fbpx

Send Me SSP News Monthly

News Archives

Alternative Break at Dignity Village

Portland WoS

By Erin Heckelman, 13

Youth from Shepherd of the Sierra Presbyterian Church

 

We didn’t know we were going to work with Sierra Service Project in Portland, Oregon until about 5 months before we were supposed to leave. I am very happy we decided to go there. My name is Erin Heckelman and I am part of the youth group at Shepherd of the Sierra Presbyterian Church in Loomis, California. One thing we were doing this week was working at Dignity Village. Dignity Village is a small piece of land where many homeless citizens have built their own little town.

When we got there we split up into 3 groups. The painting group worked on the Donation Center. The second group worked on making new gutters. The third group, the group I was in, made water tank platforms, planter boxes, and handrails for a member of the village.

My group started cutting the wood to the correct length. It was pretty sunny throughout the whole day, but then it started to rain. When it started to get really windy and cold (some of the members of the village were walking around with only a t-shirt on making us look like wimps) we only had the main posts up and only one board of hand rail attached. Once it started raining we really stepped it up. We measured and cut 26 2x2s in about 7 minutes. Once we brought the wood back there was instantly a team screwing them on and making sure they were straight. We finished about half of the project in less than an hour.

I cannot explain how amazing this trip was. I learned so much about different non-profits and how all people are the same and deserve the same rights. I am looking forward to coming back next year for another amazing experience with the Sierra Service Project.

 

Editor’s Note: Our Alternative Break and Weekend of Service season has ended for the spring. If your group wants to suggest a date for the 2015-2016 season, email Megan.