Workcamp is a Catholic week (the third week in June) where teens from across a diocese execute home improvement projects at hundreds of homes that would not otherwise be able to afford such improvements. This tear the Arlington Diocese will be held in Quicksberg, Virginia from June 21st through 27th. Those teens are supported by hundreds of adult volunteers who man ‘homebase,’ this year’s is at a middle school. All the functions of a city need to be performed at homebase. Think of the military’s SWET-FF. Sewage, Water, Electric, Food, and Fuel. The is a store, chapel, and daily Mass, adoration, confession, and an evening program at homebase. Have you heard of Workcamp?
What Is Workcamp?
The Arlington Diocese explained Workcamp is a week of helping people make their homes safer, warmer, and drier. Workcamp is an intentional Christian community that provides an experience of direct service for young people within the boundaries of our own Diocese. The theme for this year’s Workcamp in the Arlington Diocese is, abound in hope, from Romans 15:13.
Workcamp costs approximately $600 per teen. The cost pays for food and supplies, plus the rental of the school for the week. The cost is supported by the Bishop’s Lenten Appeal and several Parish level fundraisers. Here are the fundraisers occurring at St. Francis de Sales Parish in Purcellville, Virginia.
Appeal letters are to be written by the teens on:
- St. Patrick’s Day Dinner
- Pancake Breakfast
- Envelope Board
- Car Wash
How Workcamp is Organized
Workcamp is organized such that the teens form crews of 5 (about 120 of them) with an adult leader and a contractor. Those crews go every day to a worksite, someone’s house, where they do several home improvement chores. Those crews are supported by hundreds of workers at the homebase. Chores at homebase include making the bag lunches for the crews, manning the ‘tool room,’ manning the Workcamp store, manning the nurse’s station, and logistical tasks, including making food, and custodial tasks.
Mass is hosted every morning at 7 by the seven priests. Then the crews grab breakfast and tools (tools are donated by the parishes and arranged by Parish Color) and go to their sites. During the day, while the crews are gone, the custodial and logistical tasks take place. When the crews return, they shower, eat dinner, and attend evening programs, which include various forms of entertainment. After evening prayers with your parish, it is light out. Everyone gets up the next day at 5:30 am.
There are several daily activities that take place and are important. The morning wake-up call is unique. Some song is blasted over the public address system, and then several hundred people all use the bathroom. The morning scramble of the crews to get tools and food is remarkable. The shower line is long, and outside. Dinner and the evening program are similarly amazing. All campers sleep on the hard floor of the classroom.
The crew’s team is built on Sunday. Members are from different Parishes and they do not know one another. On Tuesday evening the bishop comes and leads Eucharistic Adoration. That night also about 50 Priests from the Diocese showed up and here Confessions. On Friday, the most extraordinary thing takes place. There is a celebration with all of the crews, the homebase volunteers, and the homeowners. The homeowners talk about how the renovations to their homes, which they could not otherwise afford, changed their lives.
A Great Way to Promote Community
Workcamp is inspirational because adults get to see hundreds of teens who have a strong faith. Workcamp is also inspirational because there are all the accouterments of Catholic life: Mass, Adoration, Confession. Finally, workcamp is inspirational because so many Catholic Priests attend, and some lead crews to worksites.
