Youth builders lend a hand to seniors in need

Several local residents are getting help with home renovations by a youth group visiting from Texas.

This week, Toney and Sandra Lowery were among recipients of the group’s generosity by having a wheelchair ramp and set of steps built on to their house.

The work was done by the volunteers of the Central Texas Conference Youth Ministries. Eleven volunteers provided help.

Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas referred the Lowery family to the youth group.

“We always pray someone will come and help these citizens, because we get phone calls all the time from people that are needing repairs,” said Carolyn Ferguson, Area Agency’s Officer of Community Services.

According to Adult leader and fifth year volunteer, John Stuewe, the group has been here since June 10 and planned to leave Saturday.

First year volunteer Ally Watson said Tuesday that they are building a ramp for Lowery while they are also witnessing for God at the same time. Lowery has several health issues and is hardly able to get out of the house but was able to come out June 10 and see what the volunteers were doing for his home, officials said.

The volunteers had been sleeping at First United Methodist Church in Pine Bluff. Stuewe said that the church rented a trailer with showers so the volunteers would have a place to clean up after they finished working for the day.

The youth group has nine work teams placed in locations throughout Arkansas. The volunteers provide their own tools and with the registration fees that are taken up during the beginning of the summer, they are able to buy the lumber and other necessities to restore homes.

Watson said with her experiences she will be volunteering again in the future.

Collin Turney, who is a third year volunteer, said as a teenager there are not a lot of outreach and volunteer programs out there so he is happy to get involved.

The volunteers said their main motivation to help others is the feeling they get after they have finished working and the homeowner shows their appreciation.

Anita Hurst, a third year volunteer as well as an adult leader, said this particular group has been very concentrated on their work.

The group consists of junior and senior high students.