A Life-Changing Opportunity

To the Editor,

On June 25, 2000, the Newtown Congregational Church is sponsoring a week-long work camp mission to Claremont, N.H. The participants include 56 youths and 12 adults from the sponsoring church, as well as St Rose, Christ the King, and Valley Presbyterian Churches, who come together for a week to repair and weatherize family homes for elderly, low-income, and disabled people. They will be joined by several hundred other young people throughout the United States and Canada, representing many churches. Participants provide their own expenses, and groups provide transportation and materials, paid for through various fundraising projects.

Through their work, these young people will gain a life-changing understanding about the hardships of poverty in our own country, as well as being provided with a unique opportunity to show their Christian faith by working together with strangers to help others.

As culmination to a year of intense fundraising, we recently held a “lock-in” as a “fun-raiser” for the youth and parents who have worked so hard this year. Our sincere thanks to Father Weiss and St Rose for the use of their hall, to My Place for contributing to our “midnight snack” of pizza, and to the parishioners of St Rose, and other members of the community, who patronized our car wash on Sunday.

Finally, we would like to thank the entire congregation of the Newtown Congregational Church who have generously supported us throughout the year, both financially and emotionally.

Sincerely,

Donna Miklazewski, Advisory Board

Newtown Congregational Church Workcamp

4 Chimney Swift Drive, Sandy Hook        May 8, 2000