When we talk about WorkFest at CAP, most people think of the more than 400 college students who come to Kentucky each March to repair substandard housing for low-income families. And they should--we created WorkFest 18 years ago to provide a spring break alternative for groups of college students to learn about Appalachia and change the lives of people living in poverty here. But WorkFest simply cannot happen without the dedicated short-term volunteers who come to WorkFest each year to serve as cooks and crew leaders.
Our cooks (some of the Camp AJ cooks are pictured above) come to Kentucky for 1-3 weeks each year to keep the college students' energy up with some delicious food. The hours are long--cooks get up at 5 a.m. or earlier to start preparing a hot breakfast for 50-80 people each day--and we so appreciate all they do to make WorkFest a success. No one goes hungry at WorkFest!
Short-term volunteer Steve Laudenslauger assists Green Crew volunteers
Short-term crew leaders also make WorkFest possible. These skilled men and women have the rewarding yet challenging task of teaching unskilled volunteers and making sure everyone has the chance to contribute in a meaningful way. While some of our crew leaders are current long-term Housing volunteers or former long-term volunteers returning for WorkFest, most are perennial short-term volunteers who, like our cooks, return year after year to serve 1-3 weeks.
Our volunteers' loyalty to WorkFest is part of what makes them so special. One of our cooks, Phyllis Skocypiec, has been to nearly every WorkFest! While some of these volunteers are retired, many choose to spend their vacation time in service to others. These unsung heroes help to make WorkFest an incredibly memorable experience for college students and our homeowner participants.
Amy Schill is CAP's Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator