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Senior David “Fudge” Gibbons (left) and sophomore Ariel Akins help roof a house in Harlan County, Ky. The missions organization has recently selected a new work site in North Carolina. |
-Photo by Jason Harville |
The Beacon committee has located a new work site an hour and a half hour from Milligan in Spruce Pine, N.C.
According to junior Darrell Asche, chairperson of the Beacon committee, the committee collected information on possible work sites, and narrowed the places down to just two using the criteria set by the committee. The criteria included the type of work that would be done, distance from school, what their mission was and how well their purpose fit with the purpose of Becaon.
The committee voted unanimously in favor of Pinebridge.
“The other place that we narrowed everything down to was a place in Harlan County, Ky., and we felt like we wanted to make a clean break with that area so we decided against it,” said Asche.
The first trip to the new destination will be on March 28 to 30. Asche says that the trip will be limited to 60 people, including the committee members, with signups continuing in the cafeteria through March 4. The committee has not decided if this will be a permanent destination for Beacon trips.
“There is less stress on the committee going to Pinebridge because we don’t have to do as much of the organizing like we did with Cranks,” Asche said.
The workers will participate in such projects as painting, renovation of a schoolhouse and working on flooring.
“This place is very different from Cranks because it is almost luxurious compared to Cranks,” said Asche. “We definitely will not be roughing it at Pinebridge, but we will try and keep
the experience of a work camp-type experience as similar as possible.”
Another upcoming changes among the Beacon committee is the graduation of six members, including David “Fudge” Gibbons, Jason Reed, Jennifer Soucie, Aaron Akins, Matthew Joseph and Jennifer Openshaw.
Openshaw, who has been participating in these trips since her freshman year, said she has learned a valuable lesson.
“Wherever I am, there are opportunities to serve Christ,” she said.
She said she is going to miss these trips, but is excited at the opportunities the group has ahead of them.
“I loved Cranks Creek but I also know that there are other counties that need our help too,” she said. “I hope the group right now will continue to meet other people…and be able to act as the ambassadors of Christ to them.”