In 33rd year of Gatekeepers program, youth spend a week fixing up homes of neighbors

In its 33 years of service in Nash and Edgecombe counties, the Gatekeepers Workcamp program has been deputizing volunteers and local youth to help repair homes owned by elderly and disabled homeowners unable to make the repairs themselves.

Over the past week, 45 youth volunteers from eight area churches and 20 adult supervisors formed into work crews to assist four homeowners. Another 40 volunteers helped with logistics, food service and other essential duties. This year’s effort concluded Friday afternoon with painting projects, home repairs and beautification efforts all wrapped up.

But considering the youth who do the work learn new skills and get the satisfaction of helping a neighbor in need, it’s debatable who benefited more, the homeowners or the volunteers.

Elizabeth Edwards, an associate minister at Lakeside Baptist church who has overseen the program for 23 years, has seen careers get started and gratitude expressed for the opportunity to help others in such a meaningful, impactful way. The program is open to rising seventh-graders through high school seniors.

“The greatest evidence I have of their appreciation of the skills they learn is the number of young adults over the years who have contacted me, after they are in college or the work force, to say that the work they did at Gatekeepers has led them to choose a career path either in construction or one of the trades related to home repairs, or as a missionary or in the nonprofit sector working on responding to housing or poverty issues,” Edwards said.

The youth who participate gain a strong sense of satisfaction from helping others and accomplishing their work, Edwards said. They also learn a bit about working together on completing a range of projects on a deadline.

“Parents often tell us that, after Gatekeepers is over, their kids will insist on driving by their work site so that their parents can see what they accomplished,” Edwards said. “They are also able to make the connection between the work we do in serving our neighbors and their faith in Christ which calls them to love and serve their neighbors.”

Edwards said the program’s recipients are referred to the program from various sources. Referrals can be made by calling Lakeside Baptist at (252) 446-0126. She selects projects that a work crew can complete in a week. She noted that the work crews cannot do work requiring a license, which means no plumbing or electrical work. The recipients must own the home being worked on during the workcamp.

For the youth volunteering a week of their summer, the workcamp results in new skills for sure, but also new friendships, too.

Lindsay Coughter, 14, who attends First Baptist in Rocky Mount, was busy Wednesday morning assisting her new friend, Lakeside Baptist member Abigail Yamba, 16, do some exterior painting at a house on Beal Street in Rocky Mount. Both were new to Gatekeepers.

While Coughter said she learned about workplace safety, Yamba said she’s learned how to paint after two days of painting.

“I’m happy and excited about doing this,” Yamba said of the experience and being able to help a homeowner in need.

Greg Roth was one of the adult supervisors on the Beal Street site. The 15-year workcamp veteran said he likes helping the homeowners and working with the young people. He also enjoys a challenge.

“Every year, I get something different to do and that’s always a challenge,” the retired engineer said. “If I don’t how to do something, I can figure it out.”

Mary Alston, the owner of the Beal Street home the crew was working on, said she was grateful for their help.

“I’m so happy. They’re doing a little bit of everything, some carpentry and some painting,” said the 76-year-old homeowner.

Over the course of its existence, the program’s work crews have helped out nearly 350 homeowners in Rocky Mount area, Edwards said.

This year, youth groups from Conetoe Baptist, Englewood United Methodist, First Presbyterian, First United Methodist, St. Andrew’s Episcopal, West Haven Presbyterian and the Church of the Good Shepherd joined Lakeside Baptist youth and other individual volunteers to give back to the community.