The River Community Church Begins Remodel Project at Eagle Village
(PRWEB) July 18, 2013 -- Being in residential care for portions or most of your early years can be difficult, challenging, scary, and lonely. Eagle Village strives to create a family group-home type atmosphere for the young people who come through their residential program. With the help of a new partnership with The River Community Church in Hartland, Putnam House which houses 12 boys ranging in age from 11 to 17 years of age will have twice the living space in their home with a remodel of their currently cement basement.
The first visit last week was to prepare the house and the residents for the project.
Brad Nelson, supervisor at Putnam House shared, “I believe the group’s effect on these kids will last for a long time. The dramatic change in the appearance of the house has allowed the boys to feel pride in where they live. They are also excited for the next phase when the basement gets finished.”
Nelson goes on to say, “We are very grateful that The River Community Church mission team had the hearts to come and share their precious time and families with us. Seeing a family structure based on Godly principles was a first for most. It was an experience they will not forget anytime soon.”
While The River’s volunteer families were on campus, they spent a good portion of their time working with the staff and residents of Putnam to do a deep clean. They sorted and organized and scrubbed and then scrubbed a bit more. Additionally, they worked with the boys on landscaping, cleaning up the yard and planting flowers in a bed near the road. Though all of this was needed improvement, the most important work happened as the relationships between the families from The River and the residents of Putnam House began.
Charlene Bush, organizer of the trip for the River team, said, “What an absolutely incredible trip we had at Eagle Village. I came away from the experience feeling blessed in so many ways. Putnam House has a wonderful group of young men with so much potential. My thoughts drift to them often. The Putnam House staff is also incredible. What a great group of leaders and role models for the boys. Our entire team just felt so blessed to be able to serve and each of us came away from the experience changed, including our own children. I was so proud of my own three. I have never seen them work and play so hard. I think the boys at Putnam House truly enjoyed just being kids for a while by interacting with the kids from our team.”
In the end, the first organizing and cleaning phase of the basement remodel ended up being secondary to the incredible relationships built and the friendships that were made. Everyone involved is very excited for the next visit to finish the basement and reconnect.
Eagle Village is a non-profit family treatment center providing Intervention Services and Camps for youth with behavioral challenges, Residential Treatment for those removed from their homes due to abuse/neglect or delinquency, Foster Care and Adoption services for all counties in Michigan. If you know of a family in crisis that may benefit from these programs contact Eagle Village at 231-832-2234 http://www.eaglevillage.org.
Lisa Spaugh, Eagle Village, http://www.eaglevillage.org, 231-832-6589, [email protected]
Share this article