WINNEMUCCA - Seven Lowry High School students spent a week repairing homes belonging to strangers and touching the lives of others in very meaningful ways.
From July 14 - 20, they spent the week sleeping on the floor of the local United Methodist church in the small town of Smith River, Calif., to serve the community there. Alec Mayo, Abbie Thacker, Gabriel Molina, Kailynn Yetter, Kenzi Johnson, Marcus Molina, and Taylor Billows participated in the Sierra Service Project (SSP), a Christian organization that has been encouraging teens to contribute to various projects in communities throughout the West for 38 years.
The young volunteers devoted their energy to building a wheelchair ramp, tarring a roof, painting, and building a community garden for local low-income individuals and families.
The program also offered the opportunity to learn more about the culture of Smith River Rancheria, develop new friendships and grow their faith through service.
This year, Sierra Service Project coordinated seven project locations throughout California, Oregon, and Arizona. Five of the project locations took place on rural Native American reservations or Rancherias.
While in Smith River, Winnemucca youth volunteers teamed up with other teenagers from around the country.
In total, Sierra Service Project hosted 2,000 volunteers throughout the six-week summer service program. Smith River was chosen as a service location because of the prevalence of poverty throughout the area and the demand for no-cost home repair services.[[In-content Ad]]
