Teens with "Group Workcamp" arrive in Racine to fix homes

RACINE (WITI) -- Teenagers from across the country are relinquishing several days of their summer vacation to repair homes for those less fortunate in Racine, Wis., this week.

Approximately 250 teen volunteers and their adult supervisors will spend the next four-and-a-half days in Racine to aid more than 30 homeowners in restoring their homes. The volunteers are part of Group Workcamp, an organization which recruits volunteers from churches across the country to embark on mission trips to repair homes.

Michael Christopherson, a single father experiencing the mounting financial pressures of everyday life, is particularly happy to see Group Workcamp arrive in Racine.

"I'm ecstatic about it, it's absolutely wonderful," Christopherson said. "I am so happy, unbelievably happy. It's great."

The bills are piling up for Christopherson and it's just not possible for him to pool together the resources and time to perform the necessary fixtures on his house.

"It's hard to manage time and money and just everything," Christopherson said."It's a little overwhelming - so this is a big huge lift off of what I need to worry about."'

This is the 15th year Racine Neighborhood Watch, a resident crime prevention group, has welcomed Group Workcamp into their city. This year's Workcamp sites are located at the neighborhoods surrounding McKinley School and Lincoln Park.

While in Racine, the volunteers stay at J.I. Case High School, where they sleep on the floor each night. Dorie Krupp, a volunteer with Group Workcamp, is pleased with the work she and the other volunteers are performing in Wisconsin.

"Not only will it last this week - it will last a lifetime with how we can share with one another," Krupp said. "You know, the smallest things become the biggest things."

The volunteers will leave this Friday, Jun 21st, when they will add finishing touches to the homes. However, many are eager to return to Group Workcamp next year.

"You show up Monday morning and it's like 'okay let's get started' and Friday you step back and it's like 'wow guys look what we did,'" Krupp said. "It's a great feeling."