St. James teens participate in South Carolina mission trip

Two dozen members of St. James Youth Ministry traveled to Hardeeville, South Carolina, where they spent a week painting, helping with home repairs and yard work, and doing other volunteer projects as part of the annual Catholic Heart Workcamp mission trip.

The students, who will be entering ninth through 12th grades in the fall, joined more than 300 youth from across the eastern part of the country - including Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Virginia - who volunteered on 49 separate projects at schools, nonprofit organizations and the homes of elderly and low-income people. Students worked for six or seven hours each day in temperatures ranging from 95 to 99 degrees.

"It's very impressive to see teenagers give up a whole week of their summer to help others who are less fortunate than they are," said Sr. Faustina Ferko, director of the St. James Youth Ministry and one of the eight adults who also made the trip.

St. James has been participating in the Catholic Heart Workcamp mission trips for 13 years. The annual mission trip provides youth ministry members the opportunity to help others, participate in daily Mass and other worship activities, and develop friendships with other students from across the country.

• Submit 'Your News' at www.dailyherald.com/share.