HASTINGS, Mich. – Hundreds of teenagers from around the country are taking a week out of their summer vacation to ‘Pay it Forward’ in West Michigan.
The program is called ‘Group Work Camps’, a nationwide Christian mission program that came to Hastings this summer.
Pastor Don Spachman from Hastings United Methodist Church had the idea to bring the teens to town after working with the program before. There are more than 400 teenagers, from seven different states in Hastings that will be working on 50 different houses.
Patrick Quaroberg is from Minneapolis, and his crew is working to repair one resident’s roof.
“You kind of take a lot for granted in your day-to-day life, and to come out and serve others and see how much you can do with what you have, Ithink is really cool,” he said.
From 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the next week they’ll be doing projects for people they don’t know.
“It’s really rewarding because you get to see the result of what you’re doing for other people,” Illinois teen Charlene Cavanuagh said.
Even before the kids came to Michigan they had to raise around $430 to cover expenses and even some building materials. They’ll be staying at Hastings High School until Saturday.
“We’re looking to see some transformation in the community, in Hastings,” Pastor Spachman said.
