Nine volunteers work on repainting Carmin Yannone’s home in New Hope Tuesday afternoon.
Yannone, who is 90-years-old, sat inside to escape the heat and casually visited with the workers as they passed through.
The volunteers, made up of three adults, four high school students and two college students are part of World Changers, a Nashville-based service program that coordinates construction mission trips for students.
Around 91 junior high and high school-age students will volunteer at 10 work sites in the Golden Triangle this week, painting, installing fencing, landscaping and completing various home improvement tasks.
This marks the third year World Changers has been in the Golden Triangle after the Golden Triangle Baptist Association requested the group consider serving the Columbus area.
“It’s such a good experience for kids to get out of their comfort zones and work with other students,” says Wesley Pena, Missions and Communications Specialist for World Changers’ Mid-south team which, in addition to Columbus, visits Little Rock, Nashville and Pittsburgh, Pa.
This year, the 91 volunteers came from Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana, with the farthest volunteers traveling from Jonesboro, La. Volunteers are lodged at local churches during their stay.
Angela Thornton, Yannone’s daughter, says she submitted an application, upon her pastor’s suggestion, for her father’s property to be considered.
Applications tend to come from elderly residents, according to Anthony Rhodes, site manager at Yannone’s home. He says people who apply for help from World Changers tend to hear about the program from friends and neighbors.
“A lot of it’s word of mouth,” says Rhodes. “When we’re out working, a lot of people come out asking questions.”
Since 2014, World Changers has completed roughly 85 projects in the Golden Triangle, including 10 projects being completed this year.
Prior to 2016, area churches and the Golden Triangle Baptist association funded local World Changers projects, but this year the city of Columbus and 4 County Electric Power Association are sponsoring the program.
Local residents in need may submit applications to the Golden Triangle Baptist Association for consideration.
Local volunteers
Local churches also send their own youth members to participate at World Changers locations across the country.
Thornton says her church, Grace Baptist Church at 708 Airline road, sends youth members to work with World Changers each year. She says this year six high schoolers traveled to Tuscaloosa to build wheelchair ramps at the homes of elderly couples.
Pena says over the course of two months, 15 World Changers summer staff teams will participate in over 70 World Changers and P2 Missions projects, serving in over 50 cities across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
World Changers has seen more than 300,000 participants over its 26 years as a volunteer organization.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.