make a difference in the lives of children,” Powers said.
To this day, the majority of summer staff are volunteers, according to Powers. “We couldn’t have camp if we had to pay staff,” he said. “We couldn’t have it without the financial support of people who have a soft spot for kids, either.”
It costs $10 to attend camp for a week of hiking, fishing, swimming, and canoeing. There’s also a social and education component to build character and self-esteem, and plenty to eat. Families who can’t afford the $10 camp fee don’t pay anything. The actual cost of a week of camp is $500, according to Mike O’Brien, coordinator at Camp Andrew Jackson.
During the school year, camp staff tutor and mentor students in local public schools, conduct literacy programs, and help students develop coping skills through classes in anger management, conflict resolution, and bullying prevention.
Christian Appalachian Project employees, churches and other organizations hold retreats at both camps in spring, fall and winter. n
Christian Appalachian Project charges $10 for a week of fun and learning at Camp Andrew Jackson and Camp Shawnee; the actual cost per child is $500. If you would like to sponsor a child, please complete this form and mail to:
Summer Camp Sponsorships
Attn: Susie Hillard Bullock 2610 Palumbo Drive Lexington, KY 40509
AROUND THE CAMPFIRE
Summer camp is in full swing at Camp Shawnee in Martin, Ky. and Camp Andrew Jackson in McKee, Ky. Americorps/VISTA volunteer and contributing writer Felicia Carter, 23, of Monticello, Kentucky, asked Barry Powers and Mike O’Brien, coordinators at Camp Shawnee and Camp Andrew Jackson, respectively, to share their thoughts about what makes Christian Appalachian Project’s camp program so distinctive.
Felicia: Why have you chosen to invest your life in Christian Appalachian Project’s summer camp program?
Barry: I have chosen to invest my life into camp because camp invested in me. When I was younger, camp was an escape for me. I shared a room with my sister for 16 years. Any opportunity to get some time away, I took.
When I was young, my parents lived somewhere between the bottom of the middle class to just above the poverty line. My father was a hard-working carpenter who provided us with a phenomenal childhood, but we were still very poor. Camp provided me with a muchneeded vacation on a yearly basis. I strive very hard to provide that for the kids that come to camp today.
Beyond all of that, camp is where my relationship with Christ began. Although I knew about Him and what He stood for, it was not until I spent time with counselors who were investing their lives in me and saw Christ in them that I understood what Christianity and grace truly meant. God called me to work with kids at summer camp. For those reasons, I have devoted my life to Him and His mission.
Mike: One of my favorite songs to come out of camp in the last few years is Mumford and Sons “Awake
My Soul.” One of the lines in the song goes “In these bodies we will live; in these bodies we will die. Where you invest your love, you invest your life.” That’s it in a nutshell. I’ve loved summer camp since I was a kid attending them, and the only jobs I’ve ever really loved were summer camp jobs. I love that camp is a way to empower and encourage kids in a non-structured way. I get to encourage them to play, affirm that they are special and cool and someone cares about them, and help them find joy in these truths.
Also, I met my wife at Camp Andrew Jackson. We were married here at the large fire pit in 2011. We both love what camp means to the kids, the counselors, the parents, and everyone associated with it. Camp is a place to be happy just being yourself. We don’t ask kids or counselors to be “professional” or act in a certain way. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that? I want to be here to help make camp better for kids and counselors, year in and year out.
Felicia: What are you most looking forward to this summer?
Barry: I’m looking most forward to the same thing I look forward to every summer—the smiling faces coming up the hill to be with us for a week. It is a joy
to see them coming every summer and to see the joy we are able to provide to them. Roughly 85 percent of our campers live below the poverty line, and a significant percentage of those live in foster care. Providing them with that vacation or escape and having the opportunity to inspire them to something greater is a huge blessing.
In movies, kids being dropped off at camp often act like they dread it, some crying because they don’t want to go. In my experience at Camp Shawnee, the exact opposite is true. I cannot count the number of kids who can’t wait to get to camp and begin their new adventure with us. When they do cry, it’s usually because they don’t want to leave. They realize their escape from the harsh realities of their everyday lives is over.
Our campers experience unconditional love and security for a week, thanks to Christian Appalachian Project supporters and their gifts. We hope they are able to hold onto that gift for as long as possible when their time with us is over.
Mike: I’m most excited to have kids here. It’s been a long winter, and I’m itching to be outside swimming and playing and laughing and screaming. Other than that, we have a ton of new stuff at camp. We have three new hiking trails, a nature/wilderness education program, a gaga pit (a toned- down hybrid of soccer and dodge ball), turtle races, and the coolest thing - a professional performance stage with curtains and spotlights for our talent show. Our junior counselors (16- and 17-year olds who are too old to be campers and too young to serve as counselors) planned and built it. They had the idea and put it into action as a way to give back to the camp they’ve been coming to for eight or nine years.
Felicia: Why do you love camp?
Barry: There is nothing like it in the world. For a week at a time, we have a captive audience that is eager to have a good time and learn as much as possible. Our theme at Camp Shawnee this year is “Superhero Summer.” Each day the kids will be looking at a different superhero and learning to practice traits we should emulate, such as service, responsibility, respect, peacemaking, and humility. For example, one day will be devoted to Captain America and his unrelenting devotion to service and how each of us should find a way to serve others.
Also we have presenters who will teach on a variety of topics. For example, a representative from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife will help campers learn about animals and the environment and how to care for them so that they are here for the next generation to enjoy.
All that being said, what I love most about camp is our ability to provide a safe, loving environment for kids that allows them to “just be kids,” if only for a little while. So many of the children come from poverty-stricken environments. They may not know where their next meal will come from or what it will be. There’s nothing more satisfying than being able to banish those worries from their minds and allow them to think more along the lines of “When do I get to go swimming?” or “I wonder what craft we’re making today.”
Our job at camp is to be the fulfillment of Matthew 25:37-40. “Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” That’s what truly brings my love of camp to life.
Mike: I love camp because every year, no matter what, this huge group of young people comes from around the country to volunteer because they believe in each camper’s life and potential. This place draws in people who give their hearts to these kids, making camp the most magical week possible. I think back to one of my mentors at camp who once looked at all of us young
counselors with tears in her eyes and demanded of us to “Love those kids with everything you’ve got.” Somehow, no matter the group of counselors we have, every single one of them wrings every last drop of love out of their hearts and pours it into this camp and these kids. That’s why we’re special - it’s not about money or friendship or being outside. It’s about the kids.
Felicia: How many campers will you have?
Barry: We have 80 beds, and average between 400-500 campers during a typical summer.
Mike: We also have 80 beds. We serve 500-600 kids every summer.
Felicia: How many volunteers do you have each summer? Where do they come from? What’s the value of having them? Why do you think they return?
Barry: We have 50-60 camp counselors each summer. Some stay for a week, some for the entire summer. We’ve had counselors from almost every state and from as far away as Ireland and the Philippines.
They are truly dedicated individuals who come here at their own expense because of their love for kids and Christ. We could not hold camp without them. They provide unconditional love to children who desperately need it. Their service is the best example of selflessness that many of the kids will see. Beyond that, the kids are always encouraged by them and the stories they bring and the things that they are doing in life.
There’s a quote that reminds me of our counselors and the inspiration they provide to our kids: “Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the
shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... anything can happen, child. Anything can be.” - Shel Silverstein
Our counselors have gone on to do great and mighty things. It’s an opportunity for campers to have the opportunity to see that it’s possible to rise above your circumstances in life and be the person God has gifted you to be. Campers learn a lot from our counselors.
They come back for the same reasons that I always did: the camaraderie and the understanding that you’re engaging in something much larger than yourself. In just a few weeks’ time, the counselors will forge lifelong friendships. My best friend is someone I met at camp over 20 years ago. He and I have been in each other’s weddings, and I was there for the birth of his first child.
Finally, there’s just something about camp. Anyone who’s ever worked at a camp will tell you how much they loved it. Camp Shawnee is a special place. Once you’ve experienced it, it’s in your heart forever.
Mike: Our counselors are the reason this camp still is here, because we couldn’t afford to pay 20 counselors per week to be here. They come back because they believe in Camp Andrew Jackson. They form incredible, unbreakable friendships in the few short weeks they’re here. Like the campers, they love to be outside and swim and scream and sing songs surrounded by love and sunshine and laughter. They come back because they see what camp does for kids. They come back because there’s something about Camp Andrew Jackson that captures the deepest, most special place in your heart. And you can’t get it back. You can only leave it here for future generations of campers and counselors.
compassion
Mountain Movers n
Bob Hutchison: Building a Better Appalachia n How I Learned to Give n
MOUNTAIN MOVERS
Stories that shine a spotlight on YOU and YOUR support of Christian Appalachian Project’s mission.
Whilemany businesses send food, wine, and other trinkets to top customers at Christmas, Louise Blanchard and her staff at Employee Benefits Administrators, a third-party medical and benefits administrator in Arcadia, California, have landed on a different way to express their appreciation.
“A few years ago, a vice president called to thank me for the gift as he was boarding a cruise to the Bahamas,” Louise said, recalling the moment she decided to make a change. “It hit me that the gifts were going to people who had the means to buy whatever they wanted. Why not use the money to help people who really need it?”
In December 2012, Louise and her staff voted to honor clients with a donation to Christian Appalachian Project to provide food, shelter, and clothing to people in need in Appalachia.
“It’s a great thing,” said Pat Petrocelli, chief operating officer for Walker Zanger, a tile company in Southern California. “The other stuff that comes at Christmas—do we really need it? No. We very much appreciate what Louise does to make life better for others.”
Giving seems to come naturally to the people at Employee Benefits Administrators. Throughout the year, they hold poker tournaments, bingo games, potluck lunches, and raffles for holiday baskets and movie tickets to raise money.
“I enjoy organizing the fundraisers each month,” said staffer Renee Townsend. “I know the money goes to a good cause.”
“It’s an awesome opportunity to show God’s love and bring joy to people. Hearing that there is so much need in our own country has been eye-opening,” coworker Amy French added.
Louise matches or doubles what employees raise (depending on how good a year the company has had), and a portion is donated to Christian Appalachian Project. The rest is used to buy food and Christmas gifts for a local family identified by the Salvation Army. n --Susie Hillard Bullock
Manylong-term relationships have strange beginnings. One that began in 1994 was the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. William
Crompton and Christian Appalachian Project. Mrs. Crompton said that “William was walking through the back yard and saw a $20 on the sidewalk. He was an institutional food salesman so he called a Sister at one of the hospitals he serviced who worked for Catholic Charities and asked her where he should send this money; she told him about the Christian Appalachian Project. The nun told him about the work Father Beiting did and said that every penny would go for the good of the people.”
The Cromptons support numerous charities. “We have six or seven charities that we support and CAP is one of them. We can’t give much but we know that every little bit helps.” She added, “I know the people of Appalachia have a hard time and what little we give helps.”
Mrs. Crompton grew up in Booneville, KY and her family is associated with the Searcy Strong Funeral Home. Living in Owsley County gave Mrs. Crompton a firsthand look at poverty in Appalachia. Owsley county is consistently considered one of the poorest in the nation. “I am from Booneville so I know the housing can be pitiful.”
The Cromptons’ relationship with each other is worthy of a story in and of itself. They have been happily married for 68 years. During their 68 years, the Lord has blessed them with three sons as well as beautiful grandchildren n --Larry Pelfrey
Louise Blanchard and her staff at Employee Benefits Administrators
In1986, Scott Haner and wife Jo Ann heard CAP founder Reverend Ralph Beiting speak at the University of Kentucky’s Newman Center. “His story was so genuine and showed us an avenue to bring our Catholic faith to life outside our community,” Haner recalls. “We made a contribution to support the CAP effort and have been supporters ever since.”
Haner is a retired executive from Yum! Brands. His family owned the former Louisville, Ky. landmark Mazzoni’s Café, which served the original rolled oyster, for five generations since 1884. From childhood, he was taught the meaning of service and the value of hard work and money. So The Haner family’s generosity is as thoughtful as it is faithmotivated.
“God has blessed us so abundantly,” Haner reflects. “And CAP has provided us an opportunity to give back to others with grateful hearts.”
Haner is a man of positive energy. His corporate success is due in part to that contagious enthusiasm. So his passion for CAP should surprise no one.
He views the people of Appalachia as neighbors and shares their values of Christian faith and strong family heritage. But he recognizes that due to many societal challenges they frequently lack basic needs, such as food, shelter, and clothing, among other necessities.
“CAP programs reach out to these neighbors and seek to address their needs.” He adds, “They also provide volunteer opportunities which allow wellmeaning folks to expand their worldview and help their brothers and sisters in need.”
Haner also serves on the Board of the Society of St. Vincent dePaul in Louisville and Nazareth Farm in West Virginia, and is a Permanent Deacon in the Roman Catholic Church. He sees his involvement with CAP as an opportunity to honor Rev. Beiting by living out his own faith through giving and service. n
--Paul Ransdell
Meet Our Christian Appalachian Project Major Gift Officers
Paul Ransdell, Ed.D. Director of Development
Dr. Paul Ransdell is a native Kentuckian and a graduate of Georgetown College. He studied leadership at Spalding University, and earned a doctorate in administration at Vanderbilt University. He has also received specialized training through the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, and the Institute for Charitable Giving. And he is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
Dr. Ransdell has been a fundraising professional for 28 years for a variety of educational, human service, and youth organizations. He is married to Suzanne Ransdell; they have two children ages 12 and 13.
Susie Hillard Bullock Senior Development Officer
Susie Hillard Bullock is a 1981 graduate of Berea College. A native of Jackson County, Ky., Susie grew up in nearby London, Ky. She joined Christian Appalachian Project in July 2013, bringing more than 20 years’ experience in nonprofit development. As senior development officer, she visits friends of Christian Appalachian Project in Southern California, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Ohio, southwest Florida, and Kentucky.
Larry Pelfrey Manager of Planned Giving
Larry Pelfrey is a 1985 graduate of Berea College. Originally from Greenup County in Eastern Kentucky, Larry joined Christian Appalachian Project in September of 2012. He serves as the Manager of Planned Giving and has worked in development for approximately 20 years. Larry is married to his wife of 25 years, Karin Erlandsson Pelfrey. Their 21 year old son Ben is a junior at EKU.
Scott and Jo Ann, with daughters Lauren and Julie
Building a Better Appalachia
How one man’s compassion is moving mountains.
By Susie Hillard Bullock
Bob Hutchison’s parents taught him the importance of hard work and sharing—lessons that guide the eastern Kentucky entrepreneur and Christian Appalachian Project board member to this day.
“It was the culture that my parents created for my four brothers and me,” said Bob, who lived in Akron, Ohio, until the age of six when the family moved to Green, Ohio. “Anything I do that’s good, I attribute to the life lessons my parents taught me.”
Bob’s mother Mary Jane often told her sons stories about growing up during the Great Depression. “Neighbors worked together to make sure everyone had what they needed,” he said. “Everybody in the neighborhood had something to offer that others didn’t,” Bob recalled. “My mom and grandmother were the only ones who could sew.”
Family was everything to Mary Jane, a caterer, and Bill, director of operations for several McDonalds restaurants; the couple never hesitated to take in relatives and friends who needed a home and food. At one time, the family of seven shared the one-bathroom home with a grandmother, another elderly woman,
Bob entered the work force at age nine, delivering the Akron Beacon Journal. Five years later, following in his father’s footsteps, he began working at McDonald’s.
In 1978, McDonald’s offered Bill franchise rights for Paintsville, Kentucky, a small town in Johnson County in Eastern Kentucky. Bill, Mary Jane, Bob, and brother Tom made three trips to Paintsville before making a decision.
“It was raining on the first visit,” said Bob, who was 24 at the time and in his last year at Kent State University, “and it was raining cats and dogs on the second visit.”
“I see the impact Christian Appalachian Project has on the lives of the local people.”
Although the gloomy weather cast a pall on the family’s excitement, they decided to make a third and
and a cousin.
final trip. Admiring the natural beauty of mountains and valleys that had been shrouded in rain and fog on previous visits, Bob, an avid outdoorsman, grabbed a map and circled all of the state parks in and near Paintsville.
“I think I’ll like this place,” he said.
A Heart for Appalachia
The prediction made 36 years ago turned out to be an understatement. Bob loves Eastern Kentucky and its people and proves it every day through his service and support.
“If I have a mission, it’s to share what I have with young people and help them be productive individuals,” said Bob, whose long list of volunteer activities includes serving as a trustee at Midway College and the University of Pikeville in Kentucky, board member for the Bluegrass Council for Boy Scouts of America, and chairman of the Johnson County Board of Education.
“You have to care about people. It’s rewarding to have a part in shaping someone’s future.”
Bob also owns two car dealerships, Hutch Chevrolet Buick GMC and Hutch Chrysler Dodge Jeep and Ram in Paintsville, and Columbus Gasket and Supply in Columbus, Ohio. “I don’t know how he has the energy to do all he does,” said fellow board member Nancy Horn Baker of Winchester, Ky. “ He takes an active role in every community where he has stores.”
When Bob met Christian Appalachian Project founder, the Rev. Ralph Beiting, in the late 80s, he knew he had found a way to help children as well as families, the elderly, and the disabled, but on a much larger scale.
“I got to know Father Beiting and started learning about Christian Appalachian Project when he asked me to help with a construction project,” Bob said.
“If I have a mission, it’s to share what I have with young people and help them be productive individuals.”
“Then he asked me to help organize a car show to raise money for CAP. We really bonded on that one.”
Bob needed little convincing when Rev. Beiting asked him to serve on CAP’s board of directors. “I was captivated by his ambition and his vision for Christian Appalachian Project,” Bob said. “He knew how to get things done. He didn’t have time or patience for bureaucracy.”
Since jumping in with both feet 20 yeas ago, Bob has lent “business acumen, informed by wisdom and sound judgment” to board decisions, according to CAP President and CEO Guy Adams.
Also, you can count on him to be among the first in
l-r: Guy Adams, President & CEO CAP, Bob Hutchinson, Kay Yates, President AFP Bluegrass Chapter
COMPASSION
line when the organization faces a sudden and urgent need for boots-on-the-ground volunteers.
“Bob has a big heart,” Adams said. “He was right in the middle of the action, helping unload tractor trailers carrying water and supplies for hurricane victims in Mississippi and tornado victims in Eastern Kentucky two years ago.”
CAP’s longest serving board member also uses his influence to bring in new blood. Bob gets credit for recruiting at least a dozen former and current board members— including Nancy Horn Barker of Winchester and board chairman Denny Dorton, Trigg Dorton’s son.
A Helping Hand
If Bob needs a reminder of why he continues to serve through CAP, all he has to do is look around. New shopping centers and subdivisions and highly-ranked schools point to the progress that’s been made; however, dilapidated houses, under-nourished children, families torn apart by alcohol and drug abuse, and the elderly and disabled living in neglect leave no doubt about the challenging work that remains to be done.
everything,” Bob said.
He also knows young people who have benefited from CAP’s professional counseling services and others with chronically ill relatives who received respite care. “I see the impact Christian Appalachian Project has on the lives of the local people,” Bob said.
“Faith and the teachings of the Bible are what you see consistently with Christian Appalachian Project. Helping widows, children, the elderly . . . that’s how we were raised, and it’s what Christian Appalachian Project is all about. Knowing CAP is solid, that it’s doing the right things for the right reasons makes it easy for me to do what I can to help.”
“Bob has always supported the mission of CAP and puts his energy and resources where his mouth is,” said board chairman and Paintsville native Denny Dorton. “He has certainly made a difference in the life of Christian Appalachian Project. “
A Circle of Giving
“We have programs to help people who want to help themselves and programs for people who can’t, such as children, shut-ins, and the elderly,“ he said. “If people knew everything CAP does to help people, they’d be surprised.”
He remembers one woman, in particular, who was ecstatic about Christian Appalachian Project putting in a water line and installing a new roof on her house. “She was tickled to death. You would have thought she had been given a mansion with the finest of
In most parts of Kentucky, when you introduce yourself, folks ask about your kin. Lifelong residents of Ohio, the Hutchisons had no family or business connections in Paintsville. They were starting from scratch when they walked into bank president Trigg Dorton’s office to discuss a loan to open a McDonald’s restaurant.
“He asked us to tell him about our lives, beginning with our earliest memory,” Bob said, describing the unconventional application process.
Mr. Dorton listened and made a few notes as Bob described his first job—a paper route—when he was nine, working at McDonalds since age 14, and working four jobs while attending college: McDonald’s store manager, mowing yards, striping parking lots, and working for the sheriff’s department.
COMPASSION
The Hutchisons were speechless when Dorton called the next morning and told them their loan had been approved, and the proceeds were ready and waiting. “I had never seen that much money,” Bob recalled. “Initially, we didn’t sign any papers. Mr. Dorton called it a ‘character loan.’”
The Hutchisons opened the Paintsville McDonald’s October 5, 1979. The business has grown to include an additional 13 restaurants in Eastern Kentucky. Several years ago, Trigg and Denny Dorton invited Bob to join the bank’s board of directors. “I try to stay as involved as I can in carrying on Mr. Dorton’s legacy,” Bob said. “If it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t be where we are today. He made it possible for my dad to realize the dream of owning his own business.” n
Appalachian Legacy Society
How I Learned to Give
The people, places, things, and events that first inspired our belief in the power of generosity.
I feel that a portion of my good fortune and the results of my efforts should be shared. I do this through donations and volunteering when time allows...At the bottom of it, I am attempting to practice almsgiving. -- Tony Knaus, Bethel Park, PA, CAP supporter since 1988.
Where did I first learn to give? I learned about the importance of giving as a student at Berea College, a private, liberal arts college in Kentucky that admits financially needy students and charges no tuition. Without the generosity of thousands of strangers, whose donations built the endowment that makes Berea’s historic “no tuition” policy possible, I could not have attended college. God has been good to me, and I try to “pay it forward” every day.-- Susie Hillard Bullock, Lexington, KY, CAP Senior Development Officer.
I was taught to give and make this a habit as a child when I would place my one dollar bill in the offering plate each week. But, it wasn’t until I was older, as a young adult, when I made the choice to write checks that were a true sacrifice that I began to learn the freedom and inner joy that comes with giving. I think these small steps led me to consider and ultimately choose to leave my job and do a year of service. That forever changed my life and my perspective on the central place giving should have in my life.-- Jenny King, Mt. Vernon, KY, CAP
I’m just glad to help. I was born in Covington, KY, and traveled for 27 years throughout the Appalachian region covering Harlan and Hazard and other communities. So I know what it’s like in those coal mining areas. I just want to help for as long as I can help. Of course I’m not getting any younger!-- Clarence Harden, West Columbia, SC, CAP supporter since 2000
How did YOU learn to give? Share your stories of the people, places, things, and events that first inspired YOUR belief in the power of generosity by writing to The Mountain Spirit, Christian Appalachian Project, P.O. Box 55911, Lexington, KY 40555 or by emailing Clay Lester at clester@chrisapp.org. We may use your response in an upcoming issue.
Back Porch Poetry
Old Kentucky Home
Jogging out the rain alone to my thoughts along the road by the racetrack— people driving past must think me strange
Out here like this, treading water just to feel a little something of you more closely, more clearly listening at you play awhile for me, for us — the thoroughbreds safe in their stalls, half the state under storm watch watching you watching us, washing over us spitting, spattering, stuttering summer rain streaming down into the gutters cut beneath the sidewalk pulling yesterday’s far-flung clover clippings with it—
I think, I feel, I love you more and more: my home away from home the only one I’ve ever had but barely known, and all my quick, heavy breaths of you crashing slick pavement underfoot— cannot (begin to) convey how much I do.
Someday, if I had to guess when my few miles have been run I’ll retire to you old Kentucky home— I hope I die out here, like this, in the rain wet as the farm dogs.
Every poem I have ever written, lousy as they all have been started, I think, with the rain and longing for a home.
--Ben Self AmeriCorps Volunteer, Christian Appalachian Project Lexington, KY
play with purpose
By Clay Lester
Appalachia is home to a dizzying array of local festivals dedicated to the celebration of indigenous sources of pride and pleasure, from homemade crafts and culinary staples to mountain music and natural wonders. Often a little offbeat and slightly quirky, the personality of these festivals tends to reflect the homegrown charm of the tightly knit communities from which they emerged. While many of these festivals have such a storied and mythological past they seem to have existed since the dawn of humanity, others have very recent and practical roots in the desire to attract commerce and exposure to local artisans and artifacts. And then there is the PlayThink Movement & Flow Arts Festival, a four-day celebration so unusual and unexpected that it could only have arisen from the fertile creative soil of Appalachia.
For a few days each June, hundreds of pilgrims from across the country, representing all ages and walks of life, descend upon the tiny HomeGrown HideAways farm (located just outside Berea, KY) to engage in a family friendly community of movement, music, art, sustainability, and performance. Workshops led by nationally recognized experts in a seemingly endless list of “flow” arts, including yoga, hula-hoops, aerials, fire dancing, and unicycling, are offered with the intent of
empowering participants emotionally, physically, and mentally. The main reason folks attend the festival, however, is for the opportunity to simply play.
“I wanted to create an environment where we can be a playful but conscientious community toward others,” explains Paige Hankla, the festival’s creator, organizer, and most passionate advocate.
Hankla, an administrative specialist with the Kentucky Department of Aviation, conceived the idea of a local movement festival in January of 2012 and six months later that dream was reality.
“When I started PlayThink I didn’t know exactly what I wanted it to become, but I knew that I wanted to harbor a new definition of “flow” and create a new kind of festival that I would feel comfortable attending. I wanted it to be family friendly and community oriented, with a focus on creating a safe space where everyone feels welcomed,” Paige explains.
Probably an unfamiliar term to those uninitiated to it, the concept of “flow” springs from and informs a number of movement-based activities with which it is commonly associated (yoga, poi, hoops, dance, etc.), but it is hardly limited to these disciplines and activities. Hankla describes it as a type of meditative or contemplative state that most people probably already experience in the activities of their lives, such
Erica Chambers, Photographer
as shooting a basketball, painting a picture, working in your garden for hours, or even during extended periods of prayer—though you probably call it by another name. Phrases like “in the zone,” “on a roll,” and “in the groove” are more widely used expressions for the idea of flow, but they all imply the same thing; flow is just anytime you are so focused you forget everything else and simply exist in the present.
“I wanted to create an environment where we can be a playful but conscientious community towardothers.”
Although the largest cross-section of attendees are in their 20s and 30s, PlayThink is defined by its inclusivity and celebration of all generations.
According to Hankla, the youngest attendee at last year’s festival was 4 months old and the oldest was 94. Of course at a gathering so intentionally focused on play, children not only experience the fun of running around in an open field with bubbles and hoops and obstacle courses and clowning, but they naturally serve as the de facto embodiment of the power of play to their older counterparts. Some children even serve as instructors for their own workshops, which is both empowering to them and provides adults the opportunity to truly be led by a child.
Likewise, participants on the other end of life’s spectrum add valuable perspective to the makeshift community and are sometimes surprised by how much they take away from the experience. Winnie, a clowning instructor in her late 60s, sent Hankla an email following her first festival to express how included she felt. Winnie said she never realized she could have so much fun in such a diverse space and feel that comfortable.
“When people get older they can sometimes feel like they can’t go out, or have fun, or move in a the manner that maybe a 20 year old can and it’s intimidating and scary. This is a place where you’re going to be completely welcomed. You’re going to be brought in and hugged and become part of our community,” Hankla says.
As Appalachian festivals go, PlayThink is something different. It is a patchwork of passions and influences converging for the purpose of creating a new kind of community built on hospitality, the open exchange of new ideas, and, of course, play. Paige’s affection for
play as a means to growth and transformation is based on the reality that play is largely the method by which people learn everything as infants. She believes it can continue to inform growth throughout one’s lifetime, providing a positive way to engage the world.
“We’re empowering people, even the little kids, to trust themselves and that’s something can be applied to the poverty I see in Appalachia—to encourage and allow people to be their very best and to trust themselves. I want to empower people.”
For more information on the PlayThink Movement and Flow Arts Festival you can visit www.playthinkfest.com
This new documentary, narrated by actor Martin Sheen, features the history and mission of Reverend Ralph Beiting and Christian Appalachian Project. 50 Years in the Mountains: The Story of the Christian Appalachian Project is available for viewing at www.christianapp.org
christianapp.org
