Volunteers build playground for Firehouse Kids

When children return to the preschool adjacent to Glade Creek School this fall, the "Firehouse Kids" will have a new playground, compliments of the work of participants of the Laurel Ridge Moravian Youth Mission Camp. Laurel Ridge is one of three organizations assisting the community in projects from housecleaning tasks to building wheelchair ramps.

Other organizations offering assistance to individuals in the community are Carolina Cross Connection and Solid Rock Building Ministries.

Laurel Ridge

Last week, members of New Philadelphia Moravian Church in Winston- Salem came to Alleghany County, where they assisted local child care facility, Education Station, with projects from making an outside area for the children to learn about gardening to creating a stage where the youngsters and their teachers can put on dramas.

Leader Thomas Barber explained that during the week, the group worked at the facility doing a variety of projects, from small indoor projects and clearing away an area for a garden to building indoor and outdoor sandboxes and an outdoor stage.

"We wanted to give back to this community," Barber said. "We all need help and that's what we're here for."

Barber stated it was his first time serving as a leader of the five youth. "I was nervous, but I've had a growing experience, a learning experience and have really enjoyed it," he said.

Several of the group members were participating in the second or third Laurel Ridge mission camp experience.

"I like being with my youth group and helping other people," said 14- year-old John Miller.

Both 14-year-old Collin Granger and 13-year-old Ashley Green shared Miller's sentiment of spending time with the youth group and helping others.

"We always have a lot of fun being together and helping people," Green said.

Katie Barber, 12, and Sara Vivey, 15, came to the camp to help others. "I thought it would be a fun experience," Barber said. Vivey commented, "I heard people from my youth group talk about how it was fun last year and I wanted to come help."

During an ice cream social held for the group, Rhonda Patrick, director of the Education Station, stated the child care facility has been doing fund-raising activities for the last several years in an attempt to better establish an outdoor playground for the youngsters. Patrick stated another group is slated to continue work at the facility later this month.

In expressing her gratitude to the workers, Patrick said, "This has been a wonderful group to work with. The children are so well- mannered and eager to help. It's been a pleasure."

Debbie Good-Erickson serves as the assistant director with the Laurel Ridge Moravian Camp Children who attend the Education Station preschool in Glade Creek take a moment to pause for a photograph with a group of Winston-Salem youth who helped build a playground for the children as part of a week of service through the Laurel Ridge Youth Mission Camp. Pictured are (in the front with the ball) Ellen Bryant; (front row, from left) Luke Bottomley, Matthew Bottomley, Jonah Bottomley, Abigail Keesling, Avery Hamm, Emily Keesling, Ethan Bryant; (second row) Nickalus Gentry, Madison Patrick, Tyler Easter; (third row) John Miller, Katie Barber, Sara Vivey; (fourth row) Collin Granger, Thomas Barber, Ashley Green; and holding the curtain is Lori Easter.

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