My first introduction to CAP was almost five years ago when I was just a freshman in college looking forward to a spring break of service. I came with my university to participate in WorkFest, CAP's alternative spring break program. After that one week of serving the people in Appalachia, I fell in love with CAP and wanted to make plans to come back and volunteer after graduation. Granted I was three years early to be planning for after graduation, but I just felt such a strong connection that I wanted to keep CAP in the back of my mind. By the time graduation rolled around, I had participated in a total of three WorkFests, visited the CAP table each year at my university's volunteer fair, and been talking to a CAP volunteer recruiter since my freshman year of school. I was a little intense with my CAP-love. Finally the time had come for me to visit CAP and interview and I couldn't wait to learn what house and what program I was going to be placed in.

So to make a long story a little bit shorter, I came to CAP after Labor Day. I have been here a little over five months and wouldn't trade any of it!! I live at the Rockcastle Volunteer House and work as a child advocate/resident assistant at one of CAP's spouse abuse shelters. Yes, my service position can be stressful sometimes and days can be long and I might get called in to serve extra shifts. Yes, sometimes my housemates may drive me up the wall because they're too perky in the mornings or they eat the last of the ice cream (We are a house full of women, so that's a big deal). But it is all worth it! Over the past five months, I have learned a lot about myself and a ton about serving and living with others. I have watched my coworkers and I get into a routine and create a good program flow for the kids who live at the shelter. And I have watched my Rockcastle community grow so much closer.

WEERANians in force

In our Rockcastle community, or as we call it "R-House", there are eight women and with one more coming in a couple weeks there will be nine total. Yes, that is a house full of all females, and we do happen to be the only single sex volunteer house, but I guess that's just how it happened to work out. Some of you may think that's a little intense, but we make it work and  make R-House our own. Whether it be that we sit around and watch cheesy teen dramas and trashy reality shows or have in depth, heart-felt conversations around the kitchen table or are busy celebrating housemate birthdays and crossing things off our "Kent-ucket List" (Somewhat of an idea stolen from a Jackson House volunteer, thanks Annie, meaning Kentucky Bucket List) we are in it together and are there for each other.  We even banded together to create our own made up country for the Floyd House Olympics this past weekend. Trying to be creative and energetic, we made up our own country or WEERAN, dressed up in rockin' 80s attire, and slow-motion-ran into our national anthem of Chariots of Fire. We even made a pretty epic flag out of a pillow case that we duct taped to a crutch that we found in our laundry room. Sadly we came in fifth place (out of only six teams), but we did get some pretty awesome pictures and had a good time bonding as a house and hanging out with the volunteers from the Sandy Valley Region (Rockcastle is in the Cumberland Valley side of CAP). Every day is a new adventure. I may not be rocking a side ponytail with a scrunchie, but I'm sure it will still be fun!

Sara Crombie is a long-term volunteer at one of CAP's spouse abuse shelters. If you haven't guessed it, she lives in Rockcastle Volunteer House.