Catholic youth from across U.S. volunteer throughout region
Published 7:04 am Tuesday, July 8, 2025
DAVID MAMARIL HOROWITZ
david.horowitz@bgdailynews.com
When Lauren Waddell, at Down Syndrome of Southern Kentucky, realizes her four new friends volunteering at the organization are moving away, it’s as if all tension leaves her face and body. She walks toward the four, sits and cries.
“I’m so worried about you,” she says.
Stephanie Morton, the nonprofit’s executive director, reassures Waddell the four youths will, whether by penpalling or social media, stay in contact. They leave their emails and, one by one, hug or otherwise embrace their new friend. Someone in the room mentions that their four-day visit will be the talk of the town for at least a month.
“What you did with them this week will live with them forever,” Morton says.
The four are among 163 teenagers from across the country split into 27 teams who spent the last week volunteering mostly at nonprofits, sometimes additionally supporting parishioners who require assistance around their respective residences. The program, Catholic Heart Work Camp, has more than 13,000 campers across 50 cities nationwide as well as several international camps, according to the organization.
The goal, according to the CHWC, is to give teenagers a chance to serve others, give back to their communities and live out their faith. Sarah Bessinger, one of the two local program managers, said that in Bowling Green, the teenagers volunteered at some 36 locations – from St. Gianna’s Crisis Pregnancy Center, to St. Teresa Ministries, to Med Center Health Adult Day Care, according to the organization.
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The teenagers volunteered 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday before returning to Bowling Green High School, Bessinger said. In the evenings, they’d participate in an upbeat program, along with reflection and faith-building, and sleep inside the classrooms.
Half a mile from Down Syndrome of Southern Kentucky, four other teenagers weeded and set mulch at the nonprofit Habitat for Humanity ReStore, which operates a thrift store with proceeds going toward the store, construction of affordable housing, and advocacy for the vulnerable in areas such as housing.
These four teenagers here, overseen by Sarah Beaver, an adult youth minister from Pennsylvania, also help at the warehouse, which otherwise has four employees at the site, store manager Jared McDuffy said. Their volunteerism saved the organization important funding – the last time it had landscaping done, it had cost around $4,500, McDuffy said.
“It’s a great experience,” says Erik Harms, a 16-year-old from Wisconsin, as he did the landscaping. “A lot of new people I’m meeting, a lot of different environments I’m working in.
I feel like helping people is definitely a great experience, and, kind of, inspires myself and others.”
The four also previously helped a homeowner around her house. The gratitude they’ve been shown for help with daily tasks has stood out, said Kaylee Greely, from Pennsylvania.
“I just love bringing that kind of joy to people,” she said.
In her time volunteering, Greely said, she learned a lot and built a stronger relationship with God.
“Seeing people’s faces, just doing small things for them, it’s a good feeling to be able to help,” added Allie Herman, from Illinois.
Back at Down Syndrome of Southern Kentucky, which helps people with Down syndrome become more independent and active community members, the team became folks’ peer buddies, the executive director, Morton, said. Together, they joined in the day-to-day of reading, watching videos, helping with fine motor skills such as writing, conducting science experiments, learning about different topics and numerous other activities. Ella Nelson, Morton’s daughter and a member of the organization, said she was doing great with the volunteers there, her favorite parts being drawing and playing Disney games with them.
The learning went both ways: The youth and the adult with them, Sharon Waun from Georgetown, described the experience as one that challenged and reshaped how they understood disability and Down syndrome – a firsthand reminder to see and appreciate people as individuals.
“You don’t really know everyone’s story,” summed up Charlie Jaskowak, from Pennsylvania.
Mark Andrzejewski, from Illinois, said he’d never interacted with people who have Down syndrome – and what began as awkward became super fun.
“It’s been awesome,” Andrzejewski said – then recalling how fun it’s been to spend time with a guy there named Trey. “I think I’ll remember him for the rest of my life.”
Immediately, those they’d spend the week with shook their hands, gave them hugs and shared their names, said Lily Gallagher, from Pennsylvania.
“When you talk down about them, or if you talk just to them like they’re babies, or if you treat them differently, it hurts them,” Gallagher said. “Treat others the way that you want to be treated … I think that it really shows that everybody was made in God’s image, and you should have the same amount of respect, same amount of love, same amount of kindness towards everybody, not just with disabilities.
But I think (these chances) allow us to show that, and it gives us an opportunity to not only realize that we have to love them, but also it opens up the why, the fact that we have to love everybody like even people who (we) don’t like in our lives or like people we don’t get along with.”
Mayah Thomas from Louisiana said it helped her see others more like how God would – not different, but made perfectly in His image.
Waun said being there made her grateful.
“They say to give is better than to receive, and I am so enriched just by being here, interacting with (the youth volunteers) and with the individuals here,” she said. “So much goodness I’ve been given here.”
