IN THIS ISSUE n More than Hope n Orchestrated Blessings n Angels on Earth n A Lasting Impact
Spirit VOL. 40, NO. 1 | SPRING/SUMMER 2021
RISE and Shine A BIANNUAL PUBLICATION OF CHRISTIAN APPALACHIAN PROJECT
Spirit
A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR This issue of “The Mountain Spirit” brings two Scripture verses to mind: Proverbs 29:18, “Without vision, the people perish.” and Habukkak 2:2, “Write the vision and make it plain.” Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) has done amazing work for nearly 60 years, but I love the fact that leadership, employees, and volunteers are not content to rest on what has been done before. We continue to press forward to build on the foundation so that generations from now, CAP will still be working to meet emerging challenges.
Building hope, transforming lives, and sharing Christ’s love through service in Appalachia. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & CREATIVE DIRECTOR Tina V. Bryson Tina V. Bryson tbryson@chrisapp.org
About 10 years ago, CAP produced its first strategic plan laying out the direction we would be headed in the future. A 30-year vision was laid out in 2015 to chart the course of how to build on the work. We look for ways every day to celebrate our successes: donors who give generously, volunteers who serve with compassion, employees who work from a standard of excellence. But CAP also looks for ways to expand from where we are to help more people in Appalachia. How do we get there? We write the vision. We make it plain. We live the vision. Our latest five-year strategic plan was interrupted by the wild year that we called 2020, but we have continued to live out that plan even in the midst of a pandemic. Our four aspiration statements seek to respond to the need, invest in partnerships, share our mission, and expand our capacity. On page 20, you will read about Willie Ousley who is doing the best he can to help raise his grandchildren, a growing trend CAP is responding to in Appalachia. And community partners like Cabwaylingo Appalachian Mission, see page 6, illustrate the breadth of impact through Operation Sharing. Our goal is to meet existing needs, but also identify and rise to the challenge of changing trends. Lula Bowling Ford has demonstrated what it means to share CAP’s mission. See her story on page 24, where she not only serves as a community partner as the hands and feet of Christ, but also as a new board member. She will help shape the direction of CAP’s mission in the years to come. On page 18, you will find the story of Owen Wright, who has served in numerous CAP programs, and now directs our human service programming in Johnson, Martin, and Floyd Counties. Owen is an example of someone who gives his best for CAP each day as we expand our capacity to serve Appalachia. You are a part of this story too, a vital part of fulfilling these aspirations. The plan is written. The vision is clear. I am bursting with expectation for what the years will bring as we fulfill the strategic plan.
COPY EDITORS Dennis Jacobs, Amy Schill
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Tina V. Bryson, Alan Mills, Robert Moore, Sarah Smith, Brianna Stephens, Mike Troutman
CONTACT US By phone: 859.269.0635 Toll-free: 866.270.4CAP (4227) Email: capinfo@chrisapp.org Website: christianapp.org
SUBSCRIPTIONS The Mountain Spirit is published twice a year. The suggested donation is $20.00. Subscription requests and other correspondence should be sent to: Christian Appalachian Project The Mountain Spirit P.O. Box 55911 Lexington, KY 40555-5911 Copyright 2021. Christian Appalachian Project, Inc. All rights reserved. Christian Appalachian Project is a nonprofit Christian service organization operating throughout Appalachia. 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.
ON THE COVER: Clarence Gilliam, 88, was helped by Christian Appalachian Project’s Disaster Relief after historic floods in Eastern Kentucky damaged his home.
Contents Meet the Writers
Faith
6 More than Hope
Cabwaylingo Appalachian Mission combats the increased need for food caused by the pandemic in rural West Virginia.
8 Orchestrated Blessings
A Kentucky church has seen the blessings CAP’s Operation Sharing Program has brought to Appalachia.
Service Brianna Stephens Brianna is a staff writer.
12 Angels on Earth
A woman credits a CAP Housing crew with not only making needed repairs to her home, but also saving her life.
14 Not Just A Donut
A child who didn’t have enough food for herself offered to share what she had with someone else.
16 Just a Call Away
Rockcastle County Schools partner with CAP to ensure community needs are met.
Bridget McCormack-Finley Bridget is a philanthropy officer and strategic plan leader.
18 A Spiritual Journey
Owen Wright uses his 31 years of experience at CAP to help staff continue to successfully serve the changing needs of Appalachia.
20
The Domino Effect A grandfather’s challenges are compounded, but CAP’s Housing Program meets the need.
Compassion
22 Help From a Distance
CAP’s Youth Empowerment Services find a way to continue supporting regional rural schools virtually during the pandemic.
Shannon Holbrook Shannon is a freelance writer based in Central Kentucky.
24 A Lasting Impact
Lula Bowling Ford has seen the importance of CAP’s programs in Appalachia and looks forward to serving on the Board of Directors.
26 The Power of Vision
Support from donors leads to partnership to provide free Internet to families while children learn remotely.
Arts + Culture
Storyteller Weaves Fascinating 30 Kentucky Mountain Tales
Sherri Barnett Sherri is the manager of Grateful Bread Food Pantry and Grateful Threadz Thrift Store.
Professional Storyteller Octavia Sexton continues to captivate audiences after more than 20 years.
32 Living as Lilley
A local actor celebrates the legacy of Lilley Cornett, a miner who spent his life and fortune protecting an old growth forest in Eastern Kentucky.
Spirit News Kevin Doyle honored as 2020 Philanthropist of the Year CAP selected Kevin Doyle as our 2020 Philanthropist of the Year. Doyle has contributed more than a decade of service to CAP’s Board of Directors, including four years as chairman of the board. His tenure was built on a focus of financial accountability and meaningful service on CAP’s initial strategic planning task force. In addition to his service to CAP, Doyle has been a leader in professional service organizations in the construction industry. He served two years as president of the Kentucky State Board of Accounting and received the Red Triangle Award, the highest honor bestowed by the YMCA of Central Kentucky. He also serves on the board of The Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels.
CAP distributes 18,624 USDA Farmers to Families Food Boxes In October, CAP’s Grateful Bread Food Pantry partnered with First Baptist Church of Mt. Vernon to distribute 3,648 USDA Farmers to Families Food Boxes to residents of Rockcastle County. CAP’s Operation Sharing Program provided the boxes to Grateful Bread from suppliers. Each box contained locally sourced fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as dairy and meat products. Sherri Barnett, manager of the pantry, said people in the community were struggling because of the pandemic, and Grateful Bread was excited to have the opportunity to help them through the food boxes. Operation Sharing distributed an additional 14,976 boxes in Kentucky and Tennessee.
Family Advocacy makes Christmas possible for 354 families In December, CAP’s Family Advocacy Program served 354 families (717 children and 592 adults) during its annual Christmas distribution. Although CAP was not able to host its annual Christmas party and interact with participants face to face because of the pandemic, Family Advocacy staff and volunteers hosted a drive-thru distribution event. Wearing their best Christmas outfits and accessories, staff and volunteers loaded Christmas gifts and hams into the cars of participants. During the pandemic, families have faced unemployment, financial hardship, and food insecurity. The generosity of sponsors and donors has provided comfort and relief to children, their families, and seniors in Appalachia through services like Christmas distribution.
4 The Mountain SPIRIT
BY BRIDGET MCCORMACK-FINLEY
B
ack in 2019, when Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) was in the early stages of developing the strategic plan you will learn about in these pages, we held listening sessions across the organization to ask big questions and spark powerful conversations. As the strategic plan leader, I remember hearing deep pride and gratitude for the service CAP does, excitement and hope about the opportunities that lay before us, and faith and confidence about what the future holds for Appalachia. We took those ideas and the 30-Year Vision for CAP cast in 2015 by our president/CEO, Guy Adams, and created our strategic plan. This plan, RISE and Shine, will serve to guide CAP over the next few years, to help organize our priorities, and to propel us toward the big dreams we discussed in our listening sessions. The word “RISE” is an acronym for the four aspiration statements that the strategic plan’s goals and objectives strive to achieve. RISE stands for respond to the need, invest in partnerships, share our mission, and enhance our capacity. While the implementation of our strategic plan may have been delayed in 2020, we realize the goals and objectives CAP set more than a year ago have never been more relevant and urgent than they are now. The need in our communities is great, and so we will respond with compassion and creativity.
Solid partnerships mean stronger communities, and so we will invest in them with vision and enthusiasm. Our mission of building hope, transforming lives, and sharing Christ’s love through service in Appalachia has never been more critical, and so we will share it with our whole hearts to everyone we can reach. Our capacity to serve is essential to the measure of our impact, so we will enhance our approaches to giving our very best in service of CAP’s mission. In Matthew 5:16 (NIV), Jesus tells us to “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” With the light of Christ’s love burning in our hearts, we are ready and eager to RISE and Shine together.
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RESPOND
Faith
More than Hope BY BRIANNA STEPHENS
T
he line for Cabwaylingo Appalachian Mission’s food pantry can now reach more than a mile long. Families start lining up 12 hours before distribution begins to ensure they can get the food they need. Through its food pantry service, the nonprofit, based in Dunlow, West Virginia, has seen the coronavirus pandemic’s harmful impact on an already povertystricken area in Appalachia.
6 The Mountain SPIRIT
“Before the pandemic, we served, on average, 400 families monthly,” said Addie Likens, co-director of the organization. “Now we are serving around 750 families two to three times a month. In November, we had 924 families in one day, a total of 3,068 people. This included 1,019 children, 1,583 adults, and 466 seniors.” Cabwaylingo Appalachian Mission’s partnership with Christian Appalachian Project’s (CAP) Operation Sharing Program has
Faith
“The dedication and shear effort I have seen from organizations like Cabwaylingo Appalachian Mission is almost indescribable.” — Aaron Thoms
helped meet the growing need for food in Wayne County and northern Mingo County, West Virginia. Last year, Operation Sharing celebrated its 35th anniversary of delivering hope in Appalachia. Since its beginning, the program has received and redistributed gifts-in-kind at a value of nearly $2 billion to more than 1.5 million people across all 13 Appalachian states, Arkansas, and Missouri. Operation Sharing partners with more than 1,200 nonprofit organizations, churches, and community-based agencies throughout the region to serve people in need in Appalachia. “Without partners like Cabwaylingo Appalachian Mission, CAP would be unable to supply many of the daily necessities that people are in need of in rural communities like Dunlow,” said Aaron Thoms, manager of CAP’s Operation Sharing Program in Paintsville, Kentucky. While Cabwaylingo Appalachian Mission mainly receives food items from Operation Sharing, it also receives clothes, household items, building supplies, and school/office supplies that it distributes to the community and local schools. On occasion Operation Sharing has been able to send toys to the nonprofit, which it gives to children in its food pantry line. Likens said it is a great feeling to see the children light up at the sight of a new toy.
(left) Families in need line up for more than a mile at Cabwaylingo Appalachian Mission’s food pantry for its distribution. (above) Children waiting in the pantry line receive toys from Operation Sharing.
“We are very blessed to be a partner with CAP,” Likens said. “We are 40 minutes away from the nearest grocery store, and now we are limited only to a drive-thru food pantry. Without the partnership with CAP, we could not continue to serve our community. We would not have enough to serve our 750 families.” The continued donations and support from Operation Sharing throughout the pandemic have helped make a difference in the lives of the people in West Virginia and meet the overwhelming need for food Cabwaylingo
Appalachian Mission has seen at its pantry. Likens said it was eye opening to see how a shipment as simple as milk could impact the families she serves. “The dedication and shear effort I have seen from organizations like Cabwaylingo Appalachian Mission is almost indescribable,” Thoms said. “They definitely have a heart like no other for their communities and the people around them. All they want to do is help any way they can, which makes them a phenomenal partner for CAP and Operation Sharing.”
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Faith
ORCHESTRATED BLESSINGS BY BRIANNA STEPHENS
B
efore the impact of COVID-19, First Baptist Church in London, Kentucky, served 700-800 people a month through its outreach services, programs, and local partnerships. These efforts help children, their families, and seniors in Appalachia with goods received from Christian Appalachian Project’s (CAP) Operation Sharing Program. “We try to serve every age range. Anywhere we can see there’s a need we try our best to address it,” said Church Deacon Sherry Osborne. “We try to come up with something to help and show God’s love.” Through its partners, Operation Sharing is able to meet the needs of the Appalachian communities CAP serves. “Our partners are in our communities every day, so they see where the need is on a daily basis,” said Ben Ridner, manager of CAP’s Operation Sharing Program in Corbin, Kentucky. “It speaks highly of an organization or the people in that organization that not only see a need but want to reach out and help where they can with that need.” First Baptist Church has hosted weekly family nights, lunches for the elderly, youth nights, first responder and law enforcement recognition events, and community distributions. Any items left from distributions or events at the church go to the local homeless shelter and school resource centers. “God makes a ripple effect with His love through CAP and we continue to spread it,” Osborne said. For one local grandmother, the church was able to provide clothing from Operation Sharing for the six grandchildren she is raising. When one of her granddaughters was planning her wedding, Operation Sharing was able to answer the need again with a wedding dress. “Operation Sharing has been such a blessing to us,” Osborne said. “God has orchestrated so many blessings in our community through Christian Appalachian
8 The Mountain SPIRIT
“God makes a ripple effect with His love through CAP and we continue to spread it.” — Sherry Osborne
Project. It was a precious moment to find that dress for the young woman. God always supplies.” Through our partners at Operation Sharing, CAP is able to continue its mission of service in Appalachia. “It takes a tremendous effort from every organization across Appalachia,” Ridner said. “I think these organizations are a large part of our mission to serve the region. Without them, this would be almost impossible for us to do on this large of a scale. We are blessed to have our partners.”
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Winter storms batter Eastern Kentucky Christian Appalachian Project’s (CAP) Disaster Relief and Housing Programs assisted families in the aftermath of historic floods that came on the heels of a damaging ice storm. CAP’s Disaster Relief Program opened a warming shelter in Rockcastle County, where 30 people were housed. After the floods, CAP completed 160 home assessments and had teams on the ground in the communities surrounding Floyd, Johnson, Rockcastle, and Lawrence Counties. Disaster Relief operated two command centers to handle requests for flood assistance and to work with local emergency management staffs. More than 100 employees, volunteers, and community members clocked more than 3,900 hours. In addition, CAP’s Operation Sharing Program distributed 20 semi truckloads to families in Clay, Breathitt, Harlan, Perry, Owsley, Wolfe, Lawrence, and Magoffin Counties, as well as Wayne County, West Virginia. Additional supplies were sent to Johnson, Floyd, Powell, Lee, Estill, and Bath Counties.
10 The Mountain SPIRIT
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RESPOND
Service
Angels on Earth BY BRIANNA STEPHENS
“
I
really didn’t know if I was going to live or die,” Kimberly Baxter remembered about the November morning when she unexpectedly became ill. She was at home alone at the time when her blood pressure dropped dangerously low and she began going in and out of consciousness. At the same time, her home in Floyd County, Kentucky, was undergoing a list of repairs by Christian Appalachian Project’s (CAP) Housing Program. A work crew of volunteers led by CAP Housing Crew Leader Mike Troutman had been diligently working on Baxter’s home to make it safe, warm, dry, and accessible. When they arrived at her home that morning to continue their work, they found Baxter disoriented and sick. They immediately called 911. On the way to the hospital, the 47-year-old remembers going in and out of consciousness until she blacked out completely. When she woke up, she learned she had been airlifted to another hospital, had spent five days on a ventilator, was in the Intensive Care Unit for a week, and her organs had shut down. “A relative of hers said if we had been an hour later getting to her that morning, she would not have survived,” Troutman said. Baxter stayed in the hospital for a month before she was released to stay
12 The Mountain SPIRIT
with a friend for two weeks during her initial recovery. While Baxter says she was on a waiting list to receive dialysis treatments
before she was sick, she is unsure what ultimately caused her unexpected illness. She now receives dialysis treatments three times a week, but credits CAP with saving
Service
CAP staff and volunteers made needed repairs to Kimberly Baxter’s (pictured immediately at right) home, including to her porch and siding.
her life. “I am so thankful the crew came and found me that morning,” Baxter said. “I am thankful for every one of them. I pray for them all the time. They are angels to me because they actually saved my life.” Now at home, Baxter said she appreciates the improvements the Housing crews made. Before CAP came, she feared she would have to leave her home because of its condition. The kitchen ceiling had fallen in, buckets around her home caught water from
“I am thankful for every one of them. I pray for them all the time. They are angels to me because they actually saved my life.” — Kimberly Baxter
her leaking roof, and her bathroom ceiling was damaged. CAP also repaired her front porch and added a ramp with handrails to improve her accessibility into her home. “A lot of people were worried about me staying at the house. They thought it was going to cave in on me,” Baxter said. “Now everybody loves the house. They can’t believe it’s finally fixed. My family isn’t worried about me living there anymore.” She said her favorite part
about her repaired home is the soothing sound of the rain against her new metal roof. Baxter continues to recover at home and keeps in touch with CAP staff. “It was a good feeling knowing we just happened to be at the right place at the right time that morning,” Troutman said. “When I have talked to her on the phone, she sounds so much better than the day we found her. She seems to be well on the road to recovery.”
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RESPOND
Service
BY SHERRI BARNETT
I
said we could give them an emergency box and that they could come back on Tuesday to get their regular pantry food box.
It was a young couple with three children in the backseat. They asked if the pantry was open. I told them we were closed but would be open again on Tuesday. They glanced at each other and softly said OK. I couldn’t take my eyes off the children in the backseat so I asked the parents if the family needed food.
The brown-eyed girl rolled down the backdoor window and asked if she could see my face. I stepped away from the vehicle and lowered my mask and smiled. She said, “I like you.” Then offered me a bite of her donut.
t was Friday. The Grateful Bread Food Pantry was closed that day, but a family resource officer from one of the schools called. There was an emergency: they had a family that was out of food. As we were loading their vehicle, another car pulled up and just sat there. I went to see if they needed something.
They looked at each other again and said that they would be OK, but when I glanced back to the children again, a little girl with big brown eyes was shaking her head yes to my question. I
14 The Mountain SPIRIT
While they waited for us to pack the emergency food, I gathered some snacks and donuts for the children. By the time we returned with the food, the children were already eating the donuts.
Think of that. A child who didn’t have enough food herself was offering to share what she had with someone else. That was such a beautiful blessing to me, and I am grateful every day that the pantry exists.
“ When all is said and done, the most beautiful thing God made was people.” Rev. Ralph W. Beiting, CAP Founder
Since our founding in 1964, we have worked toward Rev. Beiting’s vision of a prosperous Appalachia by building hope, transforming lives, and sharing Christ’s love through service. SKILLED KITCHEN AND HOME REPAIR • SUMMER CAMP • MISSION TRIPS SHORT-TERM AND ONE-YEAR VOLUNTEER CORPS PLACEMENTS christianapp.org/volunteer Christian Appalachian Project
volunteer@chrisapp.org 606.392.4679 (o) • 606.308.2329 (c)
INVEST
Service
Just a call away BY TINA V. BRYSON
I
n a sea of orange Hunger Walk shirts, Carrie Ballinger stood out. She wore the red and blue colors of Rockcastle County Schools (RCS), face mask with logo included. Ballinger was the embodiment of what she seeks to instill in her students through academics, community service, and advocacy. Be who you are with excellence and stand out. “We partner with ChristianAppalachian Project (CAP) because we have the same mission,” said Ballinger, who started as an elementary school teacher and became superintendent in July 2020. “CAP works to make sure the community is well fed and that supports are in place to help people thrive. We do the same for our students each day.” Students from the school district have increased their participation in CAP’s annual Hunger Walk each September since its inception nine years ago. Staff and administrators at each school support student efforts to collect thousands of pounds of food each year during Hunger Awareness Month, and hundreds of elementary through high school students walk in the event in downtown Mount Vernon, Kentucky. “When the pandemic first started, it was a very uncertain time,” Ballinger noted. “We partnered with CAP by providing resources like refrigerated items that we couldn’t use because schools were closed. CAP, in turn, helped us meet the needs of our families.”
16 The Mountain SPIRIT
Service
“We partner with CAP because we have the same mission. CAP works to make sure the community is well fed and that supports are in place to help people thrive. We do the same for our students each day.” — Carrie Ballinger
In the early weeks of COVID-19 restrictions, CAP’s Grateful Bread Food Pantry continued to pack weekend backpacks to make sure that children had food. Crates of milk and other perishable items were donated to the pantry from the school district. Pantry staff and RCS family resource coordinators worked together to ensure that families didn’t fall through the cracks. “One out of every four students in our schools is food insecure,” Ballinger said. “The backpacks help our elementary and middle school students. We know that we have a high number of students with food insecurities. We are appreciative of the service that CAP provides to these families.”
(left) Carrie Ballinger takes part in the symbolic Hunger Walk. (above) Robert Phillips, principal of Rockcastle Middle School; Robyn Renner, director of CAP’s Disaster Relief; and Carrie Ballinger, superintendent of Rockcastle County Schools, led the efforts at the warming center housed in the middle school following the recent ice storm.
The high school students don’t receive backpacks, but families can be referred to Grateful Bread in order to receive a pantry food box as needed. But the students are also learning to give back. Each year, students from the Honors Club at Rockcastle County High School have partnered with CAP to provide service hours in packing commodity food boxes for senior members of the community. “We are proud of the opportunity our students have to give back to their own community,” Ballinger explained. “If we can instill in them the value of community service and leadership, that is a lifelong lesson that they will have.” Sherri Barnett, the manager of Grateful Bread Food Pantry and
the Grateful Threadz Thrift Store, and her staff work to meet weekly needs of students as well as emergency needs. Family Resource Coordinators can call the thrift store when a student needs clothes for school, a winter coat, or shoes. Her staff also works during prom season to make sure that young ladies who need assistance have formal dresses that will make their special night memorable. “I want to brag on Sherri and her staff because they are so responsive to Rockcastle County Schools,” Ballinger stated. “They are always available. All we have to do is pick up the phone, and they are always ready to work with us. It’s just a true partnership and something we are very, very proud of.”
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ENHANCE
Service
A Spiritual Journey BY BRIANNA STEPHENS
F
resh out of college with his teaching certificate, a wife, and young child, Owen Wright wasn’t sure what direction his career would take him. He had a passion for working with children, but he didn’t want to be a regular schoolteacher confined to four walls. After finishing a seasonal position with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Eastern Kentucky native found an opportunity to work with Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) as an administrative assistant for what is now known as Family Advocacy. Thirty-one years later, Wright has worked in seven of CAP’s human service programs, going above and beyond the classroom to serve children and their families in Appalachia. He currently serves as director of human services for the Sandy Valley Region — Johnson, Martin, and Floyd Counties. Wright said he has seen the impact CAP has made in Appalachia through his roles managing and supervising a variety of CAP human service programs.
“CAP has been instrumental in providing hope to people,” Wright said. “When people are impoverished or are facing challenges, it affects them mentally, and their self-esteem is low. CAP’s help allows them to focus on their future without worrying about their obstacles.” Wright recalled a time when he had a hand in changing the life of
a child in foster care who came to Camp Shawnee, one of CAP’s youth camps which Wright managed for 18 summers. Despite taking part in the camp’s fun daily activities, staff could tell the boy was unhappy. The boy opened up about his struggles when Wright took the time to sit down and talk with him by the campfire. Wright learned both of the boy’s parents had passed away,
“We are constantly looking to see if CAP is doing what is needed in the communities it serves to make sure we are meeting needs as effectively as possible.” — Owen Wright
18 The Mountain SPIRIT
Service
(left) Owen Wright, director in the Sandy Valley Region; Anita Seals, vice president of human services; and Mike Loiacono, director in the Cumberland Valley Region oversee CAP’s direct services to participants. (above) Owen Wright (back row, center) has worked in seven of CAP’s human service programs over 31 years. (below) Owen Wright shares the history of Appalachia as Daniel Boone at Rev. Ralph Beiting's 75th birthday celebration.
one recently. Even though he was in foster care, he wanted to stay with his family in the next county, but no one had asked him about staying with them. After their conversation, Wright contacted social services on the boy’s behalf about his wish. The boy was excited when he was later removed from foster care and placed with his family. “CAP provided him a safe place to go. He opened up and trusted us, and we took the time to listen to him and help,” Wright said. Wright embraced the shift to his current position after serving directly with participants for 21 years. He believed God was calling him to do something more in his role
at CAP. As a director, Wright says he is excited to have the chance to use his experience to help staff develop additional programs, tools, and leadership skills to continue successfully serving the changing needs of Appalachia. “We don’t ever keep doing what we’re doing because that is how we’ve always done it,” Wright said. “We are constantly looking to see if CAP is doing what is needed in the communities it serves to make sure we are meeting needs as effectively as possible.” Wright has also personally felt the spiritual impact CAP has made to the region by sharing Christ’s love through service. “When I came to CAP, I wasn’t where I needed to be
with the Lord,” he said. “After working for CAP for five years I dedicated my life to the Lord and was saved. I think it was all part of my spiritual journey of God leading me here.”
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The Domino Effect BY TINA V. BRYSON
H
e drove his Chevy truck through the mountains on the way to his second funeral in as many weeks, having buried his mother just the week before. Willie Ousley, a plain-spoken man, talked about his family, his home, and his work. Ousley learned about Christian Appalachian Project’s (CAP) Housing Program through the Community Action Program in his home county.
20 The Mountain SPIRIT
He’s been in his home since 1995, but in recent years has struggled to keep up with repairs. “We’ve been using two kerosene heaters to keep the whole house warm, but when it’s really cold, it doesn’t help,” said the grandfather who has raised his son’s daughter since she was a baby. “Our roof is bad. It leaks, but I’m just dealing with it the best I know how. I’m used to it.”
Service
“Every person at CAP that has helped me and my family has been a blessing.” — Willie Ousley
It’s not just the roof that needs repairs, and it’s not just him and his granddaughter that need help. Just about a year ago, his daughter experienced some financial difficulties and had to move back home. Now, Ousley is helping to raise his two grandsons too, ages 12 and 6. “All of my grandkids are doing school online and we try to social distance and stay inside as much as possible,” Ousley said, saddened that he has known others who have gotten COVID-19, but grateful that no one in his immediate family has gotten ill. His story is not unlike many others in Appalachia, or honestly in many communities across America. Only one domino has to fall, causing a chain reaction that impacts the next domino in succession. “I couldn’t have asked for a better wife,” he said, reminiscing about his beloved Patricia whom he met in high school and later married. “We were together for 35 years before she died of Leukemia in 2015.” He was a department manager at Lowe’s for over 20 years, but then he suffered a back injury at work, needed surgery on his shoulder, was diagnosed with diabetes, and life just got harder.
(left) Willie Ousley and his granddaughter used kerosene heaters to keep the whole house warm. (above) Willie Ousley talks to Jamie Conley, Housing coordinator, about the repairs that will be done on his home. He has been on the waiting list for two years.
Repairs to an aging home can be costly in the best of times, but without a steady income, he just couldn’t keep up with the costs of labor and material. His roof has holes and leaks, his furnace is broken and is too old to be fixed, and his single-pane windows need to be replaced. “Cold air gets in through all the cracks and the house stays damp all the time,” he said. “Last year my floor fell through in the kitchen and I had to pay a neighbor to come and help me get it fixed. There just wasn’t any money left for any kind of flooring coverings.”
Several years ago before his injury, they added an addition to the home, but it has no underpinning or heat in the addition and no insulation in the attic. “I tried to keep up with repairs, but I just couldn’t afford it,” he said. “Honestly, if it weren’t for CAP, I don’t know what I would have done. I was just living one day at a time, just trying to get things done as I could.” Ousley said he will be happy when all the repairs are completed. “Every person at CAP that has helped me and my family has been a blessing,” he said. “I couldn’t have asked for better people to work with. This means a lot to us.”
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INVEST
Compassion
Help From a Distance BY BRIANNA STEPHENS
D
uring the 2020-2021 school year, Christian Appalachian Project’s (CAP) Youth Empowerment Services learned to be as flexible as the school districts they serve to meet the needs of their students. While camp staff normally have a physical presence in the county school districts where CAP provides overnight camp, they found a way to continue supporting these regional rural schools that were impacted by COVID-19.
Jackson County, while Camp Shawnee also helped additional schools in Johnson and Floyd Counties. According to Mike O’Brien, coordinator at Camp AJ, the school partnership was five days a week, from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Students in the after-school programs had access to engaging virtual games and recreational activities. A bonus to the virtual help was staff getting more instructional time with students since the virtual classroom setting eliminated time spent traveling to each school.
While school districts transitioned from in-person, hybrid, and remote learning models, five AmeriCorps members and two full-time staff from CAP had a virtual presence in classrooms of all grade levels to continue offering one-on-one and small group tutoring to students who needed extra help. “The constant transition kept us on our toes and required us to be flexible,” said Caitlin Speigle, coordinator at CAP’s Camp Shawnee. “The teachers and students were dealing with so much change, and our goal was to be a steady presence for them when they needed our assistance, regardless of what model of learning they were using.”
“Because of our consistency and also the smaller group sizes, the kids have really gotten to know our staff and vice versa,” O’Brien said. “They’re able to joke with each other, talk about their days, and, of course, get their schoolwork done. It was especially fulfilling to work with those kids whose parents decided to keep them virtual only throughout the changes in the mode of instruction — those kids really appreciated the consistent interaction they had with our staff.”
Staff and AmeriCorps members from Camp AJ and Camp Shawnee worked together to serve schools in
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Outside of the classroom, both camps stayed connected with students through hosting regular live events on their social media platforms. Staff, campers, and camp volunteer alumni played trivia, Family Feud, Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy together and interacted in the comments.
CHURCH RELATIONS “Do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Hebrews 13:16 Whether your church is on the East Coast, West Coast, or anywhere in between, it can help make a difference to those in need in Appalachia. By volunteering, giving monetary contributions, or donations of gift-in-kind items, your church can help us continue to be the hands and feet of Christ for years to come.
To learn more about how your church can become involved as a church partner, please contact Lauren McCoart at 859.270.2131 or email churches@chrisapp.org.
SHARE
Compassion
A Lasting Impact BY BRIANNA STEPHENS
L
ula Bowling Ford came to know Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) when she wanted to help her students. Most of them were single parents, some even grandparents, who were trying to earn an education while taking care of their families and trying to make ends meet on limited budgets. Through CAP, Ford was able to provide relief for her students to help them succeed.
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Lula Bowling Ford
Compassion (left) Lula Bowling Ford has helped provide seniors, children, and their families with food, clothing, school supplies, hygiene items, and even Christmas presents through partnerships with Operation Sharing.
“When I served as director of Morehead State University-Prestonsburg, I was constantly searching for ways to help our students, both academically and in their everyday lives. Christian Appalachian Project’s Operation Sharing Program became a major factor in that quest,” said Ford, a new member of CAP’s Board of Directors. “Through the generosity of Operation Sharing, we were able to share things that were vitally important to these students and their families — paper, pencils, personal hygiene items, snacks, blankets, clothing, and more. Operation Sharing not only provided material items, but relief and hope.” While Operation Sharing delivered hope to her students, Ford also connected the Appalachian Pregnancy Center and her church, Cornerstone Christian Church in Pikeville, Kentucky, to CAP. Ford was a founding board member of the Appalachian Pregnancy Center, which provides a system of support and service to women experiencing unplanned pregnancies and their newborns. To help support the center’s mission, Operation Sharing has provided office supplies for the staff and personal hygiene items, diapers, baby wipes, blankets, and other items to help mothers in need and their children. Handfuls on Purpose, a food pantry operated by Cornerstone Christian Church, partners with Operation Sharing to feed up to 500 families each month. The church also receives snacks and craft items for its youth activities. Before the pandemic, the church served up to 70 children from low-income areas
Handfuls on Purpose, a food pantry operated by Cornerstone Christian Church, partners with Operation Sharing to feed up to 500 families each month. through weekly Bible lessons, tutoring, games, and meals. Since the impact of COVID-19 hit the community, the church has continued serving young people by delivering food and supplies to their homes. Ford recounted another special donation Operation Sharing gave to her church that made a lasting impact on some families. “Last year we were able to provide each child a new coat and a pair of shoes for Christmas,” she said. “It is touching to see a parent tear-up over such a gift. A high number of children in our area is being raised by grandparents, or even great-grandparents, many times without the benefit of child support. Through Operation Sharing we are able to give help to those who need help the most.”
Ford has seen the needs of people in Appalachia and has learned the importance of CAP’s programs. She says she is excited to now be part of CAP’s mission of building hope, transforming lives, and sharing Christ’s love through service in Appalachia by serving on its board. “I don’t think everyone is really fully aware of the impact CAP makes. I was not,” Ford said. “Look around, the need is everywhere. The more you do, the more involved you are, the more you are aware of the needs. Finding a way to meet these needs is many times answered by CAP. This organization has been such a lifesaver for so many. I look forward to working with the board to make a positive impact in Appalachia.”
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INVEST
Compassion
THE POWER OF VISION BY TINA V. BRYSON
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Compassion
O
ld Bub the Mule could not appreciate the impact his toil would have on the children of Appalachia as he worked to help lay fiber-optic cable to bring high-speed Internet to Eastern Kentucky. In 2014, Peoples Rural Telephone Cooperative (PRTC) helped Jackson and Owsley Counties become the first counties in the state to be totally fiber-wired for broadband. That achievement opened the doors for children when the pandemic caused all students to rely on Internet access for remote learning. “Marv and Peggy Johnson began donating to Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) more than 20 years ago. Recently, they wanted to give a gift that would support technology for children having to unexpectedly transition to remote learning due to the pandemic,” said Bridget McCormack-Finley, a CAP philanthropy officer. “They witnessed that struggle in their own communities and could imagine the challenges presented to families who may not have the resources to pivot so quickly. They were eager for part of their donation to be used to support technology and education.”
HOLY LAND PILGRIMAGE with CAP's President/CEO Guy Adams
(RESCHEDULED)
Walk Where Jesus Walked! Over many decades, my dream was to visit the Holy Land to see where Jesus was born, raised, and lived until His crucifixion and resurrection. That dream became a reality in 2018. I’m going back for an in-depth experience October 9-19, 2021. Won’t you come with me?
CONTACT US: (left) Malikiah Neeley, a second grader at Sand Gap Elementary, uses Wi-Fi to keep up with his virtual assignments. (above) Old Bub the Mule hauled the high-speed cable two or three miles a day to help crews navigate rugged terrain that was inaccessible by vehicle.
www.pilgrimages.com/adams 1.800.206.TOUR (8687) keyaccounts@206tours.com
christianapp.org/MtSpiritGive 27
Compassion
CAMP IN A BOX
Book Drive 1,550 Books Needed
Search Pat Griffith in Amazon.com Custom Gift List to donate books by May 14.
CAP decided to partner with PRTC to provide free Internet access to about 40 families for the school year. Camp AJ staff worked closely with Rhonda Thompson, the district technology coordinator with Jackson County Public Schools, and the district’s family resource centers to identify families who did not have Internet service and would be interested in signing up. Because CAP staff and school staff are so involved in the community, they were able to identify creative ways to contact these families, as many of them also did not have reliable phone service. “Our children are our future and we are all about helping our community,” said PRTC CEO Keith Gabbard, a native of McKee, Kentucky. “When I was growing up, all we heard was what we didn’t have. I am blessed to have a job here in this community where children can grow up and go to college, and have jobs they can come back to.” PRTC has helped create 1,100 telework jobs over the last six years in the community.
When I was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
The Rightful Owner by Jesse Stuart
A Penny’s Worth of Character by Jesse Stuart
The Beatinest Boy by Jesse Stuart
Same Sun Here by Silas House & Neela Vaswani
Eli the Good by Silas House
Mail to: Pat Griffith ATTN: Camp In A Box Christian Appalachian Project 485 Ponderosa Drive Paintsville, KY 41240
Thank you for supporting literacy in Appalachia.
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“I am moved by the visionary leadership of PRTC and have shared their story with donors as evidence of the exciting and hopeful sign of possibilities and opportunities to come for Jackson and Owsley Counties.” — Bridget McCormack-Finley
“When learning shifted to a virtual format, the challenges presented to families without Internet service and their teachers were tremendous,” said Liz Phelps, manager of Camp AJ. The plan had been for teachers to upload lessons and resources to flash drives, then mail them or drop them off to students who didn’t have Internet service at home. “Needless to say, these students were falling
Compassion
“Our children are our future and we are all about helping our community.” — Keith Gabbard
Megan Harrison, a sixth grader at Jackson County Middle School, stays engaged with virtual class through high-speed Internet access.
behind quickly. In addition to not having access to virtual learning, these students were also cut off from social interactions with their classmates and teachers. We were all looking for creative ways to bridge the gap.” Partnerships have a way of making unexpected connections. John Renner was a long-time volunteer and now maintains the grounds at Camp AJ. He also works for PRTC and was assigned all of the families who signed up to receive Internet services thanks to the generosity of the Johnsons and the partnership between CAP, PRTC, and Jackson County Public Schools.
“I am moved by the visionary leadership of PRTC and have shared their story with donors as evidence of the exciting and hopeful sign of possibilities and opportunities to come for Jackson and Owsley Counties,” McCormack-Finley said. “When the Johnsons called me out of the blue to offer their incredible gift in support of children in our communities, their generosity and thoughtfulness quite literally took my breath away. Thanks to the power of their suggestion, the creativity and passion of CAP staff, and the energy and enthusiasm of our amazing partners, an unexpected and extraordinary challenge was met with a new and exciting solution, and lives have been changed because of it.”
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Arts + Culture
KENTUCKY STORYTELLER WEAVES FASCINATING MOUNTAIN TALES BY SHANNON HOLBROOK
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Arts + Culture
R
ockcastle County’s Octavia Sexton has been captivating audiences for over 20 years as a professional storyteller. She credits Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) with helping her get her start. “If it had not been for CAP — that was a lifesaver,” Sexton said as she recounted early married life to husband Marion. They had two small children and lived in a small house without running water. One winter they ran out of heat and food. Working unreliable, underpaid jobs crippled them financially, until Sexton spent two years writing stories about her life for “The Mountain Spirit” starting in 1983. She also worked for CAP as a secretary, then a preschool teacher. “One of the directors told me, ‘you know, you’re smart — you should go to college,’” Sexton recalled. She drove Sexton to Berea College, where no student pays for tuition, and helped her apply. At age 37, she started college.
(left and above) Octavia Sexton now shares the stories she heard growing up with the next generation.
Her storytelling class with Dr. Harry Robie launched her professional career. “When it came my turn to tell a story in class for my final, I used one of Grandpa’s stories in my dialect,” she said. “You could’ve heard a pin drop, and Dr. Robie said, ‘you should’ve been teaching this class.’” He paid her $5 a visit to tell stories to his classes, leading to a faculty event for $75, then a storytelling festival in Louisville, which led to a $750 event. She pursued storytelling fulltime in 2000. “All my past experience, people I’ve known — all of them are my story, what I know,” she said. “Growing up, my school curriculum was a storytelling tree we’d sit under,” she shared. “I could make anything up.”
(left) Sexton learned to weave her cultural traditions and wisdom into her storytelling from her grandparents, Cleo and Isaac Bowman. (above) Octavia (with sweater) sits with her Grandma and cousins.
She shares her Jack Tales and Haint Tales, and how Thump Slide was created to rattle her defiant fourth grade son. Storytelling like Sexton’s is rare. “There’s a lot of professional storytellers today, but very few in the oral tradition like me,” she said. “Some stories are written down, but not with a dialect like mine.”
Last year she received a $13,000 South Arts Fellowship to research her family’s stories in Ireland, however, plans are on hold for all her travel due to the pandemic. She’ll return to storytelling when COVID-19 is under control. She concluded, “It’s hard on me not to be in front of people, sharing my stories about my people.”
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Arts + Culture
Living as Lilley: LOCAL ACTOR CELEBRATES CORNETT’S LEGACY BY SHANNON HOLBROOK
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Arts + Culture
K
entucky Chautauqua actor David Hurt brings to life the story of Lilley Cornett, the miner who spent his life and fortune to protect an old growth forest in Eastern Kentucky. Hurt, a Kentucky native and farmer who holds a master’s degree in theater, chose Cornett because of his own family ties to him. “What drew me to play him was that I value someone like Lilley
Cornett more than politicians and soldiers,” Hurt said. “He was a poor guy who put it on the line for what he believed in. He could’ve sold the timber and been rich. I wanted to know, ‘what is the nature of a man who would do that?’” Cornett, born in 1880, worked as a coal miner most of his life, but also ran timber down the river. He was drafted and injured in WWI. “He lived in Letcher County, saved his money, and invested in the nearby
virgin timber land, buying up contiguous boundaries,” Hurt said. “Many tried to buy it or steal it from him,” said Hurt because most of Kentucky’s timber had been cut by the 1920s. Cornett refused to sell the land. “He and his family lived right there on the property and patrolled those acres. He knew the true value of old growth forest — the ecosystem created by the big trees.”
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Arts + Culture
“What drew me to play him, was that I value someone like Lilley Cornett more than politicians and soldiers.” — David Hurt Cornett’s descendants sold the land in the 1970s to the state to protect it. It was turned over to Eastern Kentucky University in the 1980s. Now, Lilley Cornett Woods is 554 acres of mixed mesophytic forest, 252 of which is old growth and untouched. It is a registered national landmark and offers guided tours.
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Hurt keeps Cornett’s legacy alive in his one-man-show, which took a year to develop with the aid of local historians. He sent his script to the Cornett family to review. He recalled, “My first show was for their family reunion. There were 100 of them, in a clearing in the woods.”
He has become good friends with the Cornetts, enjoying meals and making sorghum together. Until the pandemic, he was regularly performing Cornett throughout the year. Now, he looks forward to the time when he can bring this Appalachian hero to life again.
Build Hope, Transform Lives, Share Christ’s Love Donate to support children, their families, and seniors in need in Appalachia.
Christianapp.org/MtSpiritGive We are glad to share these stories of transformation made possible by donors like you. CHRISTIAN APPALACHIAN PROJECT’S RESPONSE TO COVID-19 IN THIS ISSUE n Beating the Odds n Strength Meets Service n A Life Unafraid n Telling Your Own Story
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The Mountain Spirit P.O. Box 55911 Lexington, KY 40555-5911
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