Volunteer teens give Manassas ‘Hope’

By Bennie Scarton Jr.

Published: July 10, 2008

Thanks to the efforts of hundreds of teen volunteers, many trashy and unsightly spots that blight the Manassas landscape are being cleaned.

The campaign is led by the Denver-based summer youth camp "Week of Hope," youth volunteers who are spending six weeks in Manassas doing a variety of projects involving home repair and community cleanup.

Upward of 100 youths from around the U.S. each week are housed at the Manassas Baptist Church and fan out across the city to do practical and meaningful jobs for the elderly and disabled.

Many local youths also donate their time to help with the projects.

Kisha Wilson-Sogunro, neighborhood service coordinator for the city of Manassas, sets up the areas where the youth work—some spend the entire week at one project while others complete theirs daily.

Typical projects the youths are involved in took place on Wednesday and Thursday this week at the home of Joseph Yassa and his family on Kirby Street.

Some 30 teenagers collected a dump truck of debris from the Yassas' backyard. Despite a broken collar bone, he helped out with one hand along with his wife and 9-year-old son.

Billy Raffery, 14, of Huntingdon Valley, Pa., who is participating in his first Week of Hope camp, said he had a good feeling after completing a day's work at the site.

"It's great that we were able to help a family," he said. Earlier in the week he helped pick up trash at Dean Park and worked with the youths at the Carteret Mortgage Boys and Girls Club.

The volunteers are at the work sites from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

"Some of them never seem to get tired and want to keep working past their quitting time," Wilson-Sogunro said.

Last year, they completed 25 neighborhood clean-ups, equaling 4 tons of trash from city streets, playgrounds, town house common areas, parks and streams. The volunteers saved the city about $35,000 with their cleanup ef-forts.

"Our concentration is focused on projects that keep the city aesthetically pleasing but are not limited to merely picking up trash, yard work or painting," said Wilson-Sogunro.

She has encouraged teenagers and adults with home repair skills to join the Week of Hope volunteers.

"Our goal is to match the number of our out-of-state volunteers with an equal number of Manassas residents who are willing to roll up their sleeves and work alongside these hard-working teenagers and adults from all over the United States," Wilson-Sogunro said.

She said requests through her office for help on cleaning up or repairing projects from senior citizens and residents with disabilities are given first preference. Homeowner associations also put in requests for residents who need assistance.

Wilson-Sogunro said local businesses have been very helpful, donating tools, supplies and snacks for youth workers.

The Week of Hope strives to give the youths a wonderful time together while focusing on the needs of others; assisting the elderly, tutor struggling children, serving in food banks, sprucing up the grounds and other important community improvements.

They sleep on cots or on the floors at the church and eat and shower at the facility. The week costs the volunteers between $219 to $239 per person, primarily for meals. Adults supervise a minimum of five teenagers. The youths arrive on Sunday afternoon and depart at the end of the week.

When the sun goes down, they participate in faith-building, interactive programs that include Scripture, worship, video and drama overseen by a ministry-minded staff.

Caely McHale, 13, of Herndon, said: "This has been an amazing week for me. I was a little hesitant in joining Week of Hope but my friend talked me into and I'm glad she did. I loved working at the Boys and Girls Club and playing basketball with the boys and girls. I got a chance to meet a lot of new people and create new memories."

Wilson-Sogunro said that during the course of the week, more than 900 youths participated in the efforts to brighten up the city. At many of the sites, tall grass and weeds had become unsightly at empty homes. At one location, 200 bags of trash were carried out. Neighbors often come out and help the youths, or offer them treats such as Popsicles.

"Together our effort has made our neighborhoods shine," she concluded.

Staff writer Bennie Scarton Jr. can be reached at 703-369-6707.