Three times a year, Christian Appalachian Project welcomes new long-term volunteers at a week-long orientation. While the September orientation is always the largest, this orientation class exceeded all expectations with a record 27 volunteers. The number was impressive, but even more notable was the caliber of people who gathered at Camp Andrew Jackson last week.
Arriving from 16 different states, including two from Kentucky, these new volunteers are also diverse in terms of life experience. Kate Stefanowicz, 21, is one of 14 new volunteers who chose CAP for a post-graduate service experience. I wanted time to figure out what I wanted to after college and to really find myself,” says Kate. “I also wanted to live in community and be able to serve the people of Appalachia.”
While Kate and other younger volunteers came to CAP partly to discern where to go in life, many of the other new volunteers see CAP as a way to share the professional experience they have gained from years of service. Mary Ann O’Connor, 61, has more than 40 years of experience in hospital administration. Having retired two years ago, Mary Ann was volunteering part-time with several local organizations in San Diego before making the leap to long-term service in rural Appalachia. She will begin her service by teaching parenting classes through CAP’s Counseling program, but her position will evolve as she and CAP leadership work together to find the best fit for her skills and experience. Although Mary Ann and the other six new over-40 volunteers have much experience to offer CAP, she is also excited about what she will learn from her volunteer time, noting that she hopes to have “a good understanding for the culture, the people and the issues” of the region.
The new volunteers are diverse in terms of age, education and life experience, but as they learned throughout their orientation, all have a strong faith that led them to Appalachia. “I am volunteering with CAP because God wants me to,” says Nick Borninski, 24, of Garland, Texas. “And by volunteering with CAP, I hope to learn how to always be an example of God’s love.”
Rachel Dekold, 22, also felt a strong calling to CAP. “When I came to WorkFest [CAP’s alternative spring break program], it was like a light bulb going off in my brain,” says Rachel. “This is where God wants me.”
To conclude orientation and invite the Holy Spirit into these volunteers’ service term with CAP, the Volunteer Program held a Commissioning service on September 24. After hearing reflection on service, community and spirituality from CAP staff and current volunteers, the new orientation class heard their own prayers. At the beginning of orientation, each volunteer was asked to write a prayer reflecting what they would like to ask of God for their CAP experience. At commissioning, each prayer was read aloud, then placed in a basket for the entire congregation to pray over.
Christian Appalachian Project prays all of our new volunteers will be blessed by their experience in Eastern Kentucky. With these volunteers, CAP is guaranteed a blessing in return.
To learn more about Kate, Mary Ann, Nick, Rachel and all of CAP's long-term volunteers, visit the Meet Our Volunteers page.
