CHWC Memphis

This was left on the CHWC Facebook page, it is a reminder why we do what we do.....

This week a group of wonderful people came to work on my parent's house. They painted, cut shrubs and bushes, put in a new fence, and cleaned up the vacant lots around their home. I am just in awe at the work that the Catholic Heart Workcamp students and Jacob's Ladder organization completed on my parent's home. I thank them from the bottom of my heart. They truly blessed our family this week.
-The Fowler Family in Memphis, TN

CHWC 2009 is underway

The Summer of 2009 is underway with 5 camps going on this week. We are in Memphis, Denver, Tampa, Chicago and Jackson. The camps are all going very well through the first couple of days and many homes and communities are being rennovated. Below are pictures from the opening Mass in Jackson, MS. We ask you to pray for the safety of all the campers as they go out to the worksites today.
  

And they're off.....

The trucks are loaded and the teams are on the road. Memphis, Tampa, Jackson, Chicago and Denver are first on the schedule. Below is Team 2 finishing their truck at the CHWC office.Team 5 has the farthest to go. Orlando to Denver is quite a drive, here is a picture of them loading their truck.
Team four is off to Chicago, below is a picture of them saying a prayer with CHWC Office Manager Charlotte before they hit the road.The trucks are loaded, the teams are en route, and the summer of 2009 is upon us...
Please pray for all the youth groups, as well as the staffs, that they travel safely to the first orkcamp cities this summer.

Staff Training

Every year the staff comes to Orlando for a week of intense training, this year was no different. The staff went over thr rules, procedures and the 2009 program in a couple of days of training. Below is Lisa going over the theme 'Love Repeated' with the staff.It was not all business, during this training the staff make friendships that will last a lifetime. Below is a picture of Jeremy (captain team 4) and Lauren (captain team 1) learning the opening for 2009.

Media Weekend

Summer is is almost here, but before the trucks get loaded and the staff arrives, CHWC invites all the Media Managers to Orlando for Media Weekend. This weekend crams all the knowledge a Media Manager needs to know to run the audio and video systems at camp into four day of training. Day Two is computer day, we go over video editing and the presentation software, one table, six laptops and 12 hours of clicking.
Day three is equipment day. After mass, we setup all the equipment used for all 5 teams in one gym. We test, sort, and organize. This day of intense learning is capped off with the 7th annual chicken wing dinner, does it get any better?

Directors Meeting

Every year around this time the CHWC Directors come to Orlando to discuss the upcoming Workcamps. This year was exceptional like always. The picture below shows Steve trying out some of our new state of the art equipment on Brian. What is it you ask? You will have to wait until the camps start to find out.

Oh Baby!! There is a lot happening in the CHWC Office

Over the past month it has been pretty much crazy in he Workcamp Office.
First off, Nick and his wife Melanie adopted a baby boy, James Anthony Balabanski, he was born on February 5th. He is a blessing to their family and they thank everyone for all the support they have received.Then, on the day Nick returned to work which was also the day before the second managers meeting Dodie went into labor three weeks early. Dodie and her husband Cory had a baby girl, Alexandria Dodie Hibbs, on February 20th.
Both Babies are very healthy and are doing great. James is happy that he won the contest for the longest name but Alexandria contests that she has prettier eyes. They are both a great blessing to the entire CHWC family.