Summer youth volunteer effort helps Brown County flood victims

Teenagers and youth ministry leaders from St. Agnes Parish in Nashville and St. Ann, St. Benedict and Sacred Heart of Jesus parishes in Terre Haute prepare for four days of service to the needy people in Brown County as part of the Indiana Nazareth Farm Service Project. Organizers are grateful for the energies and dedication of these youths and their adult youth ministry leaders. (Submitted photo)

Special to The Criterion

BROWN COUNTY—At the beginning of August, a group of nine teenagers from St. Agnes Parish in Nashville and 12 teenagers from St. Ann, St. Benedict and Sacred Heart of Jesus parishes in Terre Haute came together with adult youth ministry leaders to help needy persons in Brown County.

Indiana Nazareth Farm is an annual service camp sponsored by St. Agnes Parish and the Terre Haute parishes. It is based on four cornerstones: community, prayer, simplicity and service.

This year, the Indiana Nazareth Farm Project focused on assisting with property damage in Brown County caused by the flood of June 2008. In just four days, the group provided more than 480 hours of volunteer service. This year’s team leaders were youth ministry coordinator Adrianne Spahr and Mike Lewis from St. Agnes Parish, and Janet Roth, youth ministry coordinator at the three Terre Haute parishes.

Projects included building steps and an outdoor shower for the Nazareth Farm tent camp; cleaning up yards and trash at six flood-damaged properties; building a fire pit washed out by the flood; hauling and stacking wood; putting a new floor in an outdoor home elevator; washing windows; mowing; cutting overgrown brush; weeding; planting trees; and much more.

Though the group spent many hours working, the youth and adult leaders shared in prayer services every morning and evening.

The original Nazareth Farm was formed as an association of the Catholic Church and is located in the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston in West Virginia. Its purpose is to provide volunteer service to the people of Appalachia. In 1994, the program was started in Brown County by youth leaders in Nashville and Terre Haute.

Each year, the youths are exhausted but energized by the activity and look forward to participating again.

Those who might need assistance are encouraged to keep this volunteer outreach in mind if they have needs that could be accomplished next summer.

The project is held annually during the first weekend of August. †