MONCKS CORNER, S.C. (WCIV) -- "I had a vision for young people to come and work on homes. Kids from the suburbs, having the chance to see poverty," said Salkehatchie Summer Service founder Rev. John Culp.
While many teens and young adults are taking it easy on the sofa this summer, another group is going out of their comfort zone to give back to those in need across the Palmetto State and beyond.
This summer, hundreds of high school and college age kids are taking part in Salkehatchie Summer Service. Like Habitat for Humanity, the camp brings teens and adults to rural communities to make repairs on homes for low-income families.
One of the camps taking place this week is happening right here in the Lowcountry. The camp, which got underway Saturday in Moncks Corner, will run all week (July 16-23) and will be focused on making major repairs to four homes.
The repairs range from installing attics in two of the homes, putting a cool seal on a tin roof and replacing the flooring in another home.
Many of the campers, who must be at least 14-years-old, come from the South Carolina United Methodist Conference.
Hays Burch, 19, from Holly Hill, is taking part in the camp for the fourth time. His experiences have led to help families not only in Moncks Corner, but Sumter and Lake City. Burch says the moment that has stood out to him the most was when he helped install a hot water heater for someone who had never had hot water before.
This is no free ride for those involved. Campers like Hays pay $215 to take part each summer. Those funds go toward purchasing all the necessary equipment involved in the projects, including: lumber, paint, caulking, plywood and linoleum. The rest of the support comes from the community -- sleeping arrangements and meals at area churches.
A number of adult leaders come out to show the campers what to do, and make sure everyone stays safe. Joe Roberts has been involved in the program for the last decade, and is serving as a site manager this week in Moncks Corner. He says he got involved with Salkehatchie when his kids participated, but has stayed involved because he enjoys working with his hands and working with the kids.
"I get personal satisfaction that I helped people in the community and shared God's love with people in the community," Roberts said.
Roberts said between 12 and 14 of the 50 participants will be placed at each site, after they visit each location and meet the families they will be helping.
During this time, everyone involved also develops goals for the week. Roberts says since 2002, he has seen Salkehatchie grow from 36 camps to nearly 50 camps across the Carolinas.
Salkehatchie Summer Service was founded by Rev. John Culp back in 1978. Culp says the program first started in Gifford, South Carolina, and was named after the Salkehatchie River which runs through Colleton County.
He says the program mostly was held in the Sea Islands area for 17 years, and has blossomed into the 51 camps being held this summer. Two of those camps are held out of the country, and will take participants to Brazil and El Salvador.
"Eighty-five percent come back each year. Whole families come out, and some of the guys like to bring their power tools that they would not normally get to use at home," Culps said.
He started the program because of his sensitivity to poverty.
"Young people need a challenge." he said. "Salkehatchie allows kids to grow physically, emotionally and spiritually."
Culp said he enjoys seeing how close the kids get with the families they are helping by the end of the week. One year he especially remembers, happened down in Beaufort when the family being helped included a girl with cerebral palsy. Culp said the girl was in a wheelchair that could not go through the doors of the home, and some of the kids were scared at first because they had never meet someone with cerebral palsy. He said those involved, became attached to the family and went back to see how they were doing for years and years.
Culp says at night, participants will come together and reflect on their experiences during the day. "They become confident, and see their self worth. They see how fortunate they are back at home."
Julie Sohm is a youth leader from Holly Hill that is helping the with the project in Moncks Corner this week. "We are looking forward to helping our neighbors and giving back to our community," said Sohm. "In a world that is worried about debt ceilings, it is good to see our youth concerned with putting new ceilings on their neighbor's homes to keep the water out."
Sohm said the campers visited the sites Sunday which included homes on Mitton Road, Sugarhill Drive, S. Live Oak Drive and Joy Drive. On Monday, the construction will begin.
Moncks Corner site manager Joe Roberts said, families that are helped by Salkehatchie are often referred by the community and local ministries. He says donations and extra supplies are always welcome.
Camps are offered each year from May through August, and there are still opens spots available for some of the remaining camps this summer.
For more information on how you and your family can get involved just visit salkehatchie.org.
Quilt of Salkehatchie logos (salkehatchie.org)
Adult leaders also come to the camps to offer guidance and support.
One of the homes being worked on in Moncks Corner.
Salkehatchie Summer Service is a pioneering servant ministry at selected sites in South Carolina involving high school and college age youth, and adult community leaders.
Providing all participants with opportunities for personal growth and service.
