Christie (left) and daughter Missy (right) installing siding on a home in Harlan, Kentucky
Christie, a licensed practicing nurse of 50 years, used to look forward to her husband Curt’s summer week-long volunteer trips to Kentucky to fix and restore low-income people’s homes through the Appalachia Service Project (ASP). It was time for Christie to catch up on her own hobbies, and relax.
However, for the first time, in the summer of 2017 Christie joined Curt for his 17th Appalachia Service Project trip along with their daughter Missy and four of their grandchildren to Chavies, Kentucky. Sadly, Curt, who was very handy and passionate about this work, had pancreatic cancer and Christie wanted to be there if he became more ill and needed her help.
What happened next was even a bit of a surprise to Christie.
“The work just clung to me. You want to get out and help other people, and I know how much they appreciate it and how much it means to them. It just got into my blood.”
3 Generations '2017' in Chavies, KY.
Front row: Grandchildren: Kameryn, Nathan, MacKenzie, Tony
2nd row: Christie, late husband Curt, daughter Missy
Since 1969, the Appalachia Service Project has made homes warmer, safer, and drier for low-income families by bringing thousands of volunteers from around the country to rural Central Appalachia to rebuild and repair homes. Last year, 16,231 volunteers served with ASP, providing critical repairs for 493 families and constructing over 60 new homes.
Christie’s family became involved in ASP through their church First United Methodist Church in Mason City, which works in collaboration with Wesley Methodist Church and Grace Methodist Church, both of Mason City.
Said Christie, “The volunteer group we bring to Kentucky from all three churches in Mason City totals 24 people - 6 adults and 18 youth. When we arrive we are organized into three teams, each team assigned to a family’s home for the week. The first thing that I do is sit down with the home owners and talk to them, get to know them, and help them get acquainted with us. Then the team gets to work, Monday through Friday, morning until evening. We do anything and everything from digging
ditches to building porches, putting in siding, installing roofing, adding interior flooring, painting, and putting up walls”.
Christie (center) surrounded by her volunteer work team in Harlan, Kentucky
Curt passed away after the 17th trip to Chavies, Kentucky, but it had brought great pride and joy to him that there were three generations of his family working side by side with him on that trip.
“We do several fundraisers all year long at our churches to raise money to get us there. The money pays for van rentals, gas, defrays our housing costs in a school, and also reduces the costs for all the building materials,” said Christie.
Christie (middle) working with her team painting ceiling and walls of a home after they mudded and sanded it.
House Christie’s team worked on in Harlan, Kentucky in 2019 with ASP
In July 2020, Christie and her fellow volunteers are headed to again to Chavies, Kentucky, recognizing the 25th anniversary of all three churches work on behalf of ASP. Said Christie, “We chose Chavies, KY. in honor of Curt. It was his last ASP work site”.
To learn more about ASP go to www.asphome.org
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Natasha Jensen, LPN
Volunteer, Floyd County Fair
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Natasha and her son, Landon
The first Floyd County Fair took place October 5 - 6, 1859 in Charles City. Originally intended as a way to show the county’s farmers how to improve their methods, the Floyd County Fair is now where the farmers of tomorrow apply
the skills they are learning today. The Floyd County Fair Society and Fair Board annually organize and conduct the Floyd County Fair featuring the Youth Junior Achievement Show and promoting agricultural education. Floyd County has over 200 4-H and FFA members that exhibit each year.
Young farmers exhibit and compete at the Floyd County Fair
Natasha Jensen, a licensed practicing nurse at the Mason City Clinic, who graduated from Charles City high school, grew up going to the Floyd County Fair. “I had a huge passion for the Floyd County Fair. I was a Future Farmer of America and participated in all of the exhibits, competitions and events. Now my husband and I are cattle and swine farmers and we exhibit and volunteer at the
Floyd County Fair every year.”
During the Fair, Natasha volunteers at the Cattleman Meat Stand and helps at the Grandstand gate taking admission for demo derby races and tractor pulls, as well as Figure 8 races all summer long.
Overview of Floyd Country Fairgrounds
Last Memorial Day weekend, a nearby tornado damaged many of the Fairground buildings and made a mess of the grounds. Natasha spent many volunteer hours helping to rebuild and clean up the Fairgrounds.
“I like to continue the tradition of volunteering at the Floyd County Fair. I loved it as a kid growing up, and it is a good way of showing our kids the importance of giving back.”
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