Volunteers pay it forward to homeowners

S.O.S. works to help repair homes,faith

Published : Monday, 20 Jul 2009, 6:48 PM EDT

Story by: Tina Detelj

Uncasville (WTNH) - Hundreds of teenage volunteers are headed to Southeastern Connecticut to help out homeowners who can't afford to make their own repairs.

This is actually the first year 'Service on the Sound' (S.O.S.) has organized this type of work camp for teens. Sixty crews are at 55 sites in 12 communities all coordinated by S.O.S. for homeowners in need.

The son of one of the members did a work camp in another part of the country and had such a great experience he and his dad decided to organize an effort in-state.

"We're complete amateurs but I think that's what makes it so good," said Tess Melamed of New Jersey.

"Right here we're scraping and we're still scraping that side of the house," said Brandon Wallace of North Carolina of their work efforts.

The teens are among more than 350 who have descended upon Southeastern Connecticut to help homeowners in need like John Linda, of Uncasville, who can't afford, or is otherwise unable, to paint his house or put on a porch with a handicapped ramp for his wife.

"It's gonna be a great thing," said Linda. "I can wheel her right out."

With his wife now in a wheelchair, getting out of the house is difficult and dangerous. The teens can see how much their efforts are needed.

"It makes you want to work harder too," said Melamed. "You want to work so much harder for them because you know they deserve it."

The teens come from church groups as far away as North Carolina, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire.

Each work group is made up of six teens who never met each other before the project; they learn new skills but they're really here for spiritual growth.

"It's cool to meet new people, and get closer to God, and help these people out that kind of need it," said Wallace.

The teens are giving back far from home and their efforts are greatly appreciated.

"It's unreal," said Linda. "I can't; there's not enough words to say it."

Just knowing they're helping someone is thanks enough.

"What comes around goes around," Wallace said. "So maybe if I need help one day somebody can help me out."

The teens actually pay to be part of the work camp which takes a lot of organization and volunteers to make it happen.