Young Teenagers From Across The Country Volunteer At Women’s Shelter

More than 150 teenagers across the country are taking part of a summer camp that is all about paying it forward.

The Catholic Heart Workcamp is an organization with the mission to inspire and empower those in the community.

This week there is a camp in Detroit Lakes.

Multiple groups spread out to volunteer in the area while sharing the love.

But I spoke to one group who spent the week changing lives at a women’s shelter.

“Honestly, I didn’t think it would be this fun but I got to meet all these wonderful people on this trip. It was nothing I could’ve imagined because it was better than I imagined,” says Mitchell Kruejer of Cambridge, Wisc.

While volunteering, harmonizing and picking songs has become a bonding experience.

“Well, we like to listen to music and sing to that while we’re painting and stuff like that. And just talk and get to know each other,” says Alexa Sullivan of Andover, Minn.

Making new relationships is one of the main reasons teenagers join the program.

And building stronger relationship with the man upstairs is also part of the experience.

“It’s a really good opportunity to get closer to God and help serve the community,” says Sullivan.

This group of five has spent hours on maintenance from painting walls and power washing windows to reorganizing the donation room.

“I think it’s great. It’s a great experience. It really opens up your eye on how you can serve others,” says team builder Wendy Westrick.

It’s only a week camp but over the span of four days, these kids say it’s been eye opening to be able to help those less fortunate.

“When we were first told that we would just be painting and cleaning, I kind of thought to myself, ‘I don’t know if that’s what I plan on doing on this trip. I thought it’d be building houses for the homeless.’ But I saw the affect it had on some of the people here and it warmed my heart,” says Kruejer.

“For me, it feels like I take a lot of things for granted and to open up my eyes to serve the community, and to see all the needs, really inspires me to give back,” says Sullivan.

As the camp comes to an end for this group, it doesn’t mean lending a hand stops.

“I just feel that my life has been a lot more brighten by this experience,”says Kruejer.

 The Catholic Heart Workcamp in Detroit Lakes is one camp of 50 held throughout the United States.